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Agency leaders to herald better water quality in Big Creek Lake
NOTE:This is a joint press release from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Natural Resources and Conservation Service. MEDIA CONTACT: Karen Grimes (DNR) at (515) 281-5135 or Tess Capps (IDALS) at (515) 281-8606 POLK CITY – DNR Director Richard Leopold, Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey and NRCS State Conservationist Rick Van Klaveren will help the Boone and Polk County Soil and Water Conservation Districts celebrate securing a development grant to improve water quality at Big Creek Lake on Nov. 26. The districts will receive a check for $18,212 from Secretary Northey in a ceremony that begins at 11 a.m. at the Jollyboat Shelter on the west side of the park. “Improving and protecting water quality is critical and central to what we do,” said Northey. “Soil and water conservation districts, like these in Polk and Boone Counties, have a long history of fostering cooperation between landowners, government, and private organizations.” The grant will help the districts evaluate the watershed and develop a plan to address the issues to improve the water quality of the lake. “Big Creek Lake is one of 35 priority lakes the DNR has identified for lake restoration. It has tremendous value as a resource for the state,” Leopold said. “This grant will help the districts develop a quality watershed plan that can keep the lake a top destination for area anglers and boaters.” He added that more than 335,000 people visit the park each year, bringing more than $18.6 million annually to the area economy. The 880-acre lake has a relatively large watershed, nearly 47,000 acres of land encompasses the watershed. Most of the watershed is cropland, although there are small areas where housing and other uses reside. The lake generally has high water quality and the visibility ranges from four to 10 feet deep according to Mike McGhee, the DNR Lake Restoration Coordinator. However, there have been some peaks in phosphorus levels, excess sediment washing into the lake, occasional high levels of indicator bacteria near the beach and a few times when the die-off of blue-green algae produced toxic cyano bacteria in limited areas. The Big Creek Lake Watershed Project is a conservation partnership between organizations. While the soil and water conservation districts are responsible for most of the planning, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service will provide staff and technical assistance. “This project illustrates how cooperative conservation between agencies, organizations and private citizens is a key strategy for protecting and enhancing our state’s natural resources,” said Rick Van Klaveren, state conservationist for the USDA NRCS in Iowa. The DNR will also allocate additional funding for watershed analysis and a wildlife biologist part-time to help landowners improve wildlife habitat. The districts may request help from other local partners as well. Everyone has a stake in good water quality in Big Creek Lake. The visit to the lake kicks off Soil and Water Conservation Week, Nov. 25 – Dec. 1, proclaimed by Governor Culver to celebrate throughout the state and thank those who volunteer time, talent and leadership to protect our soil and water resources. The development grant is awarded through the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS). Funding for the grant is split between IDALS and the DNR’s Watershed Improvement Program, funded through Section 319 of the federal Clean Water Act. More about Soil and Water Conservation Week
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