field day

Upcoming Events

Discover Your University: IIHR Hydraulic Wind Tunnel Annex promotional image

Discover Your University: IIHR Hydraulic Wind Tunnel Annex

Wednesday, June 17, 2026 11:00am to 12:00pm
Hydraulics 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...

Grandparents University®: Discover Your Watershed promotional image

Grandparents University®: Discover Your Watershed

Thursday, July 16, 2026 8:00am to 4:30pm
Hydraulics Wind Tunnel Annex

Hawkeye grandparents and grandchildren, ages 8-14 years old, can experience student life together while taking part in educational, fun, and unique activities.

Explore extreme weather events, particularly flooding, as well as water-quality challenges in Iowa. Design your own watershed systems, experimenting with different materials to discover how to reduce flood impacts and agricultural runoff to protect clean water. By the end, you will better understand how land-use practices impact flooding...

Community Stem Day with Collins Aerospace promotional image

Community Stem Day with Collins Aerospace

Thursday, July 16, 2026 9:00am to 2:00pm
Collins Aerospace

Join us for Community STEM Day, hosted by Collins Aerospace in collaboration with the Southeast Iowa STEM Hub.

This exciting farmer’s market-style STEM event will take place from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Collins Aerospace C Ave Complex near the Building 112 entrance in Cedar Rapids. The day will feature engaging STEM activities from businesses, individuals, and organizations from the Cedar Rapids area. There will also be lab tours, in-depth workshops, and food trucks offering lunch for purchase...

Past Events

Growing Sustainable Communities Conference

Tuesday, April 1 to Wednesday, April 2, 2025 (all day)
Grand River Convention Center
3rd Annual Earth Day Celebration at Fairport Fish Hatchery  promotional image

3rd Annual Earth Day Celebration at Fairport Fish Hatchery

Saturday, April 26, 2025 10:00am to 3:00pm
Fairport Fish Hatchery
Join us at the Fairport Fish Hatchery on April 26th for the 3rd annual Earth Day Celebration! Explore the historic interpretive trails, check out the new education pavilion, and enjoy talks from notable speakers.

Bur Oak Land Trust Prairie Preview

Wednesday, May 14, 2025 4:30pm to 7:00pm
Iowa Memorial Union (IMU)

We invite you to join us as an exhibitor at the 40th Annual Prairie Preview on Wednesday, May 14 from 4:30-7 p.m. at the Iowa Memorial Union International Ballroom. Last year, nearly 300 people attended, making it a fantastic opportunity to connect with the community! This year, we are once again dedicating the entire event to community building and networking, without a keynote speaker, to foster meaningful conversations and engagement.

Stop by the IIHR and Iowa Flood Center exhibit for...

Meandering River promotional image

Meandering River

Sunday, May 18, 2025 6:00pm to 7:30pm
Lagoon Shelter House
Discover Your University promotional image

Discover Your University

Tuesday, May 20, 2025 1:00pm to 2:30pm
Hydraulics Wind Tunnel Annex

Participants will learn about the research activities at IIHR, including the statewide hydraulic monitoring network maintained by the Iowa Flood Center. The tour will include a visit to research labs housed in the Hydraulics Wind Tunnel Annex and discussions with IIHR research staff and faculty.

5th Annual BioBlitz at the Ashton Prairie Living Laboratory promotional image

5th Annual BioBlitz at the Ashton Prairie Living Laboratory

Saturday, July 12, 2025 9:00am to 11:00am
Ashton Cross Country Course

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 5th 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...

Applied Hydraulics at IIHR: Stormwater Diversion and Drop Structure Design for Ellicott City promotional image

Applied Hydraulics at IIHR: Stormwater Diversion and Drop Structure Design for Ellicott City

Wednesday, July 16, 2025 12:00pm to 1:00pm
Virtual
This webinar will provide a brief overview of IIHR’s research mission, technical capabilities, and areas of collaboration, followed by a focused look at our work on the Ellicott City flood mitigation project. Dr. Troy Lyons, Associate Director of IIHR, led the hydraulic modeling efforts for the project. His expertise spans hydraulic structures, urban stormwater systems, drop shafts, and deep tunnels—critical elements in complex flood resilience and conveyance design.
Okoboji Blue Water Festival promotional image

Okoboji Blue Water Festival

Saturday, August 9, 2025 (all day)
Arnolds Park
The Okoboji Blue Water Festival supports the stewardship of clean water and other natural resources through participation, education and celebration. Come and share the experience that is designed for all ages!
ISAC Annual Conference promotional image

ISAC Annual Conference

Wednesday, August 20 to Friday, August 22, 2025 (all day)
Veterans Memorial Community Choice Convention Center
Join us on August 20-22 for the ISAC Annual Conference taking place in person at the Veteran’s Memorial Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center. Each August, ISAC brings together county officials and employees from across the state for this educational conference.
ISAC Annual Conference promotional image

ISAC Annual Conference

Thursday, August 21 to Friday, August 22, 2025 (all day)
Veterans Memorial Community Choice Convention Center
Join us on August 20-22 for the ISAC Annual Conference taking place in person at the Veteran’s Memorial Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center. Each August, ISAC brings together county officials and employees from across the state for this educational conference.