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Capitol Notebook: Iowa officials announce $450,000 in funding to enhance water quality at lakes
Also, Fairfield becomes Iowa’s newest Main Street Community
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State officials Tuesday announced more than $450,000 in financial assistance to support landowners in adopting conservation practices aimed at improving water quality for eight public lakes in Iowa.
The funding is part of the Publicly Owned Lakes program jointly administered by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The program provides cost-share funding to landowners for conservation practices on private land within watersheds above public lakes and reservoirs.
The program aims to reduce nutrient runoff and sediment pollution from surrounding fields and improve overall water quality of publicly owned lakes in the state.
Local soil and water conservation districts submit applications, which the DNR uses to prioritize projects. Private landowners then are eligible to receive additional cost-share funding for practices such as terraces, grassed waterways, cover crops and sediment control basins that complement efforts by the state and other public and private partners to enhance and protect water quality in Iowa lakes.
“We are fortunate to have some beautiful public lakes in our state that significantly enhance the quality of life for many Iowans and provide valuable recreational opportunities and wildlife habitat,” Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said in a statement. “Through collaborative efforts with public and private partners, farmers, and landowners, we're improving water quality and ensuring these lakes remain vibrant and healthy destinations. These conservation investments reflect our ongoing commitment to preserving Iowa's valuable natural resources for future generations to come."
Iowa DNR Director Kayla Lyon said Iowa’s lakes are “invaluable assets” that provide recreational and economic benefits for the state.
The Iowa DNR last week recommended that Iowans avoid swimming at 15 beaches across the state due to high E. coli levels.
High E. coli levels have been an issue at Iowa’s beaches for years. Last year, Iowa had the highest number of swimming advisories for bacteria at state beaches in more than a decade, possibly because of abundant rainfall that washed fecal material into the state’s lakes, The Gazette previously reported.
The following lakes were selected for cost-share funding this year:
- Casey Lake: $7,012.50
- Lake Geode: $84,000
- Lake Icaria: $42,750
- 12 Mile Lake: $45,000
- 3 Mile Lake: $133,793.19
- Lake Miami: $10,222
- Pleasant Lake: $53,398.31
- Hawthorn Lake: $75,000
Fairfield named newest Main Street Iowa community
The Iowa Economic Development Authority has announced that Fairfield has become the newest Main Street Iowa community, highlighting its dedication to downtown revitalization and economic growth.
IEDA Director Debi Durham, in a statement, praised Fairfield for its rich cultural heritage and entrepreneurial spirit, which are being harnessed to foster a vibrant downtown that encourages local engagement.
Fairfield, known for its diversity and recognized nationally and globally, aims to improve walkability, fill vacant commercial spaces, enhance its arts and cultural scene, and reinforce downtown’s role as “a destination for dining, shopping and connection” as part of its Main Street Iowa initiatives.
The Jefferson County seat of about 10,000 residents in southeast Iowa is home to more than 60 nationalities, a mix of historic architecture, international cuisine and public art.
“The community’s distinctiveness has earned it both national and global recognition, including a nod from Smithsonian magazine as one of America’s best small towns and designation by the Intelligent Community Forum as one of the world’s Top 7 Intelligent Communities,” according to IEDA.
This designation follows a year of strengthened local partnerships and strategic efforts, making Fairfield the 54th community to join the Main Street Iowa program, according to an IEDA news release.
Since its inception, Main Street Iowa has generated nearly $2.9 billion in private investment, supported the opening of more than 5,600 new businesses and created more than 17,000 jobs, according to IEDA.
Main Street Iowa is one of 46 programs in the national Main Street America network dedicated to revitalizing older and historic downtowns and commercial districts.
A local celebration is set for Aug. 12 in Fairfield.
To learn more about Main Street Iowa and resources available to all Iowa communities, visit iowaeda.com/downtown-resource-center.
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