Coralville Lake is now expected to crest at about 708 feet—4 feet below the top of the dam—before dropping by Friday, more encouraging news as the University of Iowa begins putting final touches on its protective measures.
The U.S. Corps of Engineers said Wednesday the lake elevation is currently 708.44 feet, with an inflow of 20,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) and outflow of 18,300-18,400 cfs. The outflow is expected to drop to 15,000 cfs by June 14, well below the 24,000 cfs for which the UI has been preparing.
About ¼ inch of rain fell overnight, and while showers and thunderstorms are forecast in the next 24 hours, no heavy precipitation is expected.
There has been no report of flooding in any UI buildings, although crews continue to monitor facilities, pumps, and barriers around the clock.
As assuring as the forecast is, the UI reminds the campus community that the campus remains susceptible to flood risks, as saturated ground and a high reservoir make weather changes very impactful .
No additional buildings or roads have been closed on the UI campus. However, the pedestrian overpass bridge over Highway 6 between the UI College of Public Health and the Newton Road Parking Ramp will be closed Thursday evening, June 6, through Sunday, June 9, for resurfacing and waterproofing. Rocky Shore Drive is within an inch of taking on water, but the City of Iowa City is still hopeful it can remain open if the current forecast and flood models hold.
UI Police continue to remind the public to stay away from flood-protected areas and equipment, including HESCO barriers, sandbag walls, pumps, and closed buildings (right now Mayflower Residence Hall, Art Building West, the Museum of Art building and Theatre Building), streets (primarily North Dubuque Street), walkways and pedestrian bridges. In the interest of personal safety, people should also stay away from the Iowa River, whose current is fast and can carry debris that can cause injury or death. Anyone who sees people other than work crews and public safety officials in protected areas should contact UI Police at 319-335-5022.
For ongoing updates, University of Iowa Communication and Marketing (UCM) has established an Iowa Now hub for the latest information about flood preparations at now.uiowa.edu/keywords/flood-updates-2013, and flood-related FAQs can be found here. Additionally, UCM is providing information via Twitter (hashtag #UIFloodUpdates).
Questions about flood preparations and related issues may be directed via email to uiflood-questions@uiowa.edu. A member of the UCM staff will try to track down answers as soon as possible or refer queries to appropriate sources.