|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 11, 2018
MEDIA CONTACT: Ted
Petersen at 515-725-0268 or Ted.Petersen@dnr.iowa.gov.
WINDSOR HEIGHTS—Heavy
rainfall and extensive flooding throughout most of the state makes many Iowa
streams unsafe for recreation.
While fast stream currents
are the biggest risk for people, high waters can also carry dangerous debris
and bacteria. “For their own safety, we’re recommending people stay out of the
water until several days after streams return to normal,” said Ted Petersen,
supervisor of DNR’s Windsor Heights field office.
“Following heavy rains, almost
100 communities from Keokuk to Waterloo, from Dubuque to Clarinda have reported
wastewater discharges since October 1,” he said.
“Widespread heavy rainfall
overwhelmed city treatment plants and a number of livestock operations have reported
overflowing manure storage systems,” Petersen said. “Most of these facilities have
national pollution prevention discharge elimination system or NPDES permits.” Put
simply, an NPDES permit allows them to overflow due to heavy rains.
One discharging livestock
facility, Cyclone Cattle near Macedonia in Pottawattamie County, has an expired
NPDES permit. “Its lagoons have recently been pumped out and there are no
animals in the facility.”
Managers of city and
industrial wastewater treatment plants, and livestock facilities that are
discharging or expecting to discharge should contact their local DNR field office. “We’ll
work with them to identify solutions and minimize impacts to nearby streams,”
Petersen said.
After hours, facilities can
call the DNR emergency spill line at 515-725-8694. The DNR website has
more information about spill
reporting requirements.
MEDIA CONTACT: Sharon Tahtinen, DNR, at
515-725-8299 or Sharon.Tahtinen@dnr.iowa.gov.
SIOUX CITY–The
State Interagency Missouri River Authority (SIMRA) will hear about
precipitation trends, navigation updates, fish management strategies and more
at its Oct. 24 meeting in Sioux City.
The meeting
begins at 10 a.m. at the Betty Strong Encounter Center, 900 Larsen Park Rd.
Interested people can attend the meeting by conference call. Dial 866-685-1580
and follow the prompts. The conference code is 4510673319 followed by the
pound (#) sign.
The complete agenda is available on the
SIMRA website at www.iowadnr.gov/simra.
SIMRA
includes representatives from the Governor’s Office, Iowa Department of
Agriculture and Land Stewardship, the Iowa Utilities Board, the Iowa Economic
Development Authority, Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Iowa Department
of Transportation.
|
