DES MOINES -- Iowa’s Nonpoint Source Management Plan Vision document and public presentation are now available for public review and comment on the DNR Watershed Improvement webpage:
https://www.iowadnr.gov/Environmental-Protection/Water-Quality/Watershed-Improvement/Nonpoint-Source-Plan
The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency requires each state to update its Nonpoint Source (NPS) Management Plan every five years in order to remain eligible for the federal Clean Water Act Section 319 grant.
In Iowa, the process of updating Iowa’s Nonpoint Source Management Plan has been taking place in 2023 through a collaboration between the Iowa DNR, Iowa State University (ISU) Extension, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS), and other primary nonpoint source agencies, organizations, and groups.
A timeline of 2023 activities to update the NPS Plan is shown below:
- January-April 2023: Drafting of an updated NPS Plan by interagency committee (Iowa DNR, ISU Extension, IDALS)
- Apr. 27, 2023: Interagency meeting to discuss draft NPS Plan (Iowa DNR, ISU, IDALS, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, University of Iowa)
- July 2023: Preliminary draft of NPS Plan completed
- Sept. 12, 2023: Public meeting presentation by ISU Extension of preliminary draft NPS Plan
- October 2023: Presentation of NPS Plan Vision to DNR Environmental Protection Commission
- Nov.15, 2023: NPS Plan Vision completed
- December 2023: Public review of NPS Plan Vision
- End of December 2023: Official submittal of NPS Plan Vision to EPA
As of Dec.1, the NPS Plan Vision document is available for public review on the Iowa DNR website:
Public questions or comments on the NPS Plan Vision can be submitted to watershed.improvement@dnr.iowa.gov until Dec. 29.