THANKS AGAIN, to the 24+ volunteers that participated in the May 10 Squaw Creek Snapshot! Lynette has returned the lab and field data and will be generating maps and graphs over the next few weeks. View the preliminary data at www.squawcreekwatershed.org/watershed.html.
College Creek topic of May 19 Open House (Laura Millsaps 05/18/2008) Tracy Warner and Mimi Wagner reported on the College Creek project at our annual meeting, and the open house at Daley Park is intended to provide area residents with information about planned improvements to the upper reaches of College Creek. The $600,000 project is a cooperative effort between the City of Ames and Iowa State University. The ISU Landscape Architecture department has created a website to provide information about specific projects and opportunities for community involvement. See http://creekcommunities.design.iastate.edu/.
May 15 at 8:30pm - The IPTV "Iowa Journal" program focuses on Iowa's aging and inadequate wastewater treatment facilities. Guests Susan Heathcote, Water Program Director with the Iowa Environmental Council, and Wayne Gieselman, Division Administrator of the Environmental Services Division of the IDNR.
Who speaks for the rivers? - Dave Kraemer writes about the Iowa Rivers Revival Conference (Ames Tribune 04/10/2008) and about keynote speaker Kenny Salwey (04/11/2008)
Remedies to Protect Water Quality at Ada Hayden Heritage Park By: Erv Klaas, Story County Soil and Water Conservation District (04/09/2008)
April 3 - Governor Culver signs legislation requiring septic tank inspections at the time of sale or transfer of property
March 27 - The SQUAW CREEK WATERSHED COALITION'S 2008 ANNUAL MEETING featured 4 speakers, with topics ranging from conservation practices on a watershed scale, to Rapid Watershed Assessments and an application for EPA 319 funding, to funded improvements planned for College Creek. Cathy Kling, Center for Agriculture and Rural Development, shared findings from the study "Conservation Practices in Iowa: Historical Investments, Water Quality, and Gaps." Tom Isenhart, ISU Department of Natural Resources Ecology and Management, spoke about Rapid Watershed Assessments of the upper Iowa, South Skunk and Boone Watersheds - and the nearly complete EPA 319 Grant application for Onion Creek. And finally, Tracy Warner, City of Ames Public Works and Mimi Wagner, ISU Department of Landscape Architecture, told of the Iowa Watershed Improvement Review Board (WIRB) funded projects on College Creek. A short business meeting and recap of 2007 activities followed.
THANK YOU to the 27 volunteers that participated in the IOWATER Squaw Creek Snapshot! We sampled 52 sites in the watershed, and in a steady drizzle. The results are in and the E coli readings were significantly higher than those of previous snapshots. See OCTOBER 2007 SNAPSHOT RESULTS or contact rick(~AT~)squawcreekwatershed.org for more information.
SRN - "The main product isn't the trash, it's the people who participate"
DNR seeks citizen input to help determine proper stream designations. There are currently 279 streams proposed to be downgraded to A2. See the "Stream Uses Outreach Project" at http://iowa.sierraclub.org/ for state and county maps of all proposed changes. For the streams that you've paddled or otherwise recreated on, have you seen people swim, fish, canoe or tube? Have you seen children playing, or observed ANY evidence of human use? There's a short survey form at the Sierra Club website and the DNR has a similar online survey form at www.iowadnr.com/water/standards/index.html. Please provide as much detail as possible (it's also important to note when nothing has been seen) - the DNR would like to have all available information for a stream be brought forward and considered in this process. The deadline for public comment on these changes HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO JANUARY 2nd. (See the IOWATER Informational email for background information and additional links).
River fans fear Iowa will make waters less safe By Perry Beeman • Register Staff Writer • December 24, 2007
State panel suggests waterway cleaning plans A state panel unveiled a plan Wednesday to clean Iowa's waterways by offering an elaborate round of watershed assessments and creating a state council to address water issues. Des Moines Register, Thursday, November 29, 2007
DNR News - DNR Adds Watershed Projects to Note Soil and Water Conservation Week The DNR is recommending that the Environmental Protection Commission (EPC) approve grants for ongoing efforts and six new watershed projects that will improve Iowa's streams, rivers and lakes. Posted: November 20, 2007
New Life in East Chicago - East Chicago wastewater treatment plant switches from chlorine to UV disinfection, chicagowildernessmag.org
Broken pipe results in manure release near Stratford Ames Tribune 10/17/2007
Rivers soak up pollution from Iowa's aging sewers By Perry Beeman, Register Staff Writer 8/26/2007
Ames draft wastewater permit approved by council By: Luke Jennett 08/15/2007
A fishable, swimmable, river Ames Tribune Editorial 06/28/2007
Groups get funding to install rain gardens By: Heidi Marttila-Losure 06/27/2007
Watershed Improvement Review Board (WIRB) Grant awarded for water quality improvement projects on College Creek. The City of Ames and ISU Landscape Architecture students will design and install stream stabilization and stormwater infiltration strctures to help reduce streambank and channel erosion.
Numbers Grow, So Does Trash on Project AWARE by Joe Wilkinson June 26, 2007
DNR Asks for help in determining how Iowa's streams are used A short online survey requests documentation of existing recreational uses including swimmimng, wading, fishing, canoeing/kayaking and tubing. The DNR will consider these survey results when determining the appropriate level of protection for each stream. Please take a few moments to fill out a form for each of the streams and stream segments you are familiar with!
Your help needed to protect our streams - From the Sierra Club, Iowa Chapter: The timing is right for a public outreach campaign in support of the recreational uses made of Iowa's rivers and streams. The Use Attainability Assessment process can be heavily influenced by public input describing specific personal uses of the water resources and these survey results will help determine the level of pollution protection that streams and rivers will receive. The first round of 200 stream assessments and recommended designations will be acted upon during the spring and summer of 2007. (The DNR has posted a status list of current UAA's at www.iowadnr.com/water/files/uaa_log.pdf.) Download the survey here.
Iowa's impaired waterways list adds 135 By: Charlotte Eby, Capitol News Service 05/02/2007 (Iowa Section 303(d) Impaired Waters Listings)
MAY 12 SQUAW CREEK SNAPSHOT - Over thirty volunteers participated in the IOWATER snapshot, sampling fifty-three locations in the Squaw Creek Watershed. Results from the snapshot will be posted here when they become available. Thanks to all of the volunteers that helped make this year’s spring snapshot a huge success!
Iowa River on "American Rivers" endangered list Charlotte Eby, Capitol News Service 04/17/2007
DNR Announces New Grant and Loan Programs to Help Iowans Install Urban Storm Water Practices (Deadline for Proposals: Friday, May 11, 2007, 4:30 PM)
Rattlesnake Master and other natives coming to Ames Rain Gardens By Jeff Raasch, Ames Tribune Staff Writer 03/31/2007
Ames pool draft study released By Jeff Raasch, Ames Tribune Staff Writer 03/31/2007
29 March Meeting Summary
The SCWC ANNUAL MEETING was held March 5th at the Ames Public Library. The meeting featured presentations by Ashley Wendt on the Squaw Creek Watershed Assessment, Erv Klaas on Bacterial Monitoring in Squaw Creek, and by David Rowe on Fish Monitoring in Squaw Creek and several tributaries. Chair-Elect John Pohlman succeeded Jim as Chair and Rick Dietz replaced Gaylan Crim as Secretary/Treasurer. No nominations were made for the Chair-Elect position so it remains open.
Matt Neznanski: Vacation on the river Ames Tribune 02/22/2007
WAKING UP IOWA to the gift of it's rivers - Many are catching on to the idea By David Kraemer, Ames Tribune 02/09/2007
Water Magic, My First Paddle, Project AWARE 2007, and Liquid Highways to Adventure! Read about them all in the IOWATER Newsletter.
11 January Meeting Summary
16 November Meeting Summary - Cameron Pines Access, storm drain labeling, 2006 SRN season, October snapshot, 2007 annual meeting.
IOWATER_News_Nov_2006.pdf - Informational E-mail from Brian Soenen
See the October 2006 Squaw Creek Snapshot data at www.squawcreekwatershed.org/watershed.html
E. coli levels in Skunk River unsafe in 2000 By: Jeff Raasch, Ames Tribune 10/20/2006
Water woes? By: By Jeff Raasch, The Tribune 10/21/2006
October 14th Squaw Creek Snapshot - Over 30 volunteers participated in the first ever Squaw Creek IOWATER Snapshot! We sampled 45 sites in the watershed, from Hwy 175 near Stratford to South Duff Ave in Ames. Photos of the event are at www.squawcreekwatershed.org/Oct06Snapshot.
16 August Meeting Summary - Fishin' Funday, storm drain labeling, Oct 14th Snapshot.
29 June Meeting Summary
Project AWARE Paddlers Haul Tons of Trash from Iowa, English Rivers (6/27/06) - See www.iowaprojectaware.com
Boone SWCD receives $15,000 stewardship grant, Boone News Republican (6/19/06)
City urges water conservation in Ames, Ames Tribune 6/14/06
USDA Rapid Watershed Assessment Grant awarded to Prairie Rivers RC&D (5/25/06)
Skunk River Navy receives the 2005 Governor's Iowa Environmental Excellence Award
April 2006 monthly meeting
Public Float on Squaw Creek We had 20 boats (26 paddlers) on Squaw Creek April 9th. Thanks to ISU Rec Services and JAX Outdoor Gear for the boats, and to everyone that helped and participated.
Annual Meeting Highlights
Iowa Water Quality in the Des Moines Register
Minutes from the January 12, 2006 Monthly Meeting
Funded Projects of the The Watershed Improvement Review Board (2005) There were 45 applications totaling $12,000,000 and the review board opted to fund only implementation projects rather than planning/assessment projects. Additional information about the Clear Creek Watershed can be found at www.iaenvironment.org/LocalWtrshedProjsFunded.htm
Squaw Creek Monitoring, a powerpoint presentation of fish population assessments conducted by the ISU Student Subunit of the American Fisheries Society (October 2005)
CREP Wetlands in Boone and Story County
Down home on the prairie: Iowa State, Ames community help restore land to greener state (Elwood Prairie)
Elwood Prairie Restoration (from Ecological Restoration at Iowa State University)
Hallett's Quarry Watershed Project
Finding the links among cows, creeks and conservation