DES MOINES, IOWA (December 20, 2019) — The Iowa Department of Natural Resources released the draft 2018 303(d) Impaired Waters List for the state of Iowa on November 14. The list is comprised of lakes, wetlands, streams, and rivers that do not meet state water quality standards for designated uses.
Review of the list reveals that of the 767 waterbodies tested by IDNR staff for the 2018 report, more than half (54%) are impaired for a variety of reasons such as bacteria, turbidity (soil in the water), pH, and algae. Of the 43 new segments that were assessed for the 2018 list, 34 (or 79%) were listed as impaired. Those remaining on the list are carryovers from previous reports. Few waters were removed from the list for TMDL completion or water quality improvements.
The DNR is accepting public comments on the draft list now through December 28, 2019. DNR may modify the list based on public comments and must respond to each comment in writing. Following the end of the public comment period and any modifications, and the revised list will be forwarded to US EPA for its review and approval or disapproval.
IEC has submitted comments to the DNR. IEC's assessment calls out the high proportion of assessed waters that are impaired, that a high proportion of state public beaches are on the impaired waters list, that the DNR has not addressed the EPA's recently updated microcystin recommendation, and the impacts of the significantly delayed release of the 2018 list (expected before April 2018 but released in November 2019).
You are encouraged to submit comments to the DNR for their consideration. You can do this in several ways:
- Review IEC's official comments submitted to the DNR and submit your own copy;
- View the DNR's interactive map to identify an impaired water body (red or yellow) near your home, work, or vacation spot and write a general message highlighting how you use the water and that you'd like them to address and correct the impairment in a timely fashion; or
- Draft comments related to:
- Overall takeaways;
- Data accuracy;
- The process by which the DNR creates the list;
- Actions the DNR should take in response to the list; and
- Specific water quality standards used to assess the waters.
Please send comments by December 28, 2019, to Dan Kendall at daniel.kendall@dnr.iowa.gov. Comments can also be mailed by December 28, 2019 to:
Iowa Department of Natural Resources Attention: Dan Kendall Water Quality Monitoring & Assessment Section Wallace State Office Building 502 East 9th Street Des Moines, IA 50319
Contact Ingrid Gronstal Anderson at gronstal@iaenvironment.org if you have questions or would like assistance.
