MAY 14, 2015
The number of Iowa lakes, rivers and streams impaired by
pollution has climbed 15 percent in two years, according to a new state report,
prompting environmental groups to say the state's efforts to reduce pollution
aren't working.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources plans to report 725
impaired water bodies to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency this summer.
The last time a report was filed in 2012, there were 630 impaired waterways.
States must compile impaired waters reports every two years
under the Clean Water Act.
Two of the most frequently cited problems for rivers and
streams are bacteria and fish kills, largely the result of manure spills or
waste storage leaks from large-scale hog or cattle operations.
For lakes, the most commonly identified impairments are
excess algae, too much suspended sediment and bacteria — all of which indicate
the presence of human or animal waste. Algae blooms occur with large
concentrations of nitrates and phosphorous from manure on farm fields or
leaking septic tanks or industrial and city waste treatment plants.
Iowa's robust agricultural economy — leading the nation in
pork and egg production — presents a challenge dealing with manure generated by
more than 20 million hogs and 60 million chickens, although the flock in the
last month has shrunk by 40 percent from a deadly strain of bird flu.
It's also tops in corn production, a crop that needs an
abundance of nitrogen fertilizer to maximize yields. Yet, the nutrient can
leach into rivers, causing high nitrate levels. It also can leach into lakes,
contributing to toxic algae blooms.
Gov. Terry Branstad, Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey and
Iowa DNR Director Chuck Gipp have said the state's voluntary nutrient reduction
policy is working and farmers need more time to implement the practices, such
as no-till farming, use of grass strips in fields and planting cover crops
after harvest to reduce erosion and to help alleviate runoff of fertilizer and
manure.
But environmental groups including Iowa Citizens for
Community Improvement said the report shows the state's voluntary strategy is
failing.