My major concern here is that a wetland, important to this area in mitigating drought and flood will be paved over and filled in. That means we will be more vulnerable to drought and flood. Next I am concerned about the paving and filling of yet another natural area in Iowa. We have very few left. Peggy Murdock At 09:57 PM 12/9/99 , you wrote: >Are you worried about storm drains, or water from gutters? SCS advises >farmers to use small earthern berms perpendicular to the downhill flow to >control runoff from fields. Perhaps proper contouring of yards by the >developer could solve some of the problems. I am sure the local SCS experts >can provide the expertise needed. > >Are they planting aquatic plants in the storm water retention area? >Developers do not like to do it, but in some states they are now required >to do so. The plants help reduce some of the lawn nutrients. Would also >suggest a ban on Chem Lawn applications within the development, and allow >dry fertilizer applications only in the fall. Our neighbor in MI had to >stop his Chen Lawn treatments so he could refinance his house at a lower >mortgage rate. His well water tested 11ppm for nitrates (limit is 10). >After 6 months of no Chemlawn, he passed the nitrate test, but mortgage >rates had already gone up again! Anyway, if this development is bordering a >source of important drinking water, it is something to consider. > Linda Bystrak > >At 08:23 PM 12/9/99 -0600, you wrote: > >For the past few months the area called Hallett's Quarry just north of the > >Ames city limits has been the focus of development planning by Hubbel > >Construction. Brian O'Connell, Director of the Department of Planning and > >Housing in Ames has listened to environmentalists and negotiated some > >concessions from the firm in the past few months, notably a 3-4 acre > >wetland to process some of the runoff. It's a five year storm water > >retention area, and will not be able to handle the run-off from the kinds > >of rain events we have seen this past decade. > > > >This is an area characterized by hydric soils (that means it is a > >wetland). It protects our area in drought and flood. The quarry has no > >outlet, so everything that goes in stays in, and because this is ground > >water, it is additionally critical that the water remain clean. In times > >of drought, the city pumps water from the lake over to the South Skunk so > >that it will refresh our aquifer which lies just below a dam just > downstream. > > > >The plans for the area are actually quite attractive. They include a bike > >path, a lighthouse (a private club for the residents, but attractive to > >passers by), and many walkways. The lake would be open for paddle craft > >and electric motors so fishing would be an option. If it were not for the > >destruction of this wetland and the possible disturbance of migrating > >birds, this would be an ideal development for any area. > > > >A minimal riparian area has been planned around the waterbody of 70 feet > >which will include the bike path. The last time I inquired the riparian > >area was to go around only 3/4 of this groundwater lake, leaving the rest > >without any buffer whatsoever. > > > >Next Wednesday the commissioners will decide whether to send this on to the > >city council for their approval. Comments to go in the packet to be > >considered by the commissioners should be in the Planning and Housing > >office by noon tomorrow. The public will be given an opportunity to > >comment at the next meeting, which will be held at 7pm Wednesday, December > >15th. > > > >Peggy Murdock > > > >- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > >To get off the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: > >[log in to unmask] > > > > > >- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - >To get off the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: >[log in to unmask] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For SC email list T-and-C, send: GET TERMS-AND-CONDITIONS.CURRENT to [log in to unmask]