Decorah officials accept "River Town of the Year" award

(Left to right): Decorah Park-Rec Director Andy Nimrod, Decorah Mayor Don Arendt, Iowa Rivers Revival's Bob Brammer, former Decorah City Council member Steve Matter and Decorah City Administrator Chad Bird (Click on photo for larger image)

The Upper Iowa River and Decorah are a model for the rest of the state of Iowa, says Iowa Rivers Revival board member Bob Brammer.

Brammer spoke Friday at Luther College as his organization presented Decorah with an award for being selected the "River Town of the Year."

The organization pointed to several Decorah projects as influencing its decision: Trout Run Trail, Decorah parks; hiking and mountain biking trails; the Upper Iowa River Watershed Project and the "Keep It Clean, Keep it Fun" river cleanup campaign.

Decorah Mayor Don Arendt, in accepting the award, mentioned the city's work in creating the butterfly garden and the soccer fields alongside the Upper Iowa River.

Northeast Iowa R C & D official Josh Dansdill said water quality in the Upper Iowa now is better than it was ten years ago because of the "tremendous steps" that have been taken to protect the river.

Decorah mayor Don Arendt accepts the award

The "River Town of the Year" award