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Linn County approves agreement with Google for independent water study

The study will give Linn County data to help with long-term water planning

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - The Linn County Board of Supervisors approved a memorandum of understanding with Google on Wednesday to pay for an independent, third-party study of the county’s water resources.

The type of study is called a water balance study and will review current water resources and use, future water demand, drought risks, and gaps in available data, according to Linn County.

It will also review connected water sources, including the Cedar River and the Cedar River alluvial aquifer. The study will look at average conditions, dry years, and severe or extended drought conditions.

“Google will not review the results while the study is underway and will not see the results before the public,” Linn County Planning & Development Director Charlie Nichols said. “This was an important part of the agreement.”

Google will pay up to $242,000 for the first phase of the study. Black and Veatch, a third-party consulting firm, will be completing the work.

The water balance study is part of Linn County’s work during it’s data center moratorium. That moratorium was adopted by Linn County in July 2026 on new large scale data centers to allow time to review it’s current regulations and consider potential impacts on water resources.

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“The data from this study will help us make informed policy decisions for the whole county,” Linn County Board of Supervisors Chair Kirsten Running-Marquardt said.

Linn County expects the study to be complete in March 2027. Results should be available ahead of Linn County’s Data Center Advisory Committee meeting on water resources.