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| 4 Beaches with an E. coli Advisory:
Backbone Beach (Dundee, Delaware County, IA)*
Beed’s Lake Beach (Hampton, Franklin County, IA)*
Black Hawk Beach (Lake View, Sac County, IA)*
Nine Eagles Beach (Davis City, Decatur County, IA)* 0 Beaches with a Microcystin Advisory 3 City and County Beaches exceed the state’s advisory threshold for E. coli.*
View the map on our website to see where. Note: Monitoring has been suspended at Lake Keomah due to renovation activities. *Data from the Iowa DNR State Park Beach Monitoring Program
**Data from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District |
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Weekly Water Watch is Back for the 2025 Beach Season! |
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IEC’s summer beach advisory newsletter returns as Iowa state parks open for the season. This newsletter relies on data provided by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) - Rock Island District, as they conduct weekly beach monitoring for common water pathogens, including E.coli bacteria and microcystin, a cyanotoxin produced by harmful algae blooms (HABs). Measuring safe levels of water pathogens requires consistent testing, as required by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA provides guidelines for concentrations of acceptable pathogens in water bodies that are used for recreation, including swimming, paddling, and water sports. Escherichia coli, or E.coli, is a species of bacteria and serves as an important measure for feces in waterbodies. Dan Haug, Water Quality Specialist with Prairie Rivers of Iowa, created a table to showcase the best, worst, and average E. coli readings measured last year at some of Iowa’s most popular beaches and water trails. The E. coli standard is exceeded when either 1) a geometric mean based on five samples in a 30-day period exceeds 126 colony-forming units per 100 mL of water or 2) a single sample exceeds 235 colony forming units per 100 mL of water. The DNR only issues an advisory for exceedance of the single sample threshold if the beach is classified as "vulnerable" or "transitional". Read Dan's blog on Prairie Rivers of Iowa's webpage for the complete picture of E.coli monitoring. Cyanobacteria - often referred to as blue-green algae - are microscopic organisms that are naturally present in all aquatic ecosystems, ranging from saline to freshwater environments, and are important components of food webs and the nitrogen cycle. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources analyzes for microcystins which are the most widespread and frequently occurring cyanobacterial toxins produced in Iowa’s surface waters. The Iowa DNR and USACE Rock Island issue swim advisories when microcystin exceeds 8 micrograms/L. Microcystins can pose serious health concerns for human health, as well as recreating pets and local wildlife. Learn more about these toxic algae blooms on our new Bloom Bulletin. Iowa’s lakes are an important part of the quality of life we enjoy in our state, and monitoring the health and safety of these waterbodies is paramount to summer recreation. Beaches and water recreation sites are critical economic drivers for many Iowa communities, while also being vital drinking water sources, and areas of protected wildlife habitat. IEC shares beach advisory information as part of Weekly Water Watch in a format that makes it possible for you to plan a weekend beach trip with confidence. You can always find the map of Iowa beach advisories, as well as stats from last year’s monitoring, on IEC’s Weekly Water Watch webpage. |
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Farm Runoff and Recent Fish Kills Early spring snowmelt and heavy precipitation events coincided with several fish kills throughout Iowa. These weather events, paired with spring fertilizer application and mismanaged animal farms, can lead to harmful runoff in waterways. In March, runoff from the Dale Humpal Dairy farm spilled into Dry Run Creek near Decorah. In April, a fertilizer leak from CJ Bio America flowed into Lizard Creek tributaries downstream of Fort Dodge. At both of these spills, dead fish were observed with an estimated total death toll nearing 200,000 - not including other wildlife reliant on the affected waterbodies. These spills have a combined value of $105,000 in damages. Learn more on the DNR's website. |
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Spring Water Shortages in Iowa Iowa's prolonged drought was temporarily alleviated last year during severe flood events. However, spring precipitation is lower than average, resulting in serious drinking water shortages throughout the state. In Avoca, roughly forty miles northeast of Omaha, Regional Water of the Rural Water Association issued an emergency water conservation and boil advisory for residents. These restrictions only affect the Avoca Treatment Plant System, which includes customers in Shelby, Audubon, Cass, Harrison and northern Pottawattamie counties. While these water restrictions are rare, they're increasingly common in Iowa. Learn more in our 2024 report, Drought & Iowa's Drinking Water. |
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Get Involved
There are hundreds of ways for you to engage with your state and local water bodies. This section of the newsletter will be devoted to upcoming water events, advocacy opportunities, and water-based education. On May 8, IEC hosted our annual water program fundraiser - PROH2O - to celebrate and engage supporters. We were delighted to feature 30+ environmental champions and their legacy of advocacy. See photos from the event here. |
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River Days of Action
June 2 is officially National Mississippi River Day! Whether it's participating in a local cleanup, attending a webinar, or advocating for river-friendly policies, your actions matter. Join thousands this June 1–15 in making an impact during at One Mississippi’s River Days of Action. |
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Protecting Wetlands Webinar
On June 30, IEC's General Counsel Michael Schmidt and featured farmer John Gilbert will present on the impact of wetlands and the Swampbuster case. This free webinar will include background on IEC's intervention into the Swampbuster case, the many benefits of wetlands, what the decision means for farmers. |
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Iowa Environmental Council
505 Fifth Ave., Suite 850
Des Moines, Iowa 50309-2317
515-244-1194 | iecmail@iaenvironment.org |
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