Hello Squaw Creekers,

For those of you who are members of the Sierra Club, you might recognize that DNR's survey is in response to the Sierra Club Stream Outreach Project survey initiated a couple of months ago and published in our newsletter and on our website.  Our survey (which was based upon DNR's original postcard format) asks more specific questions.  Our wording was also vetted by Sierra Club lawyers to ensure that the responses would support any legal challenges we might have to make to use-designation "downgrades" that DNR might propose. 

In fact, DNR's original postcard survey (postcards left at some of the stream-side residences near the UAA assessment sites) was only initiated after considerable pressure from Sierra Club and the Iowa Environmental Council more than a year ago.  We still have considerable reservations that many of the streams being assessed will be proposed for "downgrades". 

While we should all appreciate DNR's outreach program, remember that it required significant pressure from environmental groups to get them to do it.

The Sierra Club project also involves preparing stream-specific survey forms that include maps.  We need to do this for about 500 streams that receive effluent from wastewater treatment plants.  All of these streams were given a "presumptive" designation protective of recreational uses in January of 2006.  All of them are at risk of losing that recreational designation as a result of this current UAA process, mandated by the legislature in March of 2006.  We just received GIS coverages last week from DNR that will allow to target specific streams in our outreach program.

I have a stream-specific form for Squaw Creek with the map but the file size of 2.5Mbyte is too large for the listserve to handle.  I could e-mail copies to those who wish to their individual e-mail accounts.  The advantage of this form is that it will allow us to petition for Squaw Creek to be designated as A1 and as B(WW1), whereas DNR's on-line survey form will only provide support an A1 designation, and will leave the aquatic life designation at the less protective B(WW2).   Please consider filling out both forms!

Steve Veysey, Conservation Co-chair
Iowa Chapter of the Sierra Club

At 11:50 PM 4/24/2007, you wrote:

squawcreek@yahoogroups.com