June 19 - ISU College Creek Clean Up, 1-4pm.
July 19 - Anatomy of Iowa Floods: Preparing for the Future - 4-6pm in the Ames City Council Chambers. See how changing trends in rainfall and water run-off impact Iowa ® Find out how your community can reduce future flood damage ® See how urban and rural Iowans work together to reduce flood impacts ® Learn why Cedar Falls is leading the nation in floodplain management ® See how the Iowa Flood Center works to minimize future flood damage ® Learn how new disaster-related state laws can help Iowans. For more information: Contact Joe Bolkcom, Outreach and Community Education Director, Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research; joe-bolkcom(~AT~)uiowa.edu; www.cgrer.uiowa.edu; 319-353-2681.
June 2010 - Cedar River named one of America’s Most Endangered Rivers for 2010 - Outdated flood management threatens public safety.
IOWATER ReDesign announced in the Spring 2010 Newsletter. One of the changes is that the Level 1 Workshop has been split into two workshops, an eight-hour "Introductory" Workshop and an optional eight-hour Biological Workshop. The new Biological Workshop features an improved biological identification key and the use of an Index of Biological Integrity. Also announced in the Spring Newsletter, our own Erv Klass has recieved the 2009 IOWATER Volunteer of the Year Award!
May 2010 - A little Moore education. Ames High students are environmental experts at local park (Ames Tribune 5/16/2010). The project is also mentioned in the Spring 2010 IOWATER Newsletter.
May 20 - The Iowa Learning Farm's new Conservation Station had it's opening debut at Ada Hayden Park in Ames.
May 15 - Thanks again to the Squaw Creek/IOWATER Snapshot Volunteers - Our results are back - see www.squawcreekwatershed.org/watershed.html.
April 2010 - Cedar Falls named Iowa Rivers Revival’s River Town of the Year! - We had an opportunity to see some of the BMPs in place on Dry Run Creek as part of the IRR's Annual Conference. Most seemed very simple and low-cost. I was very impressed!
April 24 - Thank you to JAX Outdoor Gear for another successful Wild and Scenic Film Festival!
The Squaw Creek Watershed Coalition have joined the growing coalition of IWILL (Iowa's Water and Land Legacy) members in support of the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund, which would provide a permanent and constitutionally protected funding source for Iowa’s natural resources. Trust fund revenue will come from the allocation of 3/8 of one cent of sales tax revenue the next time the Iowa Legislature approves a sales tax increase. Iowans will have the opportunity to vote on the measure on November 2nd. (See Iowans Support Natural Resources Trust Fund)
Check out IOWATER.NET! You'll find a lot of new information and interesting links including new IOWATER Lakes, Bacteria, and Biological reports and a new Aquatic Macroinvertebrates website from the University of Iowa Hygienic Lab (UHL) Limnology Department.
The Fall 2009 IOWATER Newsletter contains a summary of reports by IOWATER staff including biological and bacteria assessments. Thanks to our many dedicated volunteers the Squaw Creek Watershed is well represented. There's also an article by Mike Todd about monitoring the impact of the the high school area on the water quality of Squaw Creek.
Become a River Citizen at www.1mississippi.net. The December 2009 River Citizens Newsletter includes an article about high chloride levels found in some urban streams.
The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) is a network of over 15,000 volunteer observers who check precipitation amounts on a daily basis across the U.S. You too can participate - no experience required!
Ames City Council agrees on UV wastewater disinfection (Ames Tribune 11/18/09)
October 10 - The IOWATER Squaw Creek Snapshot! Many thanks to the 15 volunteers that braved the low temps and snowy forecast. We were able to sample 50 sites within the Squaw Creek Watershed. Results are back - see www.squawcreekwatershed.org/watershed.html.
August 13 - The SCWC, together with JAX Outdoor Gear and the ISU Outdoor Rec program, sponsored a public float on Squaw Creek. There were about 35 participants and all seemed to enjoy the evening despite the extremely low flow - about 11 cfs at the USGS gauge! Thanks to all...
Balance sought between water quality and South Duff development - Storm water management concerns near municipal wells. (Ames Tribune 8/14/09)
July 6 - The Coalition was presented with a check from the proceeds of the JAX Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival and Enviro Fair, held April 25th at the ISU Memorial Union.
Another big THANK YOU to the Squaw Creek Snapshot volunteers... The Spring Snapshot results can be found on the WATERSHED MAPS & DATA page. The next Squaw Creek Snapshot will be held on Saturday October 10, though we'll be meeting to discuss the possibilty of more frequent snapshots of 10-12 select sites across the watershed.
Ecology and economy dovetail in the Boone River Watershed Project - in the May/June 2009 issue of The Iowan magazine.
Public comment period on proposed recreational use designations extended to May 20. There are 119 stream segments being recommended for a lower recreational use standard in this second round of assessments. It is important that you participate in the process if you have knowledge of recreational uses of these segments, and please remember to record any recreational uses that you witness or see evidence of while sampling. A third round of assessments is expected to include stream segments in this area.
STATE WATER TRAILS SURVEY Mimi Wagner is working with the DNR's Rivers Program to develop a Statewide Water Trails Plan. Your thoughts and experiences are an important part of the process - it takes just 10-15 minutes to complete.
Middle school students learn about creek restoration in joint ISU, city project By Teresa Kay Albertson, Special to The Tribune 4/12/09
INHF 30 Minutes For Conservation Challenge
March 25 - The Squaw Creek Watershed Coalition Annual Meeting featured guests Cassie Herringshaw (Graduate Research Assistant in Environmental Sciences) who spoke about "Linkages among land cover, water and habitat quality, and invertebrates in local urban and agricultural streams" and Jan Thompson (Natural Resource Ecology and Management) who presented on "Local participation in stormwater management: The Daley Park riparian buffer." Mike Lazere was elected to chair the coalition. Thank you to Cassie, Jan, Mike, and to John Pohlman for his past service.
IOWATER Spring 2009 Newsletter now available online!
DNR-funded conservation practices reduce water pollution in 2008 - DNR News February 19, 2009
The film Flow, a documentary about The World Water Crisis, is now available from the Ames Public Library. http://flowthefilm.com/takeaction
Defending Favorite Places - Stopping the Spread of Invasive Species. This documentary video is part of a campaign to bring all outdoors enthusiasts into the battle against both terrestrial and aquatic Invasive Species.
College Creek Water Quality Monitoring- 2008 Sampling Season Samples were taken monthly from June through October at four sites near the headwaters of College Creek. The samples were analyzed for phosphorus, nitrogen, and bacteria. Groundwater monitoring being conducted in this area has consistently shown high levels of Phosphorous, and Nitrogen levels above the federal drinking water standard.
THANKS ONCE AGAIN to the Squaw Creek Snapshot volunteers! The Fall Snapshot results are back and have been posted to the WATERSHED MAPS & DATA page at www.squawcreekwatershed.org/watershed.html.
Experts: Ada Hayden Park lake could be healthier - Laura Millsaps (Ames Tribune 09/17/2008).
Sept 14 - (College Creek) Clean Water Festival shares research - Laura Millsaps (Ames Tribune 09/16/2008)
Sept 13 - Jan Thompson of Iowa State's Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management department led a tour of storm water management practices along College Creek and on the ISU campus. An Inside Iowa State article, Recycling the rain, also highlights storm water management on the ISU campus.
Sept 3 - ISU chapter of Sigma Xi 'Science Café' explores extremes of Iowa flooding and rainfall.
Erv Klaas receives statewide conservation award
August 13 Exec Board minutes
Emerson Drive neighbors help College Creek By: Laura Millsaps, Ames Tribune 07/18/2008
Governor Culver, Director Leopold Announce Funding For Water Quality Projects - DNR Press Release Posted July 17, 2008
LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT from the NRDC Stormwater Strategies
July 16 - Storm Drain Labeling. Meet at 6:30 pm to label storm drains in Southwest Ames.
THANKS AGAIN, to the 24+ volunteers that participated in the May 10 Squaw Creek Snapshot! View the snapshot data on the WATERSHED MAPS & DATA page 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