ALGONA, Iowa -- The City of Algona, in partnership with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, invites the public to attend a ribbon cutting ceremony at the corner of Moore and Call Streets on June 7, 2019 at 10:30 a.m., to unveil the Permeable Paver/Tree Trench project.
The ribbon cutting ceremony will celebrate the completion of Algona’s joint water quality project between the State Revolving Fund Water Resource Restoration Sponsored Project program and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s Urban Demonstration Water Quality Initiative Project.
Speakers for the event include Algona City Administrator Curt Wiseman, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, DNR Acting Division Administrator of Environmental Services Division Ed Tormey, Kossuth County Soil and Water Conservation District’s Nancy Bohl Bormann, Project Manager Nick Frederiksen, and ISG Water Resource Strategist Staci Williams.
“This project is just one example of many projects across the state that allow cities to address and improve water quality measures in their communities,” said Acting DNR Environmental Services Division Administrator Ed Tormey. “The City of Algona has implemented some cutting edge efforts through this project. This is a great example of how important the SRF program is to our state and the communities.”
“Urban water quality projects allow public and private partners and local stakeholders to work together and take actionable steps that support the Nutrient Reduction Strategy,” said Naig. “Whether you live in the city or the country, we must all do our part to improve water quality and preserve our natural resources for the next generation.”
Through the Sponsored Project Program, Algona developed a project to address a water quality concern in its community by installing permeable pavers and tree trenches. These practices collectively capture and treat storm water from the parking lot before it runs into The East Fork Des Moines River to prevent nutrients and sediment from entering the water.
The Sponsored Project Program enables communities like Algona to fund a locally-directed, watershed-based, non-point source water quality improvement projects. The Sponsored Project Program is implemented through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF), a loan program for construction of wastewater improvement projects and nonpoint source water quality projects.
On a typical CWSRF loan, principal is borrowed for the wastewater project and the borrower repays the principal plus interest and fees. On a CWSRF loan with a sponsored project, principal is borrowed for both the wastewater project and the sponsored project. In return the interest rate of the CWSRF loan is reduced so the borrower does not pay any more than they would have for just the wastewater project. Effectively, two water quality projects can be completed for the cost of one.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s Water Quality Initiative provides funding for projects that advance the implementation of conservation practices that are proven to reduce nutrient loss and improve water quality. There is tremendous interest and support among rural and urban audiences across the state to ramp up conservation efforts to improve water quality. The Algona project is a great example of what can happen when a community comes together to advance the state’s water quality goals.
The parking lot project was made possible through partnerships with multiple groups and agencies, including the City of Algona, ISG, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, and the State Revolving Fund, which is jointly administered by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Iowa Finance Authority with technical assistance provided by Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.