AI Data Centers in Iowa: Every Facility Tracked (2026)

Iowa hosts two major operating artificial intelligence (AI) data center campuses, representing a combined 600 megawatts (MW) of tracked electrical capacity. Ban the Bots' data center map tracks hyperscale and AI infrastructure across the Midwest, where Iowa provides a long-standing operating base for two of the largest technology corporations in the world. While neighboring Wisconsin tracks roughly 5,320 MW across four major projects and Minnesota tracks Meta's large-scale development in Rosemount, Iowa's footprint is established, fully operational, and divided between Dallas County and Pottawattamie County.

• Which AI companies operate data centers in Iowa?
• The timeline of hyperscale development in Iowa
• Water consumption, river utilities, and community concerns
• County-level tracking in Dallas and Pottawattamie
• Iowa AI data center facilities, one by one
• FAQ: AI data centers in Iowa
• Tracking Iowa's artificial intelligence infrastructure

Which AI companies operate data centers in Iowa?

Two technology firms operate the hyperscale AI data centers tracked on this site in Iowa: Google and Microsoft. Both facilities are active rather than planned or under initial construction. Google maintains a major presence in Council Bluffs within Pottawattamie County, while Microsoft operates its central Iowa campus in West Des Moines within Dallas County.

Together, these two operators represent 600 MW of power demand dedicated to high-density computing and cloud services. Unlike states where newer developers or multi-tenant co-location providers build speculative shells, Iowa's tracked inventory consists strictly of proprietary owner-operated campuses. Both campuses support intensive computational workloads, including the training and execution of artificial intelligence algorithms alongside consumer cloud products.

Google and Microsoft have established long-term utility relationships in their respective municipalities. In Council Bluffs, Google interfaces with local regional utilities to handle both high-volume cooling water delivery and transmission-level electrical feeds. In West Des Moines, Microsoft works within municipal and private utility structures that draw surface water for cooling, a setup that has placed local natural resources at the center of municipal discussions regarding corporate utility priorities.

The timeline of hyperscale development in Iowa

Iowa was one of the earliest destinations for modern hyperscale computing. Google announced its Council Bluffs campus on June 1, 2007, making the Pottawattamie County site one of Google's oldest data centers in the United States (US). In the years following that initial 2007 commitment, Google expanded the Council Bluffs location multiple times to keep pace with global data storage and computational needs, eventually scaling the campus to its current 200 MW rating.

Over a decade after Google's entry, Microsoft committed to an expansion of its own cloud footprint in the state. On January 15, 2020, Microsoft announced a $1.1 billion investment to construct its major data center campus in West Des Moines. That development brought 400 MW of capacity online in Dallas County, creating the single largest operating AI data center campus tracked in Iowa today.

Because these sites were initiated between 2007 and 2020, Iowa's infrastructure differs from regions where projects were announced only recently during the generative AI boom of 2023 through 2026. The electrical substations, transmission lines, and municipal cooling connections in Council Bluffs and West Des Moines were built and integrated into their regional grids well before the current national bottleneck on high-voltage electrical transformers took hold.

Water consumption, river utilities, and community concerns

Cooling high-density server racks requires sustained water delivery, and Iowa's tracked facilities rely on two primary river basins. In West Des Moines, Microsoft's 400 MW facility contracts through Iowa American Water, which draws water from the Raccoon River. In Council Bluffs, Google's 200 MW campus connects to the Missouri River via the Metropolitan Utilities District (MUD).

These surface water withdrawals have produced measurable local controversy during periods of drought. In 2023, municipal utility records revealed that Microsoft data centers in Iowa consumed 6.4 million gallons of water in a single month while the region was experiencing severe drought conditions. That volume represented a notable percentage of local municipal supply, triggering public scrutiny from residents and environmental advocates over whether drinking water watersheds should prioritize computational cooling over agricultural and residential needs.

Surface water dependency presents operational vulnerabilities for facility operators as well as ecological challenges for downstream communities:

• Drought strain on the Raccoon River: The Raccoon River supplies drinking water to central Iowa communities. When drought reduces baseline river flows, industrial evaporation from evaporative cooling towers removes millions of gallons of water that would otherwise recharge the local municipal water table.
• Missouri River utility volume: The Metropolitan Utilities District handles large industrial volumes for the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan region. Drawing hundreds of thousands of gallons daily from the Missouri River basin requires ongoing treatment and cooling infrastructure to avoid thermal discharge disruption downstream.
• Competing regional needs: Iowa is an agricultural state with significant livestock and irrigation requirements. High industrial consumption during peak summer heat creates direct competition between data center cooling towers and regional agricultural operations.

For a detailed breakdown of how server hardware converts municipal water into steam and wastewater, visit the AI water calculator. For an overview of how these utility draws affect utility rates and zoning boards nationwide, read the analysis on AI data center impacts.

County-level tracking in Dallas and Pottawattamie

Search interest and municipal scrutiny around Iowa data centers regularly center on county-level filings, such as queries regarding a Pottawattamie County hyperscale data center permit or Dallas County zoning changes. Ban the Bots monitors facility-level operating metrics, operational status, megawatts, and cooling sources rather than individual day-to-day permit applications filed with local county boards of adjustment.

In Pottawattamie County, Google's presence in Council Bluffs anchors the county's industrial tax base along the Missouri River corridor. The 200 MW installation has undergone periodic phased expansions since 2007. Whenever new server halls or substation equipment are added, public records reflect building permits and utility agreements with the Metropolitan Utilities District and local power boards.

In Dallas County, Microsoft's 400 MW development in West Des Moines spans significant acreage along central Iowa's transportation corridors. The January 2020 announcement of the $1.1 billion capital project required formal development agreements with municipal leaders. While local permit filings address specific building additions, the facility maintains an active, operational status in tracking records.

Iowa AI data center facilities, one by one

The two facilities tracked in Iowa carry the following technical specifications, corporate ownership, and utility sources:

• Microsoft Iowa Data Center Campus (West Des Moines, Dallas County; operating): A 400 MW operational campus announced on January 15, 2020, representing a $1.1 billion capital investment. The facility uses evaporative cooling supplied by Iowa American Water from the Raccoon River. The site drew public controversy in 2023 when tracking and utility records documented that Microsoft data centers in Iowa used 6.4 million gallons of water during a single month of regional drought conditions.
• Google Council Bluffs Data Center (Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie County; operating): A 200 MW operational campus announced on June 1, 2007, serving as one of the oldest Google data centers in the United States. The site has undergone multiple expansions since its initial development. Its operational cooling water is sourced from the Missouri River through the Metropolitan Utilities District.

Complete geographic coordinates, verified MW capacity ratings, and ongoing updates are indexed on the data center map.

FAQ: AI data centers in Iowa

How many AI data centers are in Iowa?

Ban the Bots tracks two major operating AI data center campuses in Iowa as of 2026, operated by Microsoft and Google, with a combined tracked capacity of 600 megawatts.

Where are Iowa's AI data centers located?

Iowa's tracked facilities are located in Dallas County and Pottawattamie County. Microsoft operates a 400 megawatt campus in West Des Moines (Dallas County), and Google operates a 200 megawatt campus in Council Bluffs (Pottawattamie County).

How much water do Iowa's AI data centers use?

Water use varies by season and facility size, but consumption can reach millions of gallons monthly. Public records showed that Microsoft's Iowa data centers consumed 6.4 million gallons of water in a single month during a 2023 drought. Microsoft draws from the Raccoon River via Iowa American Water, while Google draws from the Missouri River via the Metropolitan Utilities District.

Which company has the biggest AI data center in Iowa?

Microsoft operates the biggest AI data center in Iowa by tracked electrical capacity. Its West Des Moines campus in Dallas County is rated at 400 megawatts, compared to Google's 200 megawatt campus in Council Bluffs.

Tracking Iowa's artificial intelligence infrastructure

Iowa's two major AI data center campuses in Dallas County and Pottawattamie County total 600 MW of power, drawing cooling volume from the Raccoon and Missouri rivers while serving high-density computational workloads. To evaluate Iowa's capacity alongside neighboring states, compare the data with Wisconsin's AI data center footprint or explore the interactive national registry on the data center map.