Over the span of two decades, the Cedar Valley community has embraced urban conservation efforts on their properties and in their public spaces in an effort to improve water quality in Dry Run Creek.
Rain gardens, rain barrels and permeable pavement are some of the more than 300 water conservation practices that residents of Cedar Falls, and nearby Waterloo, have adopted over 20 years of the Dry Run Creek Watershed Improvement Project.
The watershed project is part of a water quality improvement plan with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and in collaboration with the Black Hawk County Soil and Water Conservation District. But, over the past two decades, the project has forged partnership with the cities, residents and local organizations in the name of improving Dry Run Creek’s water quality.
Josh Balk, the source water protection coordinator with the project for the past 11 years, said the watershed project has shown the power of community, as everyone steps up to play a role in protecting the watershed.
“We all have common goals: everyone wants to live happy, healthy lives, be outdoors, enjoy themselves,” Balk said. “Getting involved with conservation, whether smaller or large scale, there’s indeed opportunities there.”
According to the Black Hawk Soil and Water Conservation District, the water quality improvements in the region resulted in 120 million gallons of storm water runoff filtered naturally into the ground each year and 3,700 tons of soil, annually, prevented from eroding into the creek.
