Work for the first of a two-phase project restoring the banks of the Campus River is underway according to an article from IU Bloomington Today.

“It started after the start of the year.” Mia Williams, team lead for the Campus River restoration project said. “So in, very early in 2022, first week of January, I would say.”

According to the article, the goal of the restoration project is to protect and preserve the Campus River that serves IU as a visual and interactive amenity and as a natural storm water utility.

“We want to keep that iconic feature available for subsequent generations of students, faculty, and staff and visitors.” Williams said. “And we saw a opportunity to engineer a solution that would reinforce the river as it is, without changing it too much.”

According to the article, restoration efforts are necessary due to the destructive forces of rainfall events. According to the Bloomington Climate Risk and Vulnerabilities Assessment, the frequency and size of extreme rainfall events and flooding has increased over the last century in the Midwest. Since 1895, Bloomington’s annual precipitation has increased by 15% and since 1980 Bloomington’s heavy precipitation has increased by 25% according to the report.

The first phase of restoration includes a section immediately east of Forrest Avenue and South of Woodburn Hall according to the IU Bloomington Today article. In March, the construction zone will move to east, to north of the Conrad Prebys Amphitheater and Byran House and south of Woodburn Hall, the Lilly Library and the IU Auditorium according to the article.

The restoration project, Williams said, is split into two phases because the river covers such a breadth of campus, the idea of closing-off such a huge space and allowing a contractor to have the safety to move around with their equipment wasn’t practical for the use of campus.

“And also, we know that we will learn things in this first phase that will make us do subsequent phases better.” Williams said.

Students will see backhoes and heavy equipment scooping out stacks of rocks, plant material and soil and piling them in or next to the river during restoration, Williams said.

“It’s one of those things where it gets worse before it gets better.” Williams said.

Once restoration is complete, Williams said the river will look like a neater and tidier version of what it was.

“But the walls are going to be straighter and cleaner.” Williams said “And the flow will be allowed to move more efficiently.” 

According to the article, some sidewalks and footbridges will be closed through the end of February in order to allow restoration work to occur during the first phase. 

Emma Harden, a freshman at IU, said restoration and construction have only added one or two minutes to her walk time. But in weather like rain, restoration and construction have made getting around campus difficult due to flooding in areas where walkways have been replaced.

“I think because of the construction they’ve sort of like rerouted some of the flooding, which means that it can be really really difficult to get to class because you’re essentially walking through giant puddles.” Harden said.

Harden said she thinks flooding and construction is slowing down some students trying to get to class on rainy days and she’s seen professors be a bit more relaxed about arrival times.

“But I have noticed that the construction has been a little bit tedious to deal with, thankfully not too much.” Harden said.

Work on the second phase of the restoration project is expected to be completed at the end of April according to the IU Bloomington Today article. And, once structural work is complete, all areas disturbed by restoration efforts will be replanted.