Iowa River Basin, Waste Load Allocation Study, 1974

(1974) Iowa River Basin, Waste Load Allocation Study, 1974. Natural Resources, Department of

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Abstract

The study area of the Iowa River Basin encompasses an area of approximately 2,150 square miles in the central section of Iowa. The topography varies from flat to rolling and the drainage pattern of the basin is tree-shaped (dendritic). Stream flows per square mile in the Iowa River Basin through the study area are generally greater than those of the state of Iowa as a whole, except the 7-day, 1-in-1O year low flow is equal to that for the entire state. Within the study area, Bear Creek, South Fork Iowa River, and the Iowa River have a Class B (warm water fisheries) water quality classification. The Iowa River impoundment upstream of Steamboat Rock has a Class A classification. The limited water quality data available have been obtained during high flow periods and cannot be used to characterize water quality of low flows. There are 37 incorporated communities within the study area. Of these, 27 have wastewater treatment facilities. Also, there are 22 industrial and 7 semipublic wastewater dischargers. Thirteen communities and 4 industries maintain wastewater treatment facilities which will not be required to adopt a controlled discharge mode of operation under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).