For the exact dates and times of Partners of Scott County Watersheds activities, see the Calendar page.
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
- PSCW conducts monthly educational lunch forums from Noon-1pm on the third Tuesday of every month at the Bettendorf Fire Station, Surrey Heights Location, 5002 Crow Creek Road, Bettendorf. Forums feature local concerns, innovations, projects and programs related to water quality and natural areas.
- Jr. Conservationist Day Camp, a week long day camp for kids, is one of the youth educational activities PSCW hosts.
- PSCW is an exhibitor at numerous environmental fairs including; Bald Eagle Days (February), the Flower and Garden Show (March), the Earth Week Fair (April), City of Bettendorf Public Works Day Exhibit (May), the Watershed Festival (July) and John Deere Health and Environmental Fair (September). PSCW has also hosts booths at the Mississippi Valley Growers Farmer’s Markets-Bettendorf, Davenport and Trinity Hospital locations (May & July).
- PSCW hosts workshops for the general public, environmental professionals, landscape contractors and educators as well.
URBAN INITATIVE PROGRAM: COST SHARE ON LANDSCAPING PROJECTS THAT PROTECT AND IMPROVE WATER QUALITY
- The Partners of Scott County Watersheds Coordinator, Clare Kerofsky, implements the Scott County Soil and Water Conservation District’s Urban Initiative. The Scott County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) offers a cost share program aimed at protecting and enhancing water quality in Scott County. This program, sponsored by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Lands Stewardship, the Department of Natural Resources’ Resource Enhancement and Protection Fund, the Department of Natural Resources through a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the Federal Nonpoint Source Management Program (Section 319 of the Clean Water Act) and the River Boat Development Authority pays up to 50% of the cost of landscape projects. The Scott County SWCD has a $2,000 reimbursable limit per project. Projects must infiltrate 75% of the runoff from the property. The Scott County SWCD supports landscaping projects that provide infiltration of stormwater instead of sending rain water down city storm drains and into local creeks. Some of the practices that are included in this program are rain gardens, bio retention cells. bioswales, permeable paving and soil quality restoration (deep tined aeration and the application of compost to your lawn). To find out how you can qualify for this program contact Clare Kerofsky at the Scott County SWCD at 563-391-1403 X3. Clare is able to provide free technical guidance in relation to the placement, design and installation of these practices.
DUCK CREEK WATERSHED PROJECT
- In 2010, a Duck Creek Watershed Management Plan was created using protocol from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the Environmental Protection Agency, to address the E. coli bacteria impairment on Duck Creek. The plan entails information about the watershed including; watershed anatomy, land use, resource and physical characteristics, community involvement, pollutants and analysis, sources defined and recommendations, targets and load reductions, goals and objectives, a prioritized implementation plan, monitoring plan and technical and financial resources. In 2011, the plan was approved by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Click Here to Download the Duck Creek Watershed Management Plan
(Download Instructions: Save the Duck Creek Watershed Management Plan, then open from location where it was saved.)
Also, in 2011, the plan was used to obtain a $177,640 in funding through the DNR Watershed Implementation Grant. Over the next three years, the grant will fund tasks related to removing Duck Creek’s E. coli bacteria impairment including coordinator salary, a cost share on urban infiltration practices in critical subwatersheds, a pet waste campaign (including pet waste stations along the Duck Creek Parkway and the creation and distribution of informational brochures and personal pet waste disposal systems) and an awareness and education campaign (including a website, booth exhibit, billboards and a public service announcement.) Increased water quality monitoring will also be implemented on Duck Creek and its tributaries.
For more information, log on to www.duckcreekiowa.org
WATER QUALITY MONITORING
- Twice a year, PSCW organizes the Scott County Snapshot Water Quality Monitoring Event. PSCW facilitates over 30 volunteers to monitor Scott County streams, rivers, lakes and wetlands. Volunteers monitor 56 sites for transparency, water temperature, pH, Nitrite, Nitrate, Dissolved Oxygen, Phosphate and Chloride. Volunteers also gather samples to be sent into a lab for bacteria testing and make observations about activities and land uses surrounding the waterbody. The event engages residents in water quality through a user friendly, process for data collection. Also, the collected data provides a “snapshot” of the water quality conditions in Scott County. Additional monitoring will be conducted as part of the Duck Creek Watershed Project. Results of local monitoring can be obtained by contacting the coordinator, Clare Kerofsky, clare.kerofsky@ia.nacdnet.net, 563.391.1403 ext. 3 or at www.iowater.net
NATURAL AREA MANAGEMENT
- PSCW manages the North High School Rain Gardens, a quarter acre area planted with native prairie plants that manages approximately 8.8 million gallons of stormwater per year from the North High School roof and parking lots. Management activities include the removal of non-native and invasive vegetation, application of native seed and prairie plants, facilitation of prescribed burns and the installation of educational signage. PSCW hosts North High School Rain Gardens as an X-Stream Cleanup Site.
- PSCW also provides funding and technical assistance for the restoration of Fairmount Wetlands.
- PSCW assists with organizing Lost Grove Lake informational forums, tours, cleanups and other volunteer activities. Also, PSCW provides grant identification and assistance with Lost Grove Lake enhancements.
