IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
September 30, 2004
For immediate release
1. Public meetings to discuss beach monitoring results
2. Public comment sought for Swan Lake water quality plan
PUBLIC MEETINGS TO DISCUSS BEACH MONITORING RESULTS
DES MOINES - The DNR will be holding public meetings around the state
regarding beach monitoring results for a number of state park beaches.
At the public meetings, DNR staff will discuss recent bacteria results
from the beach and surrounding watershed, and will be available for a
question and answer session.
"We hope these meetings will educate the public on bacteria at
beaches and inform them of what is being done to locate sources of
bacteria," said Janice Boekhoff, DNR research geologist. "We also
want to let them know how they can help decrease bacteria levels in
their area."
Public meetings will be held at the following dates and places for
these state park beaches:
Geode
Tuesday, Oct. 5
7 p.m.
Danville Community Building
104 W Shepherd St., Danville
Beed's Lake
Thursday, Oct. 14
7 p.m.
First National Bank of Hampton, basement meeting room
211 1st St. NW, Hampton
Rock Creek
Tuesday, Oct. 19
7 p.m.
Old Glove Factory, Pioneer Room
733 Broad St., Grinnell
Big Creek
Friday, Oct. 29
7 p.m.
Des Moines Area Community College
Building 7 Conference Center, Oak Rook
2206 S. Ankeny Blvd., Ankeny
Lake Macbride
Tuesday, Nov. 9
7 p.m.
Solon Public Library
320 W. Main St., Solon
For more information, contact Janice Boekhoff at (319) 931-6050 or at
[log in to unmask]
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PUBLIC COMMENT SOUGHT FOR SWAN LAKE WATER QUALITY PLAN
CARROLL - Plans for improving water quality at Swan Lake in Carroll
County will be discussed at a public meeting Oct. 12. The meeting will
be held at the East Side Shelterhouse at Swan Lake at 9 a.m. Comments
on the draft plan will be received through Nov. 5.
A draft TMDL - or Total Maximum Daily Load - has been developed for
Swan Lake. TMDLs are calculations used to determine how much of a
pollutant a water body can receive and still maintain its designated
use, such as maintaining aquatic life, allowing body contact such as
swimming or being used as a drinking water supply.
TMDLs also include plans on how water quality can be improved through
conservation efforts in the respective watersheds. After receiving
public comments, the TMDL will be forwarded to the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency for final approval.
Swan Lake is impaired due to algae and turbidity that cause
aesthetically objectionable conditions at the lake. Nuisance algal
blooms are the consequence of excess nutrients, usually phosphorous,
which is carried into the lake during runoff or re-suspended from lake
sediments. These conditions promote heavy algal blooms through the
summer and fall leading to the predominance of blue-green algae, limited
clarity, floating algal scum and the prevalence of rough fish.
The lake's designated uses are for primary body contact such as
swimming and maintaining aquatic life for fishing.
Recommendations made by the DNR for improving water quality at Swan
Lake include:
* Improve nutrient management on row crop ground to achieve optimum
soil test range.
* Incorporation or subsurface application of commercial fertilizers and
manure.
* Promote the use of grass buffers, cover crops and permanent
vegetation to reduce phosphorus movement.
In addition to watershed controls, there are additional improvements
occurring in Swan Lake. These include the modification of the spillway
and removal of excess populations of rough fish (common carp).
All draft TMDLs can be obtained and comments made using the following
resources:
* Internet: www.iowadnr.com/water/tmdlwqa/tmdl/publicnotice.html
* E-mail: [log in to unmask]
* Telephone: Jerry Neppel at (515) 242-6149
* Mail: Jerry Neppel, Iowa DNR, Wallace State Office Building, Des
Moines, Iowa 50319
For more information, contact Jerry Neppel at (515) 242-6149 or Kevin
Baskins at (515) 281-8395.
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