Latest news with #IowaDepartmentofNaturalResources
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
DNR to host informational meeting about low levels in Blue Lake
A beach area at Blue Lake in Lewis and Clark State Park. (Photo courtesy of Iowa DNR) Years of drought conditions on Iowa's western edge have lowered water levels at Blue Lake and impacted recreation at the lake. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is hosting a public meeting Thursday in Onawa to discuss the low water levels and the department's ongoing studies and lake restoration projects at Blue Lake. 200 years ago, when the Lewis and Clark expedition came through the region, the oxbow lake was an active channel of the Missouri River, but now it is fed by a small watershed off of the Missouri River, and is located in Lewis and Clark State Park just west of Onawa. According to DNR's annual lake restoration report, Blue Lake has a number of 'aesthetically objectionable conditions' like algal blooms, and low water clarity that contributed to decreased recreational use. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Since the early 2000s DNR has been working to restore the lake via chemical restoration, removal of 'rough' fish and selective dredging. Water levels in the Missouri River have been 'especially low' over the past five winters, which led to low groundwater levels in the region and impacted not only Blue Lake levels, but water in communities throughout western Iowa. The lake is currently about five feet below its crest elevation, or the fullest pool of the lake. Ben Wallace, a fisheries biologist who has worked on Blue Lake's restoration projects said drop means the lake has about one third of its full-pool volume. Wallace said the informational meeting Thursday will help address concerns within the community about the low lake levels and to explain DNR's work at Blue Lake. 'When we enter into these drought cycles, access gets tougher at these lakes, because the water starts to recede from the shoreline,' Wallace said. 'And yeah, some lakes get hit harder than others with the drought.' According to the DNR report, the Lake Restoration Program spent about $10,000 on a dredging and fish barrier project at Blue Lake in the 2023-2024 fiscal year and allocated $265,000 in fiscal year 2025 for well and pump assessment, fish renovation and containment site improvements at the lake. Wallace said some folks in the community have questioned if the DNR's dredging work contributed to the lake's low levels, but he said lake restoration work is done very 'systematically' with the 'entire picture' in mind. Iowans across the state asked to conserve water due to dry wells, high nitrate levels 'We just don't go into things blind,' Wallace said. 'We get a pretty good understanding of things before we execute large scale construction projects like this.' Plus, Wallace said this isn't the first time Blue Lake has had levels this low. He said historic maps of the region show levels just as low, if not lower in the 1930s. 'All of these lakes that I've had throughout my district have gone through drought cycles about once every 10 to 12 years, and sometimes those droughts are more severe and they're a little bit longer than other but in my experience, they all bounce back,' Wallace said. He said water levels in the lake are about on par with groundwater levels in the region. That type of drought takes more than just a good rain to replenish. 'Each year a successive drought just takes that much more to recharge the groundwater level,' Wallace said. 'It's going to have to be a return to average or above average precipitation levels for some time, because we're not just talking about bringing up the lake — we're talking about bringing up the water in the ground.' Restoration work at the lake has also addressed turbidity, or water clarity, by eliminating and blocking common carp from the lake. Wallace said these bottom-feeding fish continually stir up the sediment on the bottom of the lake which causes cloudy water, poor conditions for other fish and makes it easier for algae to bloom on the surface. Wallace said common carp are a problem at a lot of lakes in Iowa, but high densities in Blue Lake have impacted the water quality. DNR's lake restoration efforts included the installation of fish barriers and aggressive carp angling in the lake to help reduce the common carp populations. In addition to the work to restore the lake, Lewis and Clark State Park Manager Nathan Fylstra said his team has been working hard to improve the state park with updates to the visitor's center, improved drainage systems and a general clean up of ditches and fences. 'We've been changing a lot of stuff, revamping a lot of stuff,' Fylstra said. 'It should look a lot better.' The park is adjacent to the 250-acre Blue Lake, which typically hosts summer swimmers, boaters and anglers. Wallace encouraged anyone with an interest in Blue Lake to attend the informational meeting Thursday at the Onawa Community Center, 320 10th Street, at 5:30 p.m. 'Show up and ask questions,' Wallace said. 'I am looking forward to the opportunity to demonstrate the lengths that we went to in studying this lake and this lake system.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Iowa DNR shares river safety tips
DES MOINES, Iowa — The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has important safety tips for Iowans looking to spend time on Iowa's waterways. Todd Robertson, a river programs water trails coordinator for the Iowa DNR, said that the number one thing Iowans need when on the river is a life jacket. 'It goes down to the very basic number one, which is wearing the life jacket, the life jacket's made for a reason. It does a certain thing for you, and that is it keeps your head above water. It keeps you buoyant, because if you dump your boat in a river with all the current and you don't have your life jacket on, it is so easy to get pulled down underneath the water,' Robertson said. Republican Senators who forced pipeline vote say fight for landowner rights is not over The DNR also recommends that Iowans avoid going on the river after heavy rain. 'You just can't go start paddling on a river the day after a super heavy rain. And the reason for that is because all the debris washes in from the banks and you get wood piled on top of wood. And we call those strainers and those are really deadly,' Robertson said. Robertson said that strainers can flip boats and trap paddlers. 'So you just have a big mess of wood. The only problem with that is it's like a spaghetti strainer. The water is going through the strainer and it's sucking the water through. But if you get your boat and your body up against that, you can slip and you can actually get sucked underneath that. And if that happens, that's real bad news,' Robertson said. To learn more about river safety, visit the Iowa DNR's website. Iowa News: Iowa DNR shares river safety tips Republican Senators who forced pipeline vote say fight for landowner rights is not over Body of missing fisherman recovered from Three Mile Lake in Union County WHO 13 Farm Report: Wednesday, June 18th Small town, big heart, big canvas: Iowa community to unveil new mural Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Yahoo
Iowa DNR reporting fish kill at Des Moines lake
DES MOINES, Iowa — The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) said it's investigating a fish kill at a Des Moines lake. On Tuesday afternoon the DNR announced that it received reports last week of dead fish being seen in Dean Lake, located on the southeast side of Des Moines. The DNR also said that dark-colored water and a strong, septic smell were being reported at the lake. Increase in ATV/UTV popularity brings more crashes on roads Dean Lake drains into multiple stormwater basins between East Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and Maury Street before flowing into the Des Moines River. The DNR said that fish in the basins are now showing signs of stress, and while dead fish are expected to eventually appear in the basins, the fish kill event is not expected to affect fish or other aquatic life in the river. The DNR advises the public to avoid the affected areas. An investigation into the fish kill is ongoing. Metro News: 'ICE Out' protest brings in hundreds in Des Moines Iowa DNR reporting fish kill at Des Moines lake Vehicle crashes into southside Des Moines home Local impact of corporate sponsors pulling funding for Pride month At least 1 person injured in Des Moines apartment fire early Tuesday Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Wild Turtle Week offers education, ideas to protect Iowa's native species
Blanding's turtle is a threatened species in Iowa. (Photo courtesy of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources) Iowa is home to 13 wild turtle species, nearly all of which are in need of conservation action, or are endangered due to a loss of habitat and road-related mortalities, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Iowans can learn about these turtles and how to help conserve the aquatic and semi-aquatic reptiles during Wild Turtle Week, June 9-13. The eastern spiny softshell turtle, which is found throughout Iowa and the central portion of the country, lives mostly in the water and utilizes a method of absorbing oxygen through their skin and throat that is sometimes called 'butt breathing' according to Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, or PARC. Per their name, the turtles do not have a hard shell and rely on their speed for protection. PARC suggests leaving these long-necked and snouted turtles alone if spotted out of the water, as they might be laying eggs. Snapping turtles are also easily recognizable by their long spiny tails, shells and big, sharp beaks. Certain species of snapping turtle are listed as threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service which identified habitat loss, commercial and recreational fishing and nest predation as factors contributing to the population decline. Wood turtles and yellow mud turtles are both listed as endangered in Iowa due to habitat loss and water pollution. Ornate box turtles, and eastern musk turtles are listed as threatened, along with the Blanding's turtle. DNR partnered with Blank Park Zoo and Iowa State University to raise and release nearly 60 Blanding's turtles back into the Iowa landscape. The group released the turtles into the wild June 4. According to U.S. FWS, these turtles can live for up to 70 years and often travel great distances, which exposes them to dangerous road crossings. The western painted turtle, found across the state, is known for its bright red, yellow and black colored undersides. This small turtle, along with the red-eared slider, are two turtles that DNR said are not in need of conservation action. Iowans can help turtles by avoiding them in roadways, and when possible, stopping to help move them across the roads. DNR said to always move turtles the same direction they were headed when helping them across a street. It's also important to never pick up a turtle by its tail, as this can damage the reptile's spine. A press release from DNR said wetland, grassland and forest preservation can also help to save turtle habitat in Iowa. Iowans with a keen eye for turtle identification can submit their observations online to Reptiles and Amphibians of Iowa, which charts species populations across the state. The website also has valuable photos and information to help identify turtle varieties. PARC encourages folks across country to celebrate wild turtle week by sharing their turtle photos on social media with #ShellebrateTurtles. The organization also has webinars and other online resources with lots of turtle facts. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
An osprey was found in the road. It turned out to be a 19-year-old who repopulated Iowa.
Two local bird watchers in West Des Moines rescued an osprey after they found the bird sitting in the middle of Army Post Road in late April. The individuals were able to help the osprey avoid traffic while they waited for Iowa Bird Rehabilitation to come help the bird. The raptor species typically has a 6-foot wingspan and can dive into bodies of water moving as fast as 40 mph, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. This female osprey was found with a band on each leg. When Iowa Bird Rehabilitation looked up the information on one of the bands, they learned it was a 19-year-old osprey who has helped bring back the raptor's population in Iowa. This is an unusually old age for ospreys, said Jenni Boonjakuakul, the founder and executive director of Iowa Bird Rehabilitation. The bird species typically live to be 10-12 years old. Considering ospreys migrate to South America for the winter, Boonjakuakul said it is amazing for one to make it to 19 years old. "So to be 19, it is a significantly older bird," Boonjakuakul said. The bands on the bird's legs were also clues to its history in Iowa. One band, labeled "Y8," told rescuers that the raptor was part of an osprey reintroduction program in Iowa that fran from 2005 to 2011. The female bird came to Iowa from northern Minnesota in 2006 as a 42-day-old bird. "She was banded, and that's the only reason she knew who she was and how old she was," Boonjakuakul said. "Banding is really important for us as we do our conservation work." The conservation program allowed Ospreys to be raised in a hack tower, which is a tower where the birds can live while learning how to eat and build their flying strength. It also protects the ospreys from other predators as they grow to eventually leave and live on their own. The fact that the Y8 osprey still returns to Iowa is a testament to the success of the re-introduction program, Boonjakuakul said. "Those programs are working," Boonjakuakul said. "Birds are surviving. They are reproducing young and they're building our population here in Iowa." It is unclear how the Osprey ended up on the road. When it was taken in for evaluation, no broken bones were found. It is a possibility she ran into a power line and had a concussion, said Boonjakuakul. Given the bird's age Boonjakuakul contacted Saving Our Avian Resources, which specializes in birds of prey, for assistance. "It's just kind of an odd presentation of injuries," Boonjakuakul said. "So we really don't know for sure what happened to her." SOAR took her into rehabilitation, where the osprey spent more than a month building her strength, said Kay Neumann, the executive director. Neumann thinks the Osprey may have experienced some deep bruising and possibly a cracked shoulder blade. "It took her a while to decide that she felt all right to start flying in one of our big flight pens," Neumann said. "So definitely not a hangnail." After some time and care, the two organizations returned the osprey to her home in West Des Moines. This isn't the first time this wise, old osprey has returned to Iowa. Her return to Iowa was recorded around 2009, just three years after her release from the reintroduction program. She has likely returned to the same nesting spot every year since. Most of the offspring in the area likely come from this 19-year-old Y8 Osprey, Boonjakuakul said. The Y8 Osprey's mate was also seen as recently as late May. Ospreys mate for life, so Boonjakuakul is hopeful the two raptors will reunite. "It's fascinating and really promising that all the work and effort that a lot of people did 10-20 years ago is working," Boonjakuakul Kate Kealey is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at kkealey@ or follow her on Twitter at @Kkealey17. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Rare 19-year-old osprey returns to West Des Moines after being rescued
