Water Quality Monitoring Begins at State Park Beaches

Summer is just around the corner, which for many means enjoying warm, sunny days at Iowa's state park beaches. The DNR will once again monitor and report on the water quality of these beaches to safeguard public health and enhance understanding of water quality.

Monitoring at all 38 state park beaches begins today (May 23) and will continue into September. Beach water samples are compared to water quality standards to determine the risk of waterborne illnesses for swimmers. All state park beaches will be monitored at least once per week.

Iowans and visitors can find weekly results on the DNR website at www.iowadnr.gov by clicking on Beach Monitoring. Choosing State Park Beaches under the Beach Monitoring Results heading will bring up a page that graphically displays the current advisory status at beaches throughout the state.

Clicking on the icon over each beach will open a window containing more detailed water quality information. Beachgoers can also get up-to-date advisory information by calling the Iowa Beach Hotline at 319- 353- 2613.

Input sought on park needs-Pottawattamie County

Three public meetings will be held next week to gather public comment and ideas on parks, recreation and leisure facility needs throughout Pottawattamie County.

Recreation planning consultants from Winston Associates and Ballard-King & Associates will describe their work and invite input from a broad cross-section of county residents. The needs assessment is being funded by the Iowa West Foundation.

The three public meetings are scheduled in Council Bluffs, Carson and Avoca as follows:

• Monday, April 25, beginning at 7 p.m., at the Lied Center on the campus of Iowa School for the Deaf in Council Bluffs. 
• Tuesday, April 26, also at 7 p.m., at Carson Community Center in Carson. 
• Wednesday, April 27, beginning at 5 p.m., at A-H-S-T High School in Avoca.

The public and media are encouraged to attend. Each meeting will last up to two hours. The meetings will feature keypad-voting devices for audience participation.

The study will be further informed by 5,000 mail-back surveys that will soon be mailed to randomly selected residents in the county, in proportion to population of each municipality.

Two weeks following the random survey, the survey will be open online to any county resident. A texting survey for Pottawattamie County youth between 13 and 21 years old is now “live” and can be accessed at (712) 560-9078.

Survey results and other information will be posted online to a dedicated website,
IowaWestRecStudy.org, where residents can monitor the progress of the study and post comments.

Consultants are assessing existing assets and future needs in order to offer analysis-based recommendations in regard to what facilities are needed in the county and where those facilities could best serve the residents.

There is also a countywide Recreation Needs Assessment Advisory Group including 27 local representatives from the county.

Iowa Parks - First 'Friends of State Parks' Summit

“If we are going to keep pace with our civilization, we must give the public an outlet in the great outdoors.” Louis Pammel 1862 – 1931

The Iowa Parks Foundation and IDNR's State Parks Bureau invite you to attend the first Friends of Iowa State Parks Summit

April 9, 2011

10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Izaak Walton League

4343 George Flagg Parkway

Des Moines, Iowa 50321

 

The purpose of this meeting is to provide a forum for Friends of Iowa State Parks groups to come together and share their plans, projects, challenges and celebrate successes. This exchange will help to inspire all the Parks Friends Groups to find new methods to achieve our common goals. By working in a more collaborative manner we will be able to accomplish more for our great parks.

Display tables will be provided for groups to ‘show-off’ plans, projects and progress they have realized in your park.

Tentative Agenda

1. Welcome and Introductions—

2. State of Iowa State Parks - Kevin Szcodronski

3. Highlights from each Friends Group (go around the room and give each group an opportunity to explain their major projects)

4. How do you keep your group alive?
5. What about legal issues?

LUNCH (Provided) 1 hour to allow for informal individual discussions

6. Iowa Parks Foundation – Kent Sovern
introduce, vision, status, proposed role with Friends Groups
7. Value of—and—ways to communicate with local legislators for the betterment of state parks
8. Group discussion on benefits and interest in setting up communication channels among Friends Group – e-mail, website, future meetings, etc.
9. The day will finish with an evaluation to know what people would like to have included in another possible meeting.
10. Closing comments and thanks to all who attend

If you are interested in attending the Summit or want more information send an e-mail to Kent at iaparks@mchsi.com



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