2008 CONFERENCE
NEIGHBORHOOD WATERSHEDS
Rain:Wetland:River:Ocean

Thursday, August 14, 2008
North Ridge Pavilion
2250 Holiday Road
Coralville, IA

Early registration has been extended to July 25!
(Scroll to bottom for registration info)
 

CONFERENCE PURPOSE AND THEME

New federal clean water mandates are already influencing development throughout the Mississippi River watershed, in response to the expanding dead zone around the Gulf of Mexico. Within that continental watershed lie smaller watersheds, each contributing their share of sediment, lawn and agricultural chemicals, heavy metals, solvents, and irreducible pollutants. This conference will provide information on water quality issues on small lots, in open areas and neighborhoods, and between the smaller watersheds that are linked within the Mississippi River Basin.

The Iowa River Watershed Conference Committee is a group of professionals from varying disciplines. We have teamed up with the North Central Chapter of the Society of Wetlands Scientists to bring this one-day conference about watersheds to a broad audience. Our goal is to sharpen the focus of attendees, and make them familiar with existing opportunities to improve water quality within their local watersheds.

We will combine speakers and field visits to introduce attendees to the functions and values of the individual natural areas that exist within a watershed. Our speakers will address watershed management; stream bank vegetation; floating islands in ponds and storm water detention basins; ways to increase the amount of time we (and in particular, our children) spend outdoors; how wetlands and streams can be brought back into our communities; how new ideas in landscaping can restore the native environment and improve water quality; Johnson County Conservation Board’s land management within the watershed of the lake at Kent Park, and their restoration of native plant communities within the Iowa and Cedar River watersheds; local financing for the installation of rain gardens and other storm water management techniques. Our field trips will focus on successful wetland restoration projects that combine storm water treatment, ecological preservation, and recreation.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

The Iowa Watershed Conference Committee welcomes anyone with an interest in this topic.
We hope our audience will include:

land use planners
landscape architects
engineers
college students
non-profit conservation groups
watershed groups
state, county, and city officials
foresters and arborists
neighborhood associations
land developers
and members of the media.

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Lon Drake, Professor Emeritus,
University of Iowa

A Floodway Wetland Corridor: From Design to Outdoor Classroom

Dr. Drake has researched, taught, and practiced the art of ecosystem design and restoration.

Dr. Drake’s focus has included:
• Designing landfills for groundwater protection;
• Building an energy efficient home from recycled materials;
• Reclaiming strip mines;
• Designing functional wetlands;
• Creating homestead habitat;
• Phytoremediation of petroleum and chemical spills;
• Currently designing and testing storm water bioswales.

Dr. Drake’s classes at The University of Iowa have included:
• Hydrogeology;
• Engineering Geology;
• Reclamation and Restoration;
• Landfill Hydrogeology;
• Wetlands;
• Energy in Contemporary Society.

Since “retiring” and becoming Emeritus at The University of Iowa in 1999, Dr. Drake’s scope of teaching has expanded to include local elementary schools and community colleges.

SPEAKERS

Johnson County’s $20 Million Conservation Ballot Measure

Harry L. Graves, Executive Director Johnson County Conservation Board
Mr. Graves has served as Director of the Johnson County Conservation Board since 2001. He has worked tirelessly with his dedicated staff to develop a quality Environmental Education Program; establish and restore prairies and wetlands; enhance the county’s nine parks, conservation areas and river accesses. Graves is a past president of the Iowa Association of County Conservation Boards and a former member of the Iowa State Association of Counties Board of Directors. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Johnson County Heritage Trust and the Johnson County Historical Society.

Dave Wehde, Vegetation Specialist Johnson County Conservation Board
Mr. Wehde has been working full-time with Graves since 1986, after graduating from Upper Iowa University with a double major in Conservation Management and Biology. He is a former resident of Solon, Iowa, and grew up near Lake McBride State Park where he developed a strong fondness for nature and the outdoors. His major job responsibilities are restoration and establishment of natural areas such as woodlands, savannas, wetlands, prairies and wildlife habitat plantings.

Easy Ways to Clean Your Rainwater

Fred Meyer, Backyard Abundance Campaign Director
Mr. Meyer is a Permaculture Designer, Iowa Master Gardener, and Iowa Master Conservationist with over 12 years of experience in organic gardening and environmental restoration. He is the Backyard Abundance Campaign Director and serves on the Environmental Advocates Board of Directors as well as the Johnson County Master Gardener Steering Committee. He lives in Iowa City, Iowa.

Combating Nature Deficit Disorder by Integrating
Natural Areas Into Your Neighborhood

Ms. Judy Krieg, President
EarthView Environmental, LLC
Ms. Krieg is President of EarthView Environmental, LLC. For the last 13 years, she has worked closely with municipalities, developers, and government officials to obtain environmental clearances pertaining to wetlands, threatened and endangered species, erosion control and other sensitive areas. She has designed and led workshops for all ages on wastewater treatment, soils and wetlands. Her community outreach projects include the City of Coralville’s “Wet and Muddy Day”, an annual wetland planting event with 80-100 Northwest Junior High School students. She has served on the Johnson County Sensitive Areas Ordinance and Cluster Subdivision Committee, and the Iowa Onsite Wastewater Board (2000-2005). She currently serves as President of TAKO: Take A Kid Outdoors.

Watershed Management using Diverse
Emergent Vegetation and Floating Islands

Howard Bright, President
Ion Exchange, Inc. Native Seed and Plant Nursery
Mr. Bright and his wife, Donna, created Ion Exchange, Inc., a native seed and plant nursery in Northeast Iowa. Ion Exchange has been in business for 20 years, employing 25 people and providing over 150 species of native plants and seeds suitable for prairies, savannas, wetlands and woodlands. Before Ion Exchange, Mr. Bright worked for 20 years with the Soil Conservation Service in various locations across the state, spending most of those years as a District Conservationist. His passion for native plants and their adaptations to specific microclimates increased during the years he spent helping landowners with best management practices to control erosion and preserve topsoil.

Funding Opportunities for Small Stormwater Improvement Projects

Johnson County Stormwater Alliance
The Johnson County Storm Water Alliance (JCSWA) is a body of professionals who are employed by the cities of Coralville, Iowa City, North Liberty, University Heights, and The University of Iowa. The Alliance meets regularly to discuss the administration and enforcement of storm water regulations within Johnson County. All JCSWA members are engaged with implementing elements of the federally-mandated National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, or NPDES. JCSWA communities collect monthly storm water utility fees from property owners. Funds from this fee can be used to finance storm water quality improvements like rain gardens, stream bank stabilization, or other methods that improve the quality of water entering local bodies of water. Members of JCSWA will describe how to apply for these funds, and what types of projects have been funded already.

TOURS

In the afternoon we will be visiting four local wetland and stream restoration sites. The sites have been selected based on their variety of purpose and location. The Iowa River Landing in Coralville is a former industrial park currently undergoing redevelopment. It recently won the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s prestigious Phoenix Award. In lieu of a typical conventional pond, wetlands were created, protecting a valued natural area and providing opportunities for recreation and education. The Brown Deer Golf Course in Coralville includes a stream restoration that was used as a demonstration site for various stream restoration products and techniques. Whispering Meadows is a subdivision in south Iowa City composed of small starter homes and many subsidized housing units. The wetlands in Whispering Meadows can be compared to a nearby storm water detention pond, illustrating the differences in aesthetic appeal and recreational opportunities, and boardwalks allow residents of the subdivision to stroll through the wetlands. The South Sycamore Wetlands in Iowa City, by contrast, is a regional storm water management system serving several subdivisions. Like Whispering Meadows, it includes opportunities for recreation and education but it is an example of a broader storm water management and habitat preservation design.

**NOTE** Come prepared to walk through wetland areas. Depending on weather and field conditions, conference attendees may need rubber boots. Everyone should bring sunscreen and insect repellent.

REGISTRATION FEES

BY JULY 15, 2008............ $95.00 (Early registration has been extended to July 25!)
AFTER JULY 15, 2008....... $125.00
(Fee includes lunch & breaks. See Conference Brochure for CEU information)

LOCATION

North Ridge Pavilion
2250 Holiday Road
Coralville, IA
Click for location information

Conference Brochure with Registration Information (720 kb .pdf)

Also Register On-line