While road crews will soon be out to fix potholes in the state’s roadways — the Iowa Department of Natural Resources now has millions of dollars to fix “prairie potholes.” D-N-R Wildlife Division Chief Richard Bishop says Iowa will receive some two million federal dollars for its Prairie Pothole Region.He says it’s used for expanding the wildlife refuge lands of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service around the Union Slough in Kossuth County, and it’s also used in a broad program attached to the North American Waterfowl program that’s designed to protect waterfowl habitat. Bishop says the money is used to buy farmland to turn into wetlands. He says these are areas that have severe water problems and get flooded out. He says they restore the wetlands and seed the uplands, creating habitat and hunting areas.He says the Prairie Pothole Region goes just west of Spirit Lake down to Polk County looping back to the east up to Highway 65 and to the east of Mason City. He says the whole area is where glaciers went through and gouged out wetlands. Bishop says private groups have also raised money to help. He says Pheasants Forever and Ducks Unlimited have been very interested in promoting the security and enlargement of wildlife habitat complexes. Bishop says the program has benefits for all Iowans. He says they’re turning poor cropland back into wetlands and are holding water on the lands. He says they’re reducing flooding to a certain degree and are helping clean up water supplies. He says they’ve protected over 50-thousand acres of land since the program started in 1986. Bishop says the program also helps songbirds and other birds thrive along with the game birds. The Fish and Wildlife Service is putting a total of 21 million dollars into the program nationwide.
RECENT NEWS
- Silent Night in Algona wins two ‘Red Letter’ movie awards
- Governor Reynolds promises state surplus will fuel tax cuts
- Senator Grassley says efforts are underway to try and avoid government shutdown
- Many already looking ahead to travel for Christmas
- Union rep for federal employees in Iowa says gov’t shutdown a drag on economy
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER
UNI receives grant to turn old photos into interactive exhibit
UNI receives grant to turn old photos into interactive exhibit - Radio Iowa
An archival photography project at the University of Northern Iowa has landed a federal grant to help its users ...
www.radioiowa.com
Home test
Home test - Radio Iowa
www.radioiowa.com
Unhealthy air detected in parts of the state from Canadian wildfire smoke
Unhealthy air detected in parts of the state from Canadian wildfire smoke - Radio Iowa
The wildfire smoke from Canada is back over Iowa once again. Brian Hutchins at the DNR Air Quality Bureau says ...
www.radioiowa.com
Banks in Sioux, Lyon County the target of check cashing fraud
Banks in Sioux, Lyon County the target of check cashing fraud - Radio Iowa
The Sioux and Lyon County Sheriff Departments are working with local police trying to identify individuals involved ...
www.radioiowa.com