EPA Approves Iowa's List of Impaired Waters (IA)
Environmental News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Kansas City, Kan., June 29, 2011) - EPA has
approved Iowa’s list of impaired waters, which removes 56
waters from the previous impaired waters list and adds 103 waters.
Today’s decision brings the total number of impaired waters
in the state to 474.
EPA Region 7 Administrator Karl Brooks said,
“The impaired waters list helps the Iowa Department of
Natural Resources set priorities for restoration activities and
reduce sources of water pollution in the state. This is a big step
toward cleaner water for all Iowa residents.”
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources
submitted its impaired waters list to EPA for review and approval
as required by the Clean Water Act. The Act requires EPA to review
the state’s list of impaired waters to determine if the state
reasonably considered available water quality-related data, and
identifies waters to be listed.
A water body is placed on the impaired waters
list when monitoring finds that pollutant levels prevent the lake,
river, or stream from attaining its beneficial uses. Beneficial
uses in Iowa include human recreation, agricultural water supply,
and maintaining healthy aquatic life.
EPA’s June 29, 2011, decision letter
provides a more detailed description of EPA’s review and the
basis for this action. The decision letter, including the 2010
impaired waters list, is available at www.epa.gov/region7/newsevents/legal.
More information about water-related activities in EPA Region 7
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