City council tentatively approves joining Watershed Management Authority

The Decorah City Council has given conditional approval to having the city join the Upper Iowa River Watershed Management Authority.

The organization is being formed with representation from county boards, city councils, soil and water conservation districts and other governmental groups whose territories in part include land in the Upper Iowa River Watershed.

Winneshiek County supervisor John Beard spoke to the Decorah City Council Monday night and said the newly-forming Management Authority plans to apply for $8.8 million in federal HUD grants to pay for flood control projects in the watershed.  "That's a significant amount of money," Beard told city council meetings.

The city council gave unanimous approval to joining the UIRWMA--assuming that City Attorney Rick Zahasky approves the language in the final contract.