DNR News Releases

Wildfire Smoke Contributes to Exceedances of Ozone Air Quality Standards

5/24/2023 1:22:00 PM
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DES MOINES – Wildfire smoke carries particulates as well as massive amounts of gases and a cocktail of chemicals that can enhance ozone formation hundreds or even thousands of miles downwind.

Spawning stress causes panfish kills in southern Iowa lakes

5/23/2023 3:35:00 PM
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Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) fisheries biologists have investigated recent reports of dead bluegill and crappie in southern Iowa lakes.

Iowa DNR Fire Program gearing up for national wildfires

5/23/2023 1:38:00 PM
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AMES – While wildland fire season hasn’t been active yet, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Fire Program has been busy getting firefighters from Iowa ready to be dispatched to wildfires across the country.

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

5/23/2023 1:34:00 PM
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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
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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 protect Iowa’s forests - leave firewood at home

5/23/2023 1:29:00 PM
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Thousands of Iowans will be camping and building campfires this Memorial Day weekend and throughout the summer.

Help stop the spread of invasive species in your community

5/23/2023 1:25:00 PM
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Governor Kim Reynolds recently proclaimed June as Invasive Species Awareness Month in Iowa.

21-year-old man drowned Saturday on West Okoboji Lake

5/23/2023 1:23:00 PM
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The Iowa Department to Natural Resources (DNR) is investigating a drowning Saturday afternoon on West Okoboji Lake, after Alexander Glover, 21, of Cedar Rapids, jumped off a pontoon and into the water in Miller's Bay.

Fawning season is here, deer are on the move

5/23/2023 1:20:00 PM
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The calls have been coming in to field offices and conservation officers for the past few weeks and will only increase as the first few weeks of June marks the peak of the deer fawning season.

Share the fun of fishing during free fishing weekend June 2-4

5/23/2023 1:12:00 PM
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Iowa residents can try fishing without buying a license on June 2, 3 and 4, as part of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) free fishing weekend. All other regulations remain in place.

Iowa Administrative Code Chapter 65 revision update

5/18/2023 2:39:00 PM
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Pursuant to Executive Order 10, DNR has reviewed and drafted animal feeding operation rules (567 Iowa Administrative Code Chapter 65).

Air Quality permits under review, published 5/18/2023

5/18/2023 2:37:00 PM
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DES MOINES – The DNR Air Quality Bureau has the following draft permits for review.

DNR enforcement actions, published 5/18/2023

5/18/2023 2:35:00 PM
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DES MOINES – DNR staff work with individuals, businesses and communities to help them protect our natural resources by complying with state and federal laws

Smoke from Canadian fires expected to impact Iowa today and tomorrow

5/18/2023 2:33:00 PM
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Des Moines – An approaching cold front is pulling smoke from Canadian wildfires down to ground level, and areas of unhealthy, very unhealthy, and hazardous air quality are being measured across much of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Montana, Minnesota, and North and South Dakota.

DNR to present results of rules and regulations evaluation at four public meetings

5/17/2023 8:12:00 AM
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The Iowa Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Bureau is hosting four public meetings to present its results from the comprehensive evaluation of administrative rules and regulations.

No Air Quality Fee Changes for Upcoming Fiscal Year

5/16/2023 3:24:00 PM
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There will be no changes in Air Quality Bureau fees for the 2024 fiscal year, which begins on July 1, 2023, and ends on June 30, 2024.

Maquoketa & North Fork Maquoketa Water Trail dedicated May 31

5/16/2023 1:58:00 PM
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The Maquoketa & North Fork Maquoketa Water Trail, in Jackson County, will be officially dedicated as Iowa’s newest water trail during a public ceremony at 10 a.m., May 31, at Canton County Park along the Maquoketa River, in western Jackson County.

MADD, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, team up for boating BUI and ATV DUI prevention campaign to kick off summer recreation season

5/16/2023 1:56:00 PM
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Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Illinois volunteers and staff are teaming up with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to promote safe boating and ATV seasons and to educate about the dangers of operating a boat, watercraft, and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) while impaired by alcohol or other drugs.

Improve your paddling skills with DNR canoe and kayak schools

5/16/2023 1:54:00 PM
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DES MOINES —Naturalists, youth group leaders and others who bring people out on the water in canoes or kayaks and want to learn how to teach others about paddling efficiently and safely are encouraged to attend one of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) paddling schools scheduled June through September.

Safety tips for river recreation this summer

5/16/2023 1:52:00 PM
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Iowa rivers will soon be busy with paddlers, swimmers, and people wading to search for fossils, rocks and driftwood or to clean up litter or explore a sandbar.

Help stop aquatic hitchhikers this Memorial Day weekend

5/16/2023 1:50:00 PM
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The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds all boaters and anglers to “Clean, Drain, and Dry” their boats and equipment this Memorial Day weekend to protect Iowa lakes and rivers from aquatic hitchhikers.

Annual surveillance confirms 96 deer and three new counties for chronic wasting disease

5/16/2023 1:49:00 PM
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Chronic wasting disease was confirmed in 96 deer that were tested during the 2022 monitoring season, including deer from three new counties – Jasper, Grundy, and Lucas. With the addition of Jasper County, chronic wasting disease has again come into central Iowa.

Iowa’s spring turkey season is one for the books

5/16/2023 1:47:00 PM
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Despite a rainy cold closing weekend across much of state, Iowa’s wild turkey hunters reported harvesting more than 14,800 birds through the mandatory registration system, an increase of nearly 3,000 versus the 2022 harvest.

Boaters to hit the waters this Memorial Day weekend

5/16/2023 1:45:00 PM
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The unofficial beginning to summer is just days away and that also marks the unofficial beginning of Iowa’s boating season. Boaters across the state are anxious to get out on the lake after the cool and wet spring and are preparing their watercraft for the long holiday weekend.

Visitors expected to fill parks over Memorial Day weekend

5/16/2023 1:42:00 PM
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Iowa state parks and forests are gearing up for a busy Memorial Day weekend, the traditional start of the outdoor summer recreation season.

River Users Should Avoid Area Near Adel Wastewater Facility

5/16/2023 12:24:00 PM
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ADEL--Persons recreating on the North Racoon River should avoid an area immediately below the Adel Wastewater Treatment Facility where a pool of partially treated waste has collected after a release on Monday.

Paddle your way to prizes!

5/15/2023 3:48:00 PM
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The Hook n’ Paddle Passport, launched last summer, has been refreshed and is ready for a second year of fun.

Plan to participate in the joint Air Quality EO10 Rules Meeting and Client Contact Meeting on May 18

5/15/2023 3:43:00 PM
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Stay up-to-date on current events and upcoming changes in DNR’s air quality program. Plan to attend a virtual open forum with DNR staff at the joint EO10 Rules Meeting beginning at 9 a.m. and the Air Quality Client Contact Meeting at 10:45 a.m. on Thursday, May 18.

Air Quality permits under review, May 11, 2023

5/11/2023 7:05:00 AM
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DES MOINES – The DNR Air Quality Bureau has the following draft permits for review. The permits help protect Iowans’ health and the air where we live. DNR’s permitting staff review the applications to ensure facilities comply with state and federal air quality standards. The public has the right and is encouraged to comment on draft permits. DNR considers public comments before finalizing the permits. Submit comments in writing to the assigned permit writer before 4:30 p.m. on the last day of the comment period.

DNR enforcement actions, published 5/11/2023

5/11/2023 7:02:00 AM
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DES MOINES – DNR staff work with individuals, businesses and communities to help them protect our natural resources by complying with state and federal laws.

Workshop to help communities fund redevelopment of abandoned or contaminated sites

5/11/2023 7:00:00 AM
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A free, one-day workshop designed to help local communities redevelop brownfield sites on June 6 in Cedar Rapids and June 7 in Des Moines. The type of properties for consideration are where environmental contamination or concerns about hazardous materials, such as asbestos or lead-based paint in building materials, have hindered a community's interest in acquiring and redevelopment. The workshop will introduce communities to new and expanded financial and technical resources available to help redevelop these si...

Environmental Protection Commission to meet in Emmetsburg

5/11/2023 6:58:00 AM
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DES MOINES— The Environmental Protection Commission will meet in Emmetsburg, Iowa to tour the Iowa Lakes Regional Water, Osgood Water Treatment Plant and Lost Island Lake on Monday, May 15.

Less than one week left to submit your 2022 Minor Source Emissions Inventory

5/9/2023 2:11:00 PM
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Facilities located in the central third of Iowa and portable plants must submit their 2022 Minor Source Emissions Inventory (MSEI) by May 15, 2023.

Midwest black bear population may start calling parts of Iowa home down the road

5/9/2023 2:04:00 PM
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There’s a pretty good chance that, in the next several weeks, Northeast Iowa will be visited by a few wandering black bears coming down from Minnesota and Wisconsin ahead of the breeding season. It’s been an annual occurrence in this region each spring since 2014.

Kick off summer in Iowa State Parks, June 9-11

5/9/2023 2:02:00 PM
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DES MOINES ⎯ Several state parks and forests will be hosting family-friendly programming and activities as part of Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) new Summer Kick-Off event, June 9-11.

Updated Meteorological and Elevation Data Available for Use in Air Dispersion Modeling

5/8/2023 3:49:00 PM
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When the EPA released updates to the AERMOD modeling system on June 27, 2022, they included updates to AERMET, the preprocessor used to generate meteorological data for use in AERMOD.

Natural Resource Commission to meet May 11 in Des Moines

5/8/2023 3:16:00 PM
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DES MOINES – The Natural Resource Commission (NRC) of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will hold its monthly meeting at 9:30 a.m., May 11, in the Wallace State Office Building.

Iowa State Forest Nursery End of Season Sale

5/8/2023 3:08:00 PM
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All remaining State Forest Nursery seedlings are 30 percent off until May 26. Choose from a variety of hardwoods, shrubs and conifers. Some varieties have limited supplies.

Air Quality permits under review

5/4/2023 2:31:00 PM
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DES MOINES – The DNR Air Quality Bureau has the following draft permits up for review. The permits help protect Iowans’ health and the air where we live. DNR’s permitting staff review the applications to ensure facilities comply with state and federal air quality standards. The public has the right and is encouraged to comment on draft permits. DNR considers public comments before finalizing the permits. Submit comments in writing to the assigned permit writer before 4:30 p.m. on the last day of the comment period.

DNR enforcement actions, published 5/4/2023

5/4/2023 2:27:00 PM
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DES MOINES – DNR staff work with individuals, businesses and communities to help them protect our natural resources by complying with state and federal laws. This approach is very effective. In the few cases where compliance cannot be achieved, the DNR issues enforcement actions.

Water Summary Update: April 2023 - Another dry month

5/4/2023 2:25:00 PM
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DES MOINES — Rainfall in April was just over two inches but 1.5 inches below normal for the month. This comes after a drier than normal March. As a result, streamflows are down across much of the state, and conditions are generally deteriorating in the eastern two-thirds of Iowa. While all of the Drought Regions of Iowa are rated as “normal, " downward trends are shown in the state's central, northeastern, and southeastern parts. The US Drought Monitor introduced a small area of moderate drought in so...

National Amphibian Week is May 7-13

5/2/2023 11:42:00 AM
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The loud singing from springtime marshes comes from a tiny package, the chorus frog – an inch-long virtuoso common to Iowa. Chorus frogs along with other frogs, toads and salamanders are being recognized during National Amphibian Week, May 7-13.