IIHR—Hydroscience and Engineering is an internationally renowned laboratory where researchers are solving some of our world’s greatest fluids-related challenges.
Rivers, Watersheds, and the Landscape
IIHR researchers are addressing issues related to sustainability in the water, energy, and food nexus; improving our understanding and adaptation to climate change; increasing community resilience to natural hazards; and helping equip society with the tools to make informed decisions.
Fluid Mechanics and Structures
Fluid mechanics, the study of fluid behavior at rest and in motion, is at the core of nearly all IIHR research. IIHR uses the basic governing equations of fluid mechanics to investigate a wide range of applications—river flow, atmospheric conditions, renewable energy (e.g., wind and water turbines), ship hydrodynamics, biological systems, and much more.
Health and the Environment
Much of IIHR’s research touches all our lives, affecting human health and well-being in meaningful ways. Studies of biofluids, environmental contaminants, vulnerability, and resilience are relevant to each of us. In addition, projects on renewable energy and watersheds help remediate society’s negative environmental impacts, leading to a higher quality, more sustainable life.
Information Systems
Beginning with the innovative Iowa Flood Information System (IFIS) in 2011, IIHR has made online public access to research data the standard for its major research initiatives. IIHR has developed online data access systems for water quality information, flood mitigation projects, well-driller information, and more. These platforms provide emergency managers, decision-makers, and the public with accurate and reliable data.
Serving Iowans
From flood to drought, surface water to groundwater, IIHR is helping Iowans understand and manage water resource challenges to ensure a livable and sustainable future.
Faculty Excellence
Research Impact
Recent News
Central Iowa Water Works’ nitrate removal facility runs for 107 days in 2026
In a Small Iowa Town, a Solution to a National Crisis
These two water monitoring programs are not the same
Events
Discover Your University: James Street Labratory
IIHR—Hydroscience and Engineering’s James Street Laboratory provides 17,000 square feet for the construction of large hydraulic models.
Tour attendees will explore the capabilities of this impressive space through a working model of the Newtown Creek wastewater management system. Located in Brooklyn, New York, Newtown Creek frequently experiences flooding from wastewater backups even during light rainfall. IIHR is leading efforts to design a new system that addresses these challenges.
Join us on...
Discover Your University: IIHR Hydraulic Wind Tunnel Annex
Following the devastating 2008 flood, the Iowa Flood Center joined IIHR in 2009 and provides Iowans with critical tools and information to help them understand and mitigate flood risks.
Tour attendees will get a glimpse of IIHR and the Iowa Flood Center's research expertise and breadth by seeing what goes into the fabrication of field monitoring equipment. Participants will also experience interactive demonstrations of research labs solving complex erosion and sedimentation challenges, advancing...
6th Annual BioBlitz at the Ashton Prairie Living Laboratory
What types of plants, animals, and fungal life might you find at the Ashton Prairie Living Laboratory? Let's find out!
Join researchers in collecting, observing, and recording biodiversity at the Ashton Prairie Living Laboratory in our 6th Annual BioBlitz. Your findings will inform a major research project and will contribute to the fifth data point in a multi-year documentation of how diversity changes at this site over time. Collections will be housed with the UI Museum of Natural History...