On the arts campus, emergency efforts made a difference

Dan Heater points to the sandbag dike near Hancher Auditorium. Although water topped it June 13, flowing onto the University’s arts campus, the work that went into it wasn’t for naught.

“We kept the river and river current between our dikes,” says Heater, director of building services and landscape services for Facilities Management, noting that by stanching the rapid flow of water, staff and volunteers prevented additional damage to buildings.

Heater led a media tour to parts of the arts campus June 19. With clearance from safety evaluation crews, the group entered Hancher, Clapp Recital Hall, and Voxman Music Building.

In Hancher, water had risen from the basement to about 18 inches above the stage, swamping more than a dozen rows of seats. The cavernous, dank auditorium is a brooding contrast to the Hancher most of us know. (The lobby escaped flood damage.)

Sandbagging on the arts campus began June 7, producing a dike that stretched a quarter mile south from Hancher to the railway bridge over the Iowa River. But heavy rains the night of June 12 raised water levels beyond the point where crews could safely continue their work.

Cleanup efforts are under way at the Main Library, Adler Journalism Building, and other facilities. As the water continues to subside, massive external ventilation systems, pumps, and other equipment will be transported north to the hardest hit part of campus.

The extent of the damage remains to be seen, but Heater praises the heroic contributions of staff and volunteers who fought to contain the river.

“This work paid off for us,” he adds. “We believe it’s going to save the University millions of dollars, and that all the effort made a difference.”