The long-lasting impact of environmental pollutants like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) continues to threaten ecosystems and public health around the world. Despite cleanup efforts, PCBs environmental impact remains a significant challenge to many communities.  Alexis Slade, a PhD candidate in civil and environmental engineering, is at the forefront of this critical work.

A federal hiring freeze and layoffs at the National Weather Service are impacting the accuracy of forecasts and long-range outlooks. IIHR-Hydroscience & Engineering Director Larry Weber shares how tens of millions of dollars in federal grants and contracts that were headed to the University of Iowa-housed laboratory have been put on hold.

Eighteen University of Iowa staff members were honored with this year’s Staff Council Awards for achievements ranging from excellence in service to accomplishments that significantly benefited the university. Read more about each award and this year’s winners.

IIHR—Hydroscience and Engineering is part of a new $6 million initiative funded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and based at Auburn University to create the National Information Collaboration on Ecohydraulics (NICE) to improve the understanding of ecological impacts from navigation locks and dams on fish and rivers.

A new patent developed at the University of Iowa’s Hydroinformatics Lab promises to transform how water levels are measured, offering a reliable and affordable solution for communities worldwide. The invention by Ibrahim Demir, the director of Hydroinformatics Lab, and Yusuf Sermet, associate research professor, combines cameras and standard sensors to compute liquid surface elevations of streams, rivers, and reservoirs.

Craig Just, CEE professor and IIHR faculty research engineer, is committed to helping small communities in Iowa address their wastewater treatment challenges in an affordable, efficient, and sustainable way.

George Constantinescu, civil and environmental engineering professor and IIHR faculty researcher, is part of a new study that investigates the environmental impacts of the Kakhovka Dam destruction in Ukraine targeted by warfare efforts using water as a weapon.

Robotics programs continue to gain momentum in schools and communities, providing students with opportunities to explore STEM fields early on. It’s important to have the right tools, mentors, and hands-on experiences to spark curiosity and keep the enthusiasm alive.

Similar to its prediction made earlier this month, the Nation Weather Service’s Quad Cities bureau is anticipating below normal spring flood risks. Tim Gross, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said the risk for severe flooding on the Mississippi River this spring is currently 5 to 10 percent.

As part of sweeping cuts across a broad swath of U.S. departments and agencies, $35 million in federal grants and contracts headed to the University of Iowa’s 105-year-old IIHR-Hydroscience & Engineering center have been placed on hold.