Dry Run Creek Success Story

The DNR is helping Iowans across the state improve our lakes and streams by supporting and working with watershed projects. By making changes in how we manage both private and public land, we can reduce the amount of pollution like sediment, nutrients and bacteria, reaching our water. The story featured below is just one of the many successes we've seen so far, and there's more work underway.

Dry Run Creek The Dry Run Creek watershed project has forged an exceptional partnership with the University of Northern Iowa. As a Regent school, UNI is regulated by the Natural Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). Like, Cedar Falls, UNI is responsible for meeting six minimum requirements related to illicit discharge, erosion and sediment control to reduce non-point source pollution. The relationship started with a $5,000 grant to install a biorentention cell near Dry Run Creek, funded by the Community Foundation of Waterloo-Cedar Falls and northeast Iowa. A location on campus was selected and the learning processes began for both the project and UNI. The cell treats runoff from a parking lot near the Towers Center, which is located next to what is known as the University branch of Dry Run Creek.

This same stretch of creek is undergoing bank stabilization and habitat creation with the assistance of the DNR Fisheries staff. Lumber was supplied to construct 18 "bank hides," which enable fish to literally hide out during major storm events and other sporadic activities. The University circulates well water in its air conditioning system from April to October. This water discharges into the creek at temperatures ranging from 56 to 59 degrees. Because of this constant cool temperature, hopes are high the bank hides will serve as ideal habitat for trout that may be stocked in future years.

Several UNI staff are excited about the progress this project is making. The stabilized stream banks will serve as a centrally located campus amenity, drawing students and local residents to the water for aesthetics and also possibly for recreational and sporting purposes. Once the first phase is completed, the University plans to expand the project further downstream, creating more habitat and restoring the banks along the creek.

"Urban water quality projcts are still relatively new concepts to Iowans," said Rebecca Kauten, project coordinator. This makes the efforts made by the University of Northern Iowa all the more important. The facilities and physical plant leadership take pride in the school's effots to not only comply with federal regulations, but work with local agencies to go above and beyond expectations to reduce impacts on water quality throughout the campus.

A second series of bioretention cells are also planned for completion in 2007. These will be located near the new Business and Community Services building on the south side of campus and will treat parking lot runoff.

In addition, UNI will install two pervious concrete parking lots on the west side of campus. The first lot, to be installed in 2007, will be located near the main entrance of the new McLeod Center. The second will be near the enterance of the UNI Wellness and Recreation Center.

Inspired by the Dry Run Creek watershed project, UNI also chose to retrofit the plaza area between the Rod Library and Maucker Union. To the untrained eye, this area appears to be a series of paver stones. However, under the pavers is a rock chamber and subtrain system intended to infiltrate and treat runoff. This demonstration is both a water quality feature and also a safety feature for walking traffic. During winter months, the plaza will prevent ice dams from forming, which have been traditionally hazardous in this particular area.