RC&D, Maquoketa River WMA make FY22 funding requests

     Lori Scovel with Limestone Bluffs RC&D (Resource Conservation and Development) and the Maquoketa River Watershed Management Authority (WMA), met with the Jones County Supervisor on Jan. 19 to make her Fiscal Year 2022 budget requests.

     Scovel serves as the project coordinator for the WMA, which does serve Jones County and the City of Monticello.

     Scovel requested $5,053 from the county directed to the WMA, and $7,500 for RC&D. The WMA request is based on a per capita formula of the populated unincorporated areas of the county.

     Limestone Bluffs is a non-profit organization that serves six counties, including Jones. In FY 2021, the county chose not to fund RC&D. Scovel reminded the board that whomever is appointed to represent Jones County this year on RC&D cannot be a voting member.

     RC&D will celebrate its 30^th anniversary in 2022.

     This year, they were able to hire an intern, to start in the spring, to help with special projects.

     Scovel said RC&D is working on supporting the arts and culture through the Regional Cultural Council. Their initiative, Go Limestone Trails, highlights various trails through the six-county region such as history, restaurants, and museums, just to name a few.

     “Go Limestone Trails is growing in 2021,” shared Scovel of additional trail maps that they are in the process of working on.

     Scovel said these maps helped drive people to their website (www.golimestonetrails.org) in 2020 as many people were looking for local things to do during the pandemic.

     RC&D also helps to promote local farmers markets in Monticello and Anamosa.

     The WMA will host its annual meeting via Zoom on Jan. 26 at 4 p.m.

     The WMA consists of 34 members, both counties and cities. RC&D serves not only as administrator, but fiscal agent as well.

     2020 marked the second year for the region’s water monitoring program, which includes 36 sites along the Maquoketa River. Samples of all 36 sites are taken on the same day by volunteers who travel the region. The samples are delivered to Coe College for testing. Scovel said due to the derecho on Aug. 10, they were delayed on their final day of sampling.

     “We had to postpone it a month,” she said.

     Supervisor John Schlarmann inquired as to how well the Maquoketa River came out through the sampling project.

     “In the middle,” reported Scovel. “It’s not as bad as others (rivers) in Iowa. It’s not designated an impaired waterway, but it’s not great either.”

     She said they plan to continue the water monitoring program, and reports will be made available to the WMA members.

     “We plan to expand from 36 to 45 test sites,” Scovel said.

     The WMA also sent out a survey to stakeholders. The idea is to gather information for future focus groups for public feedback on the Maquoketa River.

     In December, RC&D received news that they were one of two recipients of a $100,000 DNR grant.

     “This was fantastic news,” shared Scovel.

     This allows RC&D to partner with graduate students from the University of Iowa to work on completing the WMA plan. In addition, Scovel said, they can expand their outreach, too.