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] # # # 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. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To get off the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask]