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DNR Meetings on Stream Assessments in Washington and Clear Lake Cancelled
DES MOINES - Meetings scheduled by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to be held Monday and Tuesday (Feb. 8 and 9) in Washington and Clear Lake respectively have been cancelled because of winter weather. The DNR had not yet decided as of Sunday evening if the meetings would be rescheduled. The two meetings were part of a series of meetings focusing on DNR stream assessments and the effects on cities and businesses discharging treated wastewater to Iowa streams. The only remaining meeting is scheduled in Des Moines on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 1:00 p.m. at the Wallace State Office Building, 502 E. Ninth St., fourth floor conference rooms. Other meetings that have already occurred around the state include Atlantic, Independence and Spencer. The meetings across the state are providing an important dialogue with communities on how Iowa will implement significant changes to stream classifications in the state's water quality standards. The DNR made the changes in 2006 to meet requirements of the federal Clean Water Act. The changes in 2006 created a presumption that all streams deserve the highest classification and the highest level of protection. Since then, the DNR has conducted stream assessments in groups to determine what stream classification is most appropriate for those streams. These stream studies can change the level of protection on some streams, which will affect how some cities and industries will need to treat effluent being released to Iowa streams. The DNR held similar rounds of meetings in 2007 and 2009. For more information on water quality standards, visit the DNR's Web site at
www.iowadnr.gov/water/standards/.
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