IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
May 24, 2007
For immediate release
1. Beach monitoring begins at state park, other beaches
2. Carter Lake residents asked for input on water quality
improvement plan
3. DNR enforcement actions
BEACH MONITORING BEGINS AT STATE PARK, OTHER BEACHES
MEDIA CONTACT: Mary Skopec at (319) 560-7365.
DES MOINES - As the weather warms and swimming season approaches, the
DNR is preparing for its 2007 beach monitoring season.
The DNR takes water samples weekly at Iowa’s 37 state park beaches.
The samples are compared to water quality standards to determine the
risk of waterborne illnesses for swimmers. Monitoring at all state park
beaches began earlier this week and will continue through Labor Day.
Iowans can find the weekly results on the DNR Web site at
www.iowadnr.gov by clicking on “Beach Monitoring.” A new DNR
interactive mapping service, the Iowa Water Web, will soon be available
to graphically show any current advisories.
“Our monitoring over the past seven swimming seasons shows that our
state park beaches are safe for swimming the vast majority of the
time,” said Eric O’Brien, DNR beach monitoring coordinator.
“We’re looking forward to another successful summer.”
From 2000 to 2006, beaches exceeded the geometric mean standard (a type
of average calculated using five results over 30 days) less than 8
percent of the time. Beaches exceeded the one-time high standard less
than 7 percent of the time.
In addition to state park beaches, 43 county- and city-run beaches and
other recreational areas have volunteered to participate in the beach
monitoring program. These beaches will sample during the same time
period as state owned beaches. While weekly monitoring results from
these beaches will be posted on the DNR Web site, locally managed
beaches will decide independently whether or not to post swimming
advisories when bacteria levels run high.
Just as in 2006, state park beaches will post a “swimming is not
recommended” sign if:
* The geometric mean exceeds the water quality standard (five
samples in a 30-day period exceeds 126 colony-forming units of E. coli
bacteria per 100 ml of water)
* The beach has had bacteria problems in the past (causing it to
be classified as a “vulnerable” or “transitional” beach) and one
sample exceeds Iowa’s one-time maximum standard (235 colony-forming
units of E. coli bacteria per 100 ml of water)
The DNR considers beaches “vulnerable” after two years of high
geometric means within a five year period. They are no longer
“vulnerable” when this condition no longer applies.
“Transitional” beaches include beaches where bacteria problems have
been resolved or no longer pose a serious threat. Beaches in this
transitional class may be removed from this list if they do not exceed
the geometric mean standard for one year.
"Non-vulnerable" beaches are all beaches that do not fall into the
above categories. Beaches that have exceeded the one-time standard two
or fewer times during a running five years will be monitored less
frequently.
A list of beaches in each category is available at the DNR's beach
monitoring Web site by clicking on "2007 Beach Policy."
Posting a swimming advisory does not close a beach. However, the DNR
reserves the right to close a beach in the event of a documented health
risk including things such as (but not limited to) a wastewater bypass,
spills of hazardous chemicals, or localized outbreaks of an infectious
disease.
# # #
CARTER LAKE RESIDENTS ASKED FOR INPUT ON WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN
MEDIA CONTACT: Chris Van Gorp at (515) 281-4791.
CARTER LAKE - Citizens interested in improving water quality at Carter
Lake can comment on a draft Water Quality Improvement Plan through June
18. The draft plan has been compiled in a joint effort between the Iowa
DNR and the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ).
High levels of algae have led to water quality problems at Carter Lake.
The high algae levels develop from increased levels of nutrients in the
lake, particularly phosphorous.
The nutrients come from the land area that drains to Carter Lake,
including both urban and agricultural lands. High levels of algae and
turbidity make the lake less visually appealing and less desirable for
uses like swimming, but do not pose a specific human health threat.
After receiving public comments, the DNR and NDEQ will submit the draft
plan to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for final approval.
The water quality improvement plan is also known as a TMDL, or Total
Maximum Daily Load. TMDLs are calculations used to determine how much of
a pollutant a water body can receive and still maintain water quality
standards.
The DNR and NDEQ will accept comments on the draft plan through June
18. Copies of the draft plan are available from the following sources,
which can also be used to submit comments:
* Internet: www.iowadnr.gov/water/watershed/tmdl/publicnotice.html
or :www.deq.state.ne.us
* E-mail: [log in to unmask]
* Telephone: Chris Van Gorp at (515) 281-4791
* Mail: Chris Van Gorp, care of Iowa DNR, Wallace State Office
Building, 502 E. 9th St., Des Moines, Iowa 50319
# # #
DNR ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS
MEDIA CONTACT: Jessie Brown at (515) 281-5131.
DES MOINES - The DNR took the following enforcement actions in May
2007, unless otherwise noted. The following are only briefs; please
contact Jessie Brown of the DNR for more information at (515) 281-5131.
Enforcement actions, including copies of the original orders and
contact information, are now available on the DNR's Web site at
www.iowadnr.gov/legal/eactions.html. The Web listing will begin with
orders first taken in 2007.
Consent Orders
A consent order is issued as an alternative to issuing an
administrative order. A consent order indicates that the DNR has
voluntarily entered into a legally enforceable agreement with the other
party.
Allamakee County
* Industrial Laminates/Norplex, Inc., of Postville, agreed in a
consent order to pay a $3,750 penalty. The consent order is in regard to
air quality operating permit violations.
Carroll County
* Gary Rupiper, of Templeton, agreed in a consent order to
complete installation of manure controls and to pay an $8,000 penalty.
The consent order is in regard to a manure discharge to Brushy Creek.
Des Moines, Lee, Henry Counties
* Great River Regional Waste Authority, of Fort Madison, agreed
in a consent order to take actions to prevent the receipt of solid waste
generated outside its defined service area. GRRWA also agreed to notify
waste haulers of its defined service area and to post signs notifying
all people delivering waste of the defined service area.
Dubuque County
* Crop Production Services, Inc., of Galesburg, Ill., agreed in a
consent order to cease all illegal discharges to waters of the State, to
permanently fix the cause of the illegal discharges, and to pay an
$8,000 penalty and $14,960.09 in fish restitution. The consent order is
in regard to a liquid fertilizer spill at a facility in Dyersville and
resulting fish kill in the North Fork Maquoketa River.
Jasper County
* Randy Griffin, of Kellogg, agreed in a consent order to pay a
$500 penalty. The consent order resolves an appeal of a 2004
administrative order regarding air quality and solid waste violations.
Jones County
* Jones County agreed in a consent order to a compliance schedule
for constructing a new wastewater facility to serve Fairview Terrace
Mobile Home Park and the unincorporated town of Fairview, and to
stipulated penalties if the schedule is not followed.
Harrison County
* Crossroads Cattle Co., of Woodbine, agreed in a consent order to
maintain a current emergency open feedlot effluent release response plan
and to pay a $9,500 penalty. The consent order is in regard to animal
feeding operation violations at a cattle open feedlot in Harrison
County.
Winnebago County
* Edward Branstad and Monroe "Monty" Branstad, both of Forest
City, agreed in a consent order to remove and properly dispose all solid
waste at a site in Winnebago County and pay a $4,500 penalty. The
consent order resolves an appeal of a 2006 administrative order
regarding air quality and solid waste violations. The consent order was
agreed upon in March.
Writer: Jessie Brown
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