Raccoon River Basin, Waste Load Allocation Study, 1974

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

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Abstract

The study area includes the entire Raccoon River Basin (3,629 square miles) and that portion of the Des Moines River Basin from Saylorville Dam to the flood pool of Red Rock Reservoir (576 square miles). The Raccoon River Basin includes 81 percent of the incorporated communities but only 21 percent of the total population in the study area due to the large impact of the Des Moines metropolitan area. Topography is slightly rolling, and natural surface drainage is generally poor. Stream flows per square mile for the North Raccoon River are generally lower than the average for the state of Iowa, while flows for the remainder of the study area are generally higher than the state average. Most of the streams in the study area have a Class B (warm water fisheries) water quality classification. There is a lack of comprehensive water quality data on existing conditions, but the limited data available show violation of stream quality standards in the North Raccoon River. High stream flows during sampling periods have masked possible pollution of other streams in the study area.