Dubuque is implementing a $26 million pump system to mitigate flooding in the Bee Branch Watershed. The University of Iowa is testing a 1:7.5 scale model of the pump system to ensure effectiveness. The project is part of a larger flood mitigation effort and is expected to be operational by August 2027.

Matthew Kliegl felt a bit like a fish out of water when his master’s degree led him to study fish and their swimming behaviors. Kliegl embraced the opportunity to contribute to IIHR's legacy of fish passage research, helping to understand the movement of fish in the Mississippi River.  

With more than half of Dubuque’s population working or living in the Bee Branch Watershed — covering 6.5 miles and encompassing six schools, four parks and affordable housing — the city’s $28 million Bee Branch Stormwater Pumping Station Project is just as much money saved as it is money spent.

The University of Iowa’s Department of Hydroscience and Engineering, or IIHR, and officials from the city of Dubuque gathered Monday to demonstrate a project years in the making — and with years left to completion. The project: a $26 million flood mitigation system designed by UI hydroscience engineers in collaboration with a Dubuque design consulting firm, Origin Design. The $26 million asking price will fall on the city of Dubuque.

With more than half of Dubuque’s population working or living in the Bee Branch Watershed — covering 6.5 miles and encompassing six schools, four parks, and affordable housing — the city’s $28 million Bee Branch Stormwater Pumping Station Project is just as much money saved as it is money spent.

The city of Dubuque is rolling out a new pump system that was tested by researchers at the University of Iowa. The university’s IIHR—Hydroscience and Engineering program was hired to evaluate the pump system and make sure it meets national standards. It's expected to help mitigate future flooding.

Project engineers from the City of Dubuque are teaming up with experts at the University of Iowa's IIHR—Hydroscience and Engineering lab to test a new flood mitigation system. Engineers have built a scale model of a new pump station set to be installed in the Bee Branch Creek Watershed.

Flash flooding has impacted Dubuque for years, and even this summer. Which is why professionals with the University of Iowa and the city of Dubuque are working together to create a system simulates a rainstorm that could flood more than 1,000 businesses and homes. Monday, researchers and engineers showed Dubuque city leaders what they could do to minimize damage next time.

A small-scale model built at the University of Iowa will soon play a big role in how Dubuque tackles future flooding. Project engineers unveiled a 1:7.5 scale model of a new pump station, designed specifically for Bee Branch Creek in Dubuque. The real version is currently under construction and is expected to be completed in August 2027.

The University of Iowa College of Engineering has announced the hiring of new faculty members some of whom begin this year. The remaining begin their appointments in the spring. Learn more about the new professors.