Water quality not great, DNR admits

SOLON - Department of Natural Resources Director Rich Leopold said he spends half his life “talking about poop,” and his public forum last week at Lake Macbride State Park was no exception.

Leopold fielded several questions about the regulation of livestock manure, septic systems and sanitary sewers, all of which impact the quality of Iowa's water.

Leopold began his presentation with the DNR's 2009 environmental report card, which had a cumulative grade of B- in subjects ranging from deer management to water quality.

The state's water quality got one of Leopold's lowest grades, a C-, which was not low enough to satisfy many among the more than 60 forum attendees.

“I think your C- grade is inflated,” said Jim Walters of Iowa City, who also asserted that the state's highway map, which invites visitors to partake of Iowa's “pristine” waters, is guilty of hyperbole.

“The truth is as a state we put the dollar ahead of our water and health. We should stop lying about it and admit the awful truth,” said Walters.

Walters attributed much of Iowa's water quality shortcomings to livestock manure generated by confinement facilities.

Leopold said he agreed that Iowa has not done nearly enough to protect and improve the quality of its water.

David Goodner, a representative of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, which had six members at the meeting, also criticized the state's regulation of livestock confinement operations and urged the DNR to “crack down on factory farms” that pollute Iowa's lakes and streams.

Leopold said the DNR's regulation of livestock confinements must remain consistent with laws established by the Legislature. As much as he would like to see the Legislature revisit those laws, Leopold said it was not likely in the upcoming session in an election year.

Leopold was also asked if he would recommend that the Legislature change the law banning boats with outboard motors of more than 10 horsepower from Lake Macbride between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Acknowledging that he expected that question to come up, he artfully ducked it.

Given the lake's no-wake status, Leopold said he does not believe that allowing boats with larger outboards would have any effect on the lake's ecological health.

But Leopold said he would need more “education” in order to evaluate the restriction's value as a means to regulate recreational opportunities on the lake.

Leopold said the state has established technology-based restrictions in other areas such as deer hunting seasons for users of shotguns, bows and muzzleloader rifles as a means to distribute user pressure.