James,
In response to the Major regarding southwestern Iowa as a Retreat Location:
While I have a fond affection for the southwestern Iowa and surrounding region, I do not feel that it is an ideal retreat location, especially during certain circumstances, such as a power
grid failure due to EMP or solar flare. There is an abundance of fertile farm ground, but I’d like to point out there are also two nuclear power plants in the area located at Brownsville, Nebraska and at Fort Calhoun. Nebraska, just north of Omaha. I, for one, will be vacating the area under those circumstances. – Pathfinder B.
The Ft. Calhoun power plant has been closed since 2011 when it flooded. It was totally decommissioned in 2016.The Cooper Power Plant at Brownsville is still in operation and there are no plans to shut it down. It is far enough south of most of SW Iowa that prevailing winds should keep any potential problems away from the area. While SW Iowa may not be an ‘IDEAL’ retreat location, it does offer many advantages for those ‘stuck here’ when the SHTF. The Loess hills provide ideal underground shelters. In fact back in the depression era, many people lived in dugouts in the hills.