From the ground up

During the past several years there has been a lot of discussion regarding the quality of water in Iowa. I have spent time and research during these years searching for the definition to the problem. It is difficult to attempt to solve a problem which is not well defined or located.

     With this in mind I have had recent conversations with DNR officials to learn more about impaired waters in Iowa.

     Much confusion exists regarding the meaning of “impairment” as used by states for the Clean Water Act. U.S. EPA considers “impaired waters” as those waters assessed as not fully supporting/meeting state water quality standards.

     The general public and much of the media continue to characterize impaired water as too polluted to support basic uses such as fishing, swimming, boating, or serving as a source of drinking water. This view is not supported by reality. Many waters on Iowa’s list of impaired waters continue to support well diverse aquatic communities of fish and other aquatic life and support water-based recreational activities. In fact, several of Iowa’s highest-quality and most biologically diverse streams are on Iowa’s list of impaired waters.

     In terms of water quality status, “impairment” is not a “one size fits all” concept. Impairments depend on the use designation. The degree of water quality impairments range from slight to severe. Severe water quality problems in Iowa are rare. Most of the impairments on Iowa’s list of impaired waters do not indicate polluted conditions.

     For example, Iowa’s lakes, streams, and rivers are protected for uses such as swimming or water skiing by a water quality standard for bacteria (E. coli), which are typically non-pathogenic.

     Iowa’s water quality standard for E. coli is a summer recreation season average of 126-500 CFU/100 milliliters of water. This standard applies to swimming beaches at lakes, streams and rivers. Iowa lakes have generally low levels of bacteria and fully meet this standard the vast majority of the time. Iowa’s streams and rivers can have bacteria levels above this standard for reasons typically related to rainfall, not from farmer or urban mismanagement. The reason why bacteria are the most frequently identified impairment of Iowa’s streams and rivers is because it rains.

     In most of these impaired streams and rivers, the average level of bacteria is within the standard. Iowa DNR considers these impairments to be “slight” in magnitude. Iowa DNR considers average levels of 1,000 CFU/100 ml as indicating a “severe” impairment. 

     Remember the average is 126-500 CFU/100 ml. This is significantly below the 1000 CFU/100 ml level.

     It appears to me there are some pontificators putting undue fear on Iowans. I will continue to promote and expect all Iowans to be good stewards of their property in both urban and rural settings. If the average level of bacteria is greater than the standard, the water area is added to Iowa’s impaired waters list. Being added to this list is too easy and it is very difficult to be removed from the list. This adds to an undue fear factor. 

     In summary, the risk of a person contracting a waterborne disease in Iowa is low. As Iowans we need to be proud of how far we have come in relation to our water quality. And as Paul Harvey would say, “Now you know the rest of the story.”