Articles Tagged: Iowa Department of Natural Resources

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and state agency leaders provided updates on government efforts to assist Iowans whose homes have been damaged by or last to natural disasters over the past few months.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in April approved a watershed plan for Trout Run and Siewers Spring, which supply water for the hatchery. The goal of the plan is to reduce erosion from farms in the Trout Run watershed to keep the stream clear of sediment that can harm fish raised at the hatchery.

In this installment of Curious Iowa The Gazette looks at the laws around operating ATVs and UTVs on public roads, and where they’re permitted in Iowa.

The building it razed was the former Crestview Acres Nursing Home at 1485 Grand Ave. in Marion.

Nine beaches didn’t pass tests for e. coli or for toxins from toxic algae. But another eight were not tested because of flooding.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources, in a budget-saving move, is asking employees who live in state-owned houses at fish hatcheries to move out by the end of 2028. The houses where biologists and other staff have lived for decades will be sold or torn down, according to records obtained by The Gazette.

A holding company has agreed to pay $7,500 for releasing chlorinated water into a Cedar Rapids trout stream in January, killing an estimated 400 fish.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources said it is urging park visitors to plan in advance heading into the Memorial Day weekend in case an activity or location is affected.

NEW Co.’s accidental release of of 265,000 gallons of nitrogen-based fertilizer from a facility in Red Oak killed 750,000 fish in the East Nishnabotna. The case is an ‘extreme outlier’ among fertilizer spills and one that calls for a larger penalty than the maximum $10,000 that can be enforced by regulators, an Iowa DNR attorney said.

Inspired by COVID-19 rapid tests, a Minnesota startup developed a kit that amplifies the DNA of a fungus spreading among oaks weakened by drought. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources hopes to use information gathered from these kits to isolate infected trees.

A 2023 state report determined most of Iowa’s state parks have restrooms, shelters and cabins that are not accessible to people with disabilities.

It’s rare for the DNR to ask the AG’s office to step in on enforcement. And the Environmental Protection Commission, a nine-person, governor-appointed board that oversees environmental polices at the DNR, doesn’t always follow staff recommendations.

Regulators say they’ll seek enhanced penalties after widespread fish kill

In addition to seeking higher penalties for offenders, the letter to the DNR asks the agency to work with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship to review rules related to agricultural chemical storage to see if they are adequate to protect Iowa waterways.

Among the new initiatives in next year’s budget are increased salaries for judges, funding for a new state Division of Special Education, and funding to increase accessibility at Iowa’s state parks.