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DNR News Releases

Archive by tag: MONReturn

Mix of habitats attract wildlife diversity at Big Marsh Wildlife Area, near Dumont

• 10/8/2024 11:49:00 AM
• View Count 4719

Dumont has a front row view of the 614-acre northern section of Big Marsh Wildlife Area and the pheasants, turkeys, ducks, geese, eagles and more wildlife that call the area home.

Help stop the spread of invasive species in your community

• 6/4/2024 11:36:00 AM
• View Count 3025

Governor Kim Reynolds recently proclaimed June as Invasive Species Awareness Month in Iowa.

Equipment to measure waves deployed this week in Upper Mississippi River Pool 13

• 5/28/2024 2:18:00 PM
• View Count 2583

CLINTON, Iowa - A study to learn more about waves and water clarity on the Mississippi River is underway after wave monitors were deployed within several locations on Pool 13.

Iowa’s 2024 Air Monitoring Network Plan Available for Public Review and Comment

• 5/20/2024 8:50:00 PM
• View Count 2123

The air monitoring network plan will assist the Iowa DNR in its efforts to monitor the quality of Iowa’s air and to keep the public aware of air quality problems.

Come Join the Frog and Toad Call Survey!

• 3/22/2024 6:02:00 PM
• View Count 2922

Calling all wildlife watchers! The Iowa DNR will be hosting two more frog and toad call survey training workshops in 2024.

Opportunity to help track frog and toad populations in Iowa

• 3/19/2024 2:27:00 PM
• View Count 2830

It’s 10 o’clock on a summer night along a gravel road anywhere in Iowa. In the farm pond next to the road, a raucous chorus of male frogs are making themselves heard as they vie for mates.

UPDATE: Investigation into Montgomery County fertilizer spill continues

• 3/14/2024 10:06:00 AM
• View Count 4003

RED OAK – DNR staff continue to investigate the New Cooperative fertilizer spill near Red Oak in Montgomery County. The release has been stopped and clean-up efforts are still underway.

Fertilizer spill in Montgomery County reaches East Nishnabotna River

• 3/12/2024 10:44:00 AM
• View Count 6059

RED OAK, Iowa – On March 11, New Cooperative in Red Oak notified the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) of a release on-site early Monday morning.

Bridge collapse causes fertilizer and diesel to enter Tarkio River near Stanton

• 12/2/2023 2:55:00 PM
• View Count 3724

STANTON, Iowa - Montgomery County Emergency Management reported a fertilizer spreader in the Tarkio River following a bridge collapse on a private drive.

Spirit Lake man identified as victim of Saturday’s hunting incident

• 10/23/2023 1:18:00 PM
• View Count 6878

MILFORD - Joseph Salmon, 18, of Spirit Lake, was injured Saturday morning while waterfowl hunting along the shore of a slough at the Spring Run Wildlife Area, in Dickinson County.

Harmon Lake Wildlife Area ready for a busy fall

• 10/3/2023 12:38:00 PM
• View Count 4138

Standing at the gravel boat ramp on the middle pool of Harmon Lake, among a dense stand of bur-reed full of seeds, four noisy trumpeter swans appeared over the trees then banked west at the sight of unwelcomed visitors.

Iowa DNR sending firefighters to Montana and Texas

• 8/1/2023 12:03:00 PM
• View Count 2851

AMES – As wildfires continue to rage in parts of the west, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Fire Program has started to dispatch wildland firefighters to Montana and Texas.

Iowa’s Scholastic Clay Target Program crowns international skeet and international bunker trap champions

• 5/23/2023 1:34:00 PM
• View Count 2807

The Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) held championship events for International Skeet and International Bunker Trap on May 20-21.

Bat survey looking for volunteers

• 5/23/2023 1:32:00 PM
• View Count 2755

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Iowa State University are looking for volunteers interested in performing night time surveys for bats in Dubuque, Pocahontas, Marshall, Franklin and Butler counties.

Help stop the spread of invasive species in your community

• 5/23/2023 1:25:00 PM
• View Count 2466

Governor Kim Reynolds recently proclaimed June as Invasive Species Awareness Month in Iowa.

Monarch Conservation Effort Report highlights Iowans' hard work

• 10/5/2022 6:52:00 AM
• View Count 3218

AMES, Iowa -- Iowa has been steadily adding new habitat for monarch butterflies over the past couple of years. The Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium recently released its Monarch Conservation Effort Report, which offers a snapshot of monarch habitat establishment through 2020 in all 99 counties across the state.

Water level to be lowered this fall at Virgin Lake to help eliminate carp

• 8/29/2022 9:34:00 AM
• View Count 3141

Virgin Lake, near Ruthven in Palo Alto county, will undergo a water level management project to improve its water quality and provide quality habitat for fish and wildlife.

Iowa DNR confirms cause of Storm Lake common carp kill

• 8/9/2022 2:24:00 PM
• View Count 4108

STORM LAKE - The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) confirmed the Koi Herpes Virus (KHV) killed thousands of young common carp at Storm Lake. It’s the first time the virus has been detected in Iowa. Outbreaks have previously been identified in Minnesota and Wisconsin. There have been no instances of the virus infecting humans or other fish species.

Round Lake Wildlife Area is a gem hidden in plain sight

• 6/28/2022 3:11:00 PM
• View Count 4290

MONDAMIN - Round Lake has to be the easiest wildlife area to get to in the state. Sitting one mile east off of I-29 at the Hwy. 127 Mondamin exit, is the 430-acre mix of wetlands, timber and prairie in western Harrison County.

Help us Fight the Spread of Invasive Species

• 6/21/2022 1:57:00 PM
• View Count 3356

Governor Kim Reynolds recently proclaimed June as Invasive Species Awareness Month in Iowa.

June is Invasive Species Awareness Month

• 5/24/2022 3:43:00 PM
• View Count 2473

In an effort to increase awareness of invasive species and the impact they have on Iowa’s ecosystems and economy, Governor Kim Reynolds recently proclaimed June as Invasive Species Awareness Month in Iowa.

NWF's Mayors Monarch Pledge is now accepting pledges for 2022

• 3/25/2022 11:40:00 AM
• View Count 1520

The Mayors Monarch Pledge is a program created by the National Wildlife Federation to encourage mayors and their communities to take a pledge to help the dwindling Monarch Butterfly population.

Iowa DNR hiring seasonal water quality monitoring staff for summer

• 3/10/2022 2:12:00 PM
• View Count 1612

DES MOINES - The Iowa DNR’s Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Section is currently hiring seasonal natural resource aides for the summer.

Train derailment into Mississippi River near Montrose

• 11/15/2021 8:17:00 AM
• View Count 2604

MONTROSE, IOWA -- At approximately 11:50 PM on November 13, 2021 a train collided with a barge that had been parked along the shore of the Mississippi River near Montrose in Lee County, Iowa. The southbound train operated by BNSF hit the stationary barge, derailing two locomotives and overturning several coal cars between the main line and side track. Several hundred gallons of diesel was released on the ballast material, and was seeping into the Mississippi River from the locomotive fuel tank. A number of coal ca...

DNR to eliminate the fish populations at three western Iowa lakes

• 9/14/2021 3:17:00 PM
• View Count 2193

Fremont and Mills counties - The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will treat Folsom, Scott B, and Lake Virginia late this summer or early fall (pending workable weather conditions) with rotenone, a botanical pesticide, to eliminate the fish populations.

Boaters: Be aware of carbon monoxide poisoning while on the water

• 7/20/2021 11:48:00 AM
• View Count 2410

Carbon monoxide poisoning is not often thought of when on the water, but boaters need to be aware of the situations that can put them at risk of illness or even death.

DNR checking diesel fuel cleanup in Tarkio River

• 7/19/2021 1:19:00 PM
• View Count 1279

ELLIOTT - Sunday night, a broken axle caused a truck driver to lose control and enter the Tarkio River about 3 miles east of Elliott in Montgomery County.

Iowa’s 2021 Air Monitoring Network Plan Available for Public Review and Comment

• 5/18/2021 8:25:00 AM
• View Count 1942

The air monitoring network plan will assist the Iowa DNR in its efforts to monitor the quality of Iowa’s air and to keep the public aware of air quality problems.

Air Quality permits under review

• 5/13/2021 1:10:00 PM
• View Count 1526

DES MOINES – The DNR Air Quality Bureau has the following draft permits up for review. The permits help protect Iowans’ health and air quality. DNR’s permitting staff review each permit application to ensure facilities comply with state and federal air quality requirements

New DNR Video Helps Iowans Correctly Plant Trees

• 4/26/2021 10:14:00 AM
• View Count 2112

DES MOINES - April is Arbor Month and a new five-minute video produced by the Iowa DNR aims to help residents learn to properly plant trees and avoid very common mistakes - vital to the longevity of new plantings.

Air Toxics Update: Miscellaneous Organic Chemical Manufacturing (MON)

• 9/8/2020 2:23:00 PM
• View Count 2560

EPA recently updated several federal regulations for hazardous air pollutants (also known as HAP or air toxics). EPA’s actions address the Risk and Technology Review (RTR) required under the U.S. Clean Air Act.

Backbone State Park celebrates 100 years with dedication ceremony, sign unveiling

• 7/28/2020 12:29:00 PM
• View Count 2998

DUNDEE, IA – With the 100th anniversary of Iowa state parks in full swing, Backbone State Park celebrated its centennial with a re-dedication ceremony on Friday, July 24. Local community members joined Governor Kim Reynolds, DNR Director Kayla Lyon and park staff for the ceremony, which took place in front of the park’s newly renovated Beach Lodge. 

Dead fish found Monday at fertilizer spill site in Dubuque

• 6/23/2020 7:47:00 PM
• View Count 1269

DUBUQUE—During a follow-up check at the site of a fertilizer spill Monday, the DNR found elevated ammonia levels and dead fish in the southeast corner of Bee Branch Pond in Dubuque.

Meet Phyllis Kimball, a Monarch Champion

• 6/22/2020 2:33:00 PM
• View Count 6633

Phyllis Kimball, of Creston, enrolled 160 acres in CRP pollinator mix in Ringgold County. Kimball had been away from the farm for more than two decades but returned to manage the day to day operations after an agreement with a local farmer was voided. What she found upon returning was failing terraces and trees that had taken over the valley. She stopped on the gravel road and cried at seeing what had happened to her land.

Efforts to remove carp continue at Hickory Grove Lake

• 5/5/2020 12:02:00 PM
• View Count 3327

COLO, Iowa – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Story County Conservation (SCC) plan to start drawing down Hickory Grove Lake near Colo in early May to remove common carp. The lake will remain drained until fall.

Iowans can do their part in helping the Monarch habitat grow

• 4/14/2020 2:21:00 PM
• View Count 6457

The recent news from the World Wildlife Fund and Mexico’s Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas on monarch wintering numbers was an eye opener  – the butterflies covered an estimated seven acres of forest canopy in Mexico – less than half of last year’s population. Experts estimate a long-term average of 15 acres of occupied forest canopy is necessary to sustain the eastern North America monarch population.

Iowa's 5-year Network Assessment is available for public review and comment

• 3/30/2020 8:08:00 AM
• View Count 1843

The 5-year Air Monitoring Network Assessment will assist the Iowa DNR in its efforts to monitor the quality of Iowa's air and to keep the public aware of air quality problems.

Change in ownership definition could affect construction and expansions

• 3/5/2020 8:56:00 AM
• View Count 2698

The definition for common ownership of an animal feeding operation changed, effective Feb. 19, 2020. The rule change is not retroactive. It applies to facilities making changes after Feb. 19.

Former resident honors family connections in Fremont County by donating land in the Loess Hills to the Iowa DNR

• 1/7/2020 12:33:00 PM
• View Count 8776

Thurman, Iowa - William and Sara Blackburn, from Long Grove, Ill., donated 151 acres in northwest Fremont County to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources that will be used to create the Blackburn Wildlife Management Area and Blackburn Unit of Waubonsie State Park. The donation is valued at more than $515,000.

DNR conservation officer and park ranger rescue duck hunters

• 11/29/2019 2:40:00 PM
• View Count 3232

MONONA COUNTY, Iowa - DNR Conservation Officer Gary Sisco and DNR Park Ranger Katie Hoeppner responded to a stranded boat with duck hunters on West Blue Lake, a marsh off of Blue Lake in Monona County in the evening hours of November 26.

DNR and several agencies find missing deer hunter

• 11/25/2019 3:07:00 PM
• View Count 2935

MONROE COUNTY, Iowa – Iowa Department of Natural Resources conservation officers and park rangers responded to a report of a missing deer hunter on November 24 at the Tyrone State Game Management Area in Monroe County.

DNR Conservation Officer helps rescue duck hunters

• 10/20/2019 4:17:00 PM
• View Count 3459

MONONA COUNTY, Iowa -- On Sunday October 20, at approximately 10:57 AM, Monona County dispatch received a call that Decatur Fire and Rescue was en-route to Tieville Bend Wildlife Management Area for a call of two hunters whose boat was sinking. 

DNR investigating fish kill in Backbone State Park trout streams

• 9/30/2019 11:48:00 AM
• View Count 2526

DUNDEE – DNR staff investigated a fish kill in Backbone State Park Sept. 28 after trout anglers reported seeing dead fish in Richmond Springs and Fenchel Creek.

Kent Park Lake celebration to highlight lake restoration project

• 9/10/2019 2:30:00 PM
• View Count 3370

OXFORD, Iowa – A celebration of the lake restoration efforts at F.W. Kent Park in Johnson County will be held Sept. 21st, from 1-4:30 pm at the boat ramp at Kent Park Lake, located at 2408 US-6 in Oxford.

DNR removes no-wake speed restriction at Blue Lake

• 9/10/2019 2:27:00 PM
• View Count 2819

MONONA COUNTY, Iowa – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has lifted the no-wake speed restriction, which equates to roughly 5 mph, for boating on Blue Lake at Lewis and Clark State Park.

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