With installation of a 12-foot HESCO wall around Mayflower Residence Hall under way Tuesday, University of Iowa officials are now making plans to begin installing flood barriers around Art Building West and along the banks of the Iowa River throughout campus.

The precautionary measures are in response to plans by the U.S. Corps of Engineers to incrementally increase the flow of water from the Coralville Reservoir to keep reservoir levels below the 712-foot spillway following recent locally heavy rains and continued spring drainage from the north.

To accommodate HESCO construction at Mayflower, and because of flash flooding Monday night, only one southbound lane of Dubuque Street remained open between Foster Road and Park Road late Tuesday afternoon. Because of rising river levels, all four lanes could be closed to traffic by Friday. UI CAMBUS service to Mayflower also has been discontinued until further notice.

City of Iowa City officials encourage travelers to use alternate routes, including the Dodge Street exit (exit 246) of Interstate 80.

UI officials are meeting daily, in coordination with city, county, and U.S. Corps officials, to assess the forecast and determine next steps to prepare for potential flooding, using the Flood Emergency Response Plan created after the 2008 floods, and refined following the 2013 flood threat.

After the flood of 2008, the Federal Emergency Management Agency funded and approved the use of an “invisible wall” around Art Building West as a method for keeping water out of the building. Installation of the 12-foot high prefabricated metal wall should be completed by the end of the week, and the construction will requirethat the southbound lane of North Riverside Drive be closed.

Lot 42 adjacent to the building also will be closed during the wall's installation.

The UI is also making plans this week to begin installing HESCO barriers along the west and east sides of the Iowa River, to a height of 4 feet. This height will protect UI buildings along the Iowa River to flood levels matching the 2008 flood (500 year flood level).

Despite the flood risk, the UI continues to operate normally, and all classes and programs are being held as scheduled, including—so far—the Iowa City Jazz Fest on the UI PentacrestJuly 3-5 and the July 5 fireworks, which will be launched from Hubbard Park.

Because of multiple flood recovery projects under way along the Iowa River and elsewhere at the university, travelers are encouraged to build in extra time for getting around and through campus. Be alert to road, lane and parking lot closures, especially where flood mitigation measures are being installed. Care should be taken to avoid sites that are impacted by flooding or construction work related to the flooding.

For updates, monitor local news media channels and look for updates via Iowa Now ( now.uiowa.edu), the UI Emergency Information Web ( emergency.uiowa.edu), site, and Twitter (@uiowa, #UIFloodUpdate14).

To view online, interactive flood modeling maps for Iowa City and other communities throughout Iowa, visit iowafloodcenter.org/.