Iowa DNR to cut funds for water monitoring

In order to determine the quality of water in the Upper Iowa River, the Upper Iowa River Watershed Alliance has established 30 monitoring stations in Howard, Winneshiek and Allamakee Counties.

But Alliance spokesperson Josh Dansdill--a staffer at Northeast Iowa Resource Conservation & Development--says Iowa DNR officials have informed his agency that state funding for the operation of such water quality sampling will be cut in this coming year's state budget.

Dansdill says state funding cuts would force the Upper Iowa River Watershed Alliance to decrease the frequency of its water sampling.  Winneshiek County has agreed to fund $2,000 of the cost of the program and Howard and Allamakee Counties also will be asked for funding, but a cut in state funding would still have an impact.

Newly-elected Winneshiek County supervisor John Beard says the state's action disturbs him.  Says Beard, "It bothers me that the state is shirking its responsibility."