decorahnews.com special report: Turkey River Watershed is farther along than many other such agencies

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Following the devastating floods of 2008, the Iowa Legislature authorized the creation of Watershed Management Authorities. 

Elevan Watershed Management Authorities were created in 2012, including the Turkey River WMA, which covers the Turkey River Watershed, over one million acres of land that includes portions of Winneshiek County southwest of a line from Ridgeway to Postville.

The Turkey River Watershed Management Authority is not only the largest WMA in Iowa at this time, it is one of the furthest along in the planning process. The group is developing plans for how to reduce flooding and improve water quality in the Turkey River Watershed.

That's good news for Northeast Iowa--but it comes with one more big hurdle to surpass.  Turkey River WMA is ready to take action to prevent floods--but the Iowa legislature funded WMAs in 2012 by federal HUD-CDBG funding, not by giving any state funding.  Now the federal funds have run out.

The state legislautre has yet to vote on a proposal to spend $4 million on Watershed Management Authroties in Iowa, but an area legislator has been working on the proposal.

We'll continue our series about the Turkey River WMA on Wednesday.