With Utility Systems Severed, U. of Iowa Faces a Warm Summer

This week’s floods severed utility connections between the east and west sides of the University of Iowa’s campus, according to a flood update posted by Lola L. Lopes, the university’s interim vice president and provost.

On the west side of the Iowa River, Ms. Lopes reports, utilities are functioning normally, but to protect the systems university officials will need to control the rate at which research projects are ramped back up to regular operating levels. On the east side of the river, however, the university power plant is still off line. So for the time being, she says, the east side of the campus will probably have to get by with only about 40 percent of its normal air-conditioning capacity, even with temporary chillers in place.

University officials have discussed running the available chillers all night long to cool buildings off as much as possible, and then during the day switching the air conditioning to priority functions like operating fume hoods for researchers and keeping computer equipment from overheating. “Many summer classes already meet in the morning when the buildings should be cool,” she writes. “If it becomes warm enough that afternoon classes are uncomfortable, faculty might try switching classes to early morning.” She acknowledged, however, that she “might not get many takers” for early-morning instruction.

Ms. Lopes also notes that a company specializing in disaster recovery has begun “mucking out” flooded buildings. With some roads still closed and parking limited, she suggests that people may want to work from their homes. “I am told,” she adds, “that some researchers have found that forced time away from the lab is just right for writing grant proposals.”