Forwarded by Jane Clark PUBLIC'S HELP NEEDED TO IMPROVE RACCOON RIVER; PUBLIC MEETINGS ANNOUNCED MEDIA CONTACT: Chris Van Gorp at (515) 281-4791 or [log in to unmask] DES MOINES - From Jefferson to Guthrie Center, from Sac City to Des Moines - the Iowa DNR is seeking your suggestions, comments and questions on improving water quality in the Raccoon River. While the river may not run directly through your town or farm, you may still live in the river's watershed. A watershed, also called a river basin, is an area of land that drains into a river or stream. Making improvements in smaller streams and changing how land is managed in the watershed can make a difference in the river. The DNR has developed a water quality improvement plan for the Raccoon River. The DNR will hold four public meetings in the watershed to explain the DNR's findings and what needs to be done to improve the river. The DNR will also answer questions and accept comments on the plan. The meetings will be held: Guthrie Center: Nov. 8, 1:30 p.m., Springbrook Education Center (north of Guthrie Center on F-25) Jefferson: Nov. 7, 7:00 p.m., Greene County Community Center, 204 W. Harrison Sac City: Nov. 7, 1:30 p.m., Sac City Community Recreation Center, 1015 W. Main St. West Des Moines Nov. 8, 6:30 p.m., Raccoon River Park Nature Lodge, 2500 Grand Ave. Portions of the Raccoon River are impaired by high levels of bacteria and nitrates. High levels of bacteria can cause people recreating in the rivers to become sick. Elevated nitrate levels cause problems with using the rivers as a drinking water source, including thousands of people in the Des Moines metro area. The DNR's improvement plan found that 90 percent of water quality problems in the Raccoon River come from nonpoint sources. Nonpoint source pollution, especially sediment, nutrients and bacteria, washes into the Raccoon River from wide areas like farm fields, forested lands and urban areas. However, the situation cannot be fixed without the help of people upstream who can address the water quality in their local streams. Citizen involvement is critical to achieve water quality goals in these watersheds and across the state. With the help of Iowans, the DNR is developing water quality improvement plans, also known as a Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), to address waters across the state considered "impaired." The DNR calculates 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. The plan also suggests ways Iowans can improve the Raccoon River. The DNR works with local groups to form watershed projects that put the water quality improvement plan into action. Those not able to attend the meetings can view the plan at http://watershed.iowadnr.gov/tmdl/publicnotice.html and can send their comments by Nov. 26 to the DNR through the following contact: Chris Van Gorp Iowa DNR Wallace State Office Building 502 E. 9th St., Des Moines, 50319 (515) 281-4791 [log in to unmask] For more information on water quality improvement plans and watershed projects, visit the DNR's watershed improvement Web site at http://watershed.iowadnr.gov. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp