07043-017 North Fork Maquoketa Final Report

The North Fork Maquoketa River Headwaters (NFMRH) has been identified as impaired by nutrients, episodic slugs of ammonia and sediment. The NFMRH TMDL plan calls for a "phasing approach" to managing water quality when the origin is non-point source contaminants. This project will address phase 1 using a performance reward program for targeted cooperators to improve environmental index scores using cost-share, EQIP practices and flexible management alternatives. Pre-project assessments suggest that rewards should target refined management of erosion-prone fields and farms with livestock populations, which contribute to the P and N loads responsible for fertilizing filamentous algae blooms that depress dissolved oxygen concentrations in the NFMRH. The Phosphorus Index, Soil Conditioning Index and cornstalk nitrate test will be used by producers to determine effective alternatives, such as no-till planting, to reduce nutrient and sediment delivery. These evironmental indexes will be especially useful for livestock producers in the livestock dense watershed. This project will extend a NRCS-sponsored Conservation Innovation Grant currently offered to producers in the Coffee Creek sub-watershed to a three-year, watershed-wide effort that will be necessary to make significant improvements in environmental management.

09032-017 Miller Creek Watershed Final Report

Miller Creek is on the 2006 Section 303d Impaired Waters List and has a 19,926 acre watershed. All indicators, as reported in the Miller Creek assessment, show that the impairment is due to sediment and nutrient delivery from upland runoff which contributes to elevated water temperatures, excessive algae, and low dissolved oxygen levels within the stream. In an effort to control these problems, the Miller Creek Water Quality Project will target areas of 5 tons per acre or greater soil loss or with 0.5 tons per acre or greater sediment delivery rates. The assessment revealed these targeted priority lands make up 32% or 6,395 acres of the Miller Creek watershed. Priority lands include cropland, pasture land, timber, and sensitive riparian areas. It is the goal of this project to reduce sediment delivery by 70% on 60% or 3,837 acres of these priority lands. This will be accomplished through installation of strategically placed structural practices, rotational grazing systems, and buffer strips. These practices will reduce soil loss, reduce sediment delivery, improve water quality, and improve wildlife habitat in the watershed. Utilizing partnerships with NRCS and IDALS-DSC will be important in making this project successful. In addition to using matching funds from EQIP, WHIP, and CRP, the Monroe SWCD is committed to prioritizing local cost share funds through IFIP and REAP for use in the Miller Creek Watershed.

05046-017 Dry Run Creek Watershed Final Report

Dry Run Creek Watershed was designated an impaired waterbody by DNR in 2002, following an assessment of the biota in the stream by DNR Biologist, Tom Wilton. Subsequent studies by IOWATER Snapshot effort in 2003, found e-coli bacteria concentrations and high nitrate readings in excess of the State of Iowa limits for recreational streams. The Dry Run Creek Watershed Improvement Project is comprised of five major components. Three components will feature demonstrations of structural best management practices (BMPs) to protect water quality in Dry Run Creek. The fourth is an educational workshop to "kick-off" the initiative and background the stakeholders of the watershed in new stormwater management strategies for water quality protection. The fifth is a monitoring program that will provide data on the effectiveness of the practices to be demonstrated. Measurable outcomes from these projects include monitoring to document the effectiveness of infiltration­ based BMPs to reduce pollutant loading in urban stormwater runoff and reducing the volume of stormwater discharged directly into Dry Run Creek via storm sewer flows. Understanding of and social acceptance of new stormwater strategies and practices will also be monitored by surveys of watershed stakeholders and compared to findings of a survey done before the start of the project.

1240-017 Little Bear Creek Watershed Final Report

Little Bear Creek is a 21.79 mile Class A1 and B (WW2) warm water stream that encompasses approximately 29,202 acres in northern Poweshiek County. The lower 8.4 mile segment is listed as biologically impaired on both the IDNR 2008 303(d) list and 2010 303(d) draft list. A RASCAL assessment and landowner survey was completed through a development grant in 2011, and these assessments indicate that erosion and sediment delivery from cropland, lack of adequate buffers along the stream channel, and streambank conditions contribute significant sediment delivery to the stream, likely resulting in the impairment. An estimated 36,544 tons of sediment are delivered to the stream annually. A total of 11,075 acres (38%) of the watershed are high priority areas or land with sediment delivery rates greater than one. Our goal over 15 years is to install Best Management Practices (BMPs) and increase public education in order to reduce sediment and phosphorus delivery by 25% and decrease priority areas by 15%. More specific objectives for this WIRB project are to 1) Reduce annual sediment delivery by roughly 16.3% or 1,058 tons and associated phosphorus delivery by 1,375 pounds and 2) Develop an information and education program aimed at producers and residents within the headwaters of Grant and Chester townships, which account for 18% of the watershed's priority areas. The SWCD proposes to utilize 50% EQIP funds and 25% WIRB funds toward rural BMPs, and 75% WIRB funds toward urban BMPs received through this application.

Iowa Department of Transportation Fiscal Year 2006 Report of Savings by Using Video Conferencing Through Iowa Communications Network, January 2007

Pursuant to Chapter II 84 Acts and Joint Resolutions enacted at the 1994 Regular Session of the 75th General Assembly of the State of Iowa - Code section 8D.10 Report of Savings by State Agencies Iowa Code section 8D.10 requires that certain state agencies prepare an annual report to the General Assembly certifying the identified savings associated with that state agency’s use of the Iowa Communications Network (ICN). This report covers estimated cost savings related to video conferencing via ICN for the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT). In FY 2006, the DOT conducted two sessions utilizing ICN’s video conferencing system which resulted in $13,017 in estimated savings to the DOT.

The White Cane Magazine, Winter 2012, Vol. 3, no. 1

Quarterly newsletter produced by the Iowa Department of Blind, about the information and activities that are on going in the department.