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Ames, IA · Story County · 42.031°N 93.632°W
Straight-line distances. Nearest named waterway via the USGS National Hydrography Dataset; nearest transmission line via HIFLD. Baseline water stress and groundwater trend describe the surrounding hydrological basin (WRI Aqueduct 4.0, CC BY 4.0) — not this facility’s measured water use. Principal-aquifer system underlying the location (USGS, mapped at 1:2,500,000 — regional context, not site hydrogeology).
Air-cooled using chillers and fans rather than evaporative systems; LightEdge's proposal states approximately 0 gallons per day of cooling water, and cites its Altoona facility's 1,267 gallons a day — 5 percent of Iowa's 25,000-gallon permit threshold — as the reference case.
The proposal would lease city-owned airport land, which put it in front of the council and the public: a first reading on 2026-06-23, a public listening session on 2026-06-30, and a decision point set for the 2026-07-28 council meeting. Residents organised against it, and the council acknowledged the proposal raises electrical capacity, transmission and distribution, and utility rate questions for Ames Electric Services. Reported estimates put a required dedicated substation at about $12 million. LightEdge's own materials push back on jobs expectations, stating data centers are 'not large direct employers' and that 'staffing on site for a facility like this is small.'
Ames Data Center Proposal — LightEdge edge colocation project pageAmes City Council first reading on the proposal to lease city airport land to LightEdge; decision point scheduled for 2026-07-28.
Ames Data Center Proposal — LightEdge edge colocation project pageReported: data based on credible news outlets or industry sources.
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