Grant will provide second beach cleaner

A second beach cleaner will be added to the arsenal local conservationists use to reduce bacteria levels at swim beaches.

Clear Lake has been named as one of 12 grant recipients chosen by The Watershed Improvement Review Board.  The Board recently approved applications totaling $946,952 in grants to support projects that will improve water 

quality or reduce flooding in the state.  The grant funds will be matched by recipients, who will provide $7,176,469 in funding from the local communities to support these projects.  As a result, $8.1 million will be going to improve priority watersheds throughout the state.

  Clear Lake will receive $20,000.

“These projects are a partnership between federal, state and local organizations that are committed to improving Iowa’s water quality,” said Bill Northey, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture.  “By supporting projects that address runoff and drainage, sedimentation, urban stormwater, groundwater pollution, flooding, and a number of other issues, these projects are focused on issues that directly impact the state’s waterways and water quality.”

The approved projects have already completed watershed assessments that identified critical water resource areas and will focus on implementing specific water quality or flood reduction improvements.  The projects will start after a grant agreement is signed between the applicant and the Watershed Improvement Review Board.

CLEAR Project Coordinator David Knoll said the funds will be used to purchase a second beach cleaner to help reduce the amount of goose- Read More Via e-Edition