PUBLIC INVITED TO DISCUSS BEACH BACTERIA LEVELS AT MEETINGS

Iowans are invited to three public meetings to discuss state park beach
monitoring results at Lake Darling, Backbone and Geode state parks.

The meetings will include a 30-minute presentation explaining bacteria
results and a chance to ask DNR Iowa Geological Survey staff questions.

"We'd like the public to get involved with understanding bacteria and
making changes in the watersheds that affect the beaches," said Janice
Boekhoff, research geologist with the Iowa Geological Survey. "Many
people have an image of bacteria as scary and unchanging. In reality,
bacteria sources vary. So bacteria levels in the water are always
changing, like the weather."

The meeting locations are as follows:

Wednesday, Oct. 8; discussing Lake Darling State Park:
Brighton Community Center (City Hall), 117 W. Washington St., Brighton

Wednesday, Oct. 15; discussing Backbone State Park:
Franklin Hotel, 102 Elkader St., Strawberry Point

Wednesday, Oct. 22 ; discussing Geode State Park:
Danville Community Building, 104 W. Shepherd St., Danville

All meetings begin at 7 p.m.

The Lake Darling meeting will also include a discussion on the Lake
Darling Bacteria Source-Tracking Project currently underway in the
watershed.

The DNR tests bacteria levels at Iowa's 37 state park beaches weekly
and posts results on Fridays at http://www.iowadnr.com/news/beach.html.


For more information, contact Janice Boekhoff at 319-335-1574.

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