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=== 2008 flood === {{Main|Iowa flood of 2008}} [[File:North riverside drive.jpg|thumb|200px|The [[University of Iowa Museum of Art]] on North Riverside Drive during the height of the flood|alt=]] A local newspaper reported on June 11, 2008, that water exceeded the emergency spillway at the [[Coralville Reservoir]] outside of Iowa City.<ref>[http://www.press-citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080612/NEWS01/80612005/1001/NEWS River, reservoir continue to rise; No end in sight | press-citizen.com | Iowa City Press Citizen]{{Dead link|date=September 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> As a result, the City of Iowa City and the University of Iowa were seriously affected by unprecedented flooding of the Iowa River, which caused widespread property damage and forced [[emergency evacuation|evacuations]] in large sections of the city.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.press-citizen.com/story/news/2018/06/11/iowa-flood-2008-river-water-disaster/664298002/|title=No stopping Mother Nature when rivers rose in 2008|website=Iowa City Press-Citizen|access-date=June 26, 2019}}</ref> By Friday, June 13, 2008, the Iowa River had risen to a record level of {{convert|30.46|ft|m}} (5:00 pm CST) with a crest of approximately {{convert|33|ft|m}} predicted for Wednesday, June 18, 2008. Much of the city's 500-year floodplain saw mild to catastrophic effects of the rapidly flowing, polluted water. Officials at the University of Iowa reported that up to 19 buildings were affected by rising waters. Extensive efforts to move materials from the university's main library were undertaken as large groups of sandbagging volunteers began to construct a massive [[levee]] near the building. Approximately $300 million worth of art, including work by [[Picasso]], owned by the university was secretly moved to a holding place in the Chicago area before the fine arts area was heavily hit with flood water. On Friday, June 13, university employees were encouraged to stay home, and travel was strongly discouraged in Iowa City; one city statement advised, "If you live in east Iowa City, stay in east Iowa City; if you live in west Iowa City, stay in west Iowa City." The Burlington St. bridge was the only bridge that remained open, other than the [[I-80]] bridge on the edge of town, to connect the east and west sides of the Iowa River. On Saturday, June 14, officials at the University of Iowa began to power down the university's primary power generating plant along the Iowa River to prevent structural damage. Backup units continued to provide necessary power and steam services for essential University services, including the [[University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics]]. Water began touching the bottom of the Park St. bridge forcing the Army Corps of Engineers to drill several holes in the bridge to allow air trapped underneath to escape. Also on Saturday, Mayor Regenia Bailey issued a curfew restricting anyone except those authorized by law enforcement from being within {{convert|100|yd}} of any area affected by the flood between 8:30 pm and 6 am.
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