Democratic candidate Ed Fallon says Iowa’s water quality is “seriously impaired” and he’d make cleaning it up a top priority if he’s elected governor.

“So many Iowans and so many visitors to Iowa benefit from hunting, fishing, canoeing, boating (and) other forms of recreation that are tremendous components of our economy,” Fallon says. “If we don’t address water quality it will become a significant quality-of-life detriment.” It will take a targeted and committed approach to clean-up years worth of pollution according to Fallon.

Fallon, a frequent canoer, says construction site laws regarding erosion need to be enforced to prevent soil run-off because he’s seen soil “pouring” into streams following a storm.

Fallon also backs giving county and city officials the authority to block construction of livestock confinements if there are fears manure run-off would contaminate nearby waterways. “This is not just a rural issue,” Fallon says. “This is an urban issue as well.”

Fallon unveiled his plan today (Thursday) at Clear Lake State Park. Fallon says the millions lawmakers set aside this year to tackle water quality projects is just the beginning. Fallon backs creation of more “buffer strips” where grasses and trees are planted along streams adjacent to farm fields as a means of preventing erosion and fertilizer run-off.