Environmental News

Experts say the slight decrease is largely due to low water flow on the Mississippi River and fluctuating ocean temperatures, rather than ongoing efforts to reduce harmful runoff.

Floodplain forests play a pivotal role in the Mississippi River ecosystem – creating wildlife habitat, improving water quality, storing carbon and slowing flooding. But they’re disappearing faster as high water from longer-lasting floods soaks the trees more than they can stand. With funding available, the challenge is finding the right solution before things get much worse.

Russ Benedict, a biology professor at Central College, is tracking some of the most dramatic bat population declines in the country. His surveys this summer show some Iowa bat numbers have fallen by 85 to 95 percent in the last 12 years.

A 2-mile stretch of the river near May City went dry last year, and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources determined that the Osceola County Rural Water System was partly at fault.

A hot summer and dry spring have brought drought to a large part of the Midwest. The situation highlights the complexity of exiting drought when a state or region can slip into it relatively easily. Rainfall across parts of the Midwest in recent weeks is helpful, but it may not be enough to alleviate the dryness.

Researchers are studying what’s left of Iowa’s original prairies — which used to cover 65 percent of the state — to help guide reconstruction efforts.

The Nature Call: Wapsipinicon River white-water course is a wish come true

Wild Side column: When strikes come often, it’s a good day on the water.