-RSB- new Art Building West designed by Stephen Holl , has taken on significant water as well , '' said Sally Mason , president of the university . `` Fortunately we were able to save all the art , '' she said . The art was placed in crates shipped out of state last week . `` We anticipated the worst a week ago . '' At least 8 feet of water rushed through the campus , officials said . Among the school 's 30,000 students , Ann Barber told CNN she has been sandbagging for nearly seven days . `` It 's very hard to watch the devastation of our university , '' she said . This month 's severe weather has trampled towns from North Dakota to Indiana . The Federal Emergency Management Agency says more than 11 million Midwesterners will be affected by flooding and tornadoes . Meanwhile , in Cedar Rapids , Iowa , some of nearly 20,000 displaced residents began to return home Sunday as water there receded . People lined up for about a block in one part of the city waiting for a special wristband to allow them access to their homes .
CEDAR RAPIDS , Iowa -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Floodwaters inundated Iowa City and the University of Iowa arts campus on Sunday despite what one official called a `` Herculean effort '' to hold back the water with sandbags . Residents surround Lt. Tobey Harrison at a Cedar Rapids checkpoint as they wait to see their homes Sunday . `` We 've had the -LSB- National Guard -RSB- working next to prisoner inmates , sandbagging , '' said David Jackson , the university 's facilities manager . `` Students , faculty and staff , leaders of the university , the president of the university -- out sandbagging . '' Some 500 to 600 homes were ordered to evacuate and others faced a voluntary evacuation order through the morning , said Iowa City Mayor Regenia Bailey . The Iowa River in Iowa City crested at 31.5 feet and was expected to remain at that level until Monday , city and state officials said Sunday . Classes at the university have been suspended until next Sunday , according to its Web site . `` All of our theaters , our music building , Clapp Recital Hall , our fine arts building -LSB- the