IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

May 10, 2007
For immediate release

1.	DNR seeks public comments on impaired waters list
2.	City of Birmingham reports wastewater discharge

DNR SEEKS PUBLIC COMMENTS ON IMPAIRED WATERS LIST

MEDIA CONTACT: John Olson at (515) 281-8905.

DES MOINES – The DNR is asking interested people to comment on the draft 
2006 Iowa Impaired Waters list that was presented to the DNR’s Environmental 
Protection Commission on May 1.

About 135 new water bodies have been added since the 2004 list was prepared. 
The list also includes 92 waters that remain impaired, but have a water 
quality improvement plan.

The total of 366 impaired waters indicates an increase in water and 
biological monitoring, not necessarily an increase in pollution, according 
to John Olson, the DNR’s specialist on water quality assessments.

“Most of our impairments are not dangerous to humans, but they do indicate 
that our waters are not as good as they could or should be for Iowa’s 
aquatic life and for Iowans to drink, to swim in and to play in,” Olson 
said.

The DNR identifies and develops the impaired waters list for waters that do 
not fully meet state water quality standards. The list must be updated every 
two years and submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to meet 
requirements of the Clean Water Act.

The DNR will accept comments on the list through June 29. Comments can be 
submitted to John Olson, DNR, 502 East Ninth St., Des Moines, Iowa 50319. 
Or, comments can be emailed to [log in to unmask]

The draft list and supporting materials are available on the DNR Web site at 
http://wqm.igsb.uiowa.edu/WQA/303d.html. Hard copies are available by 
contacting Olson at (515) 281-8905.

The DNR will consider the comments, revise the draft list and submit the 
revised list to the U.S. EPA for approval.

Writer: Karen Grimes

# # #


CITY OF BIRMINGHAM REPORTS WASTEWATER DISCHARGE

MEDIA CONTACT: Terry Jones, (319) 653-2135.

BIRMINGHAM — The City of Birmingham reported a wastewater overflow from a 
lift station to the DNR on Wednesday.

Following last weekend’s storms, the lift station pumps could not keep up 
with the excess flow. An unknown amount of wastewater overflowed from the 
lift station and into a nearby creek, an unnamed tributary of Cedar Creek. 
The overflow began on May 7 and ended the morning of May 8.

Writer: Jessie Brown
-30-

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