Lenox Sets Example with Water Quality Project

Lenox’s new stormwater wetland brings functionality and intrigue to the rural Iowa community. The City also installed a new bioswale as a part of its growing effort to enhance water quality. The City implemented these practices using funds from the Sponsored Projects program through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund administered by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the Iowa Finance Authority.

Jeff Godwin of Snyder and Associates engineered the wetland in Lenox.

“It’s a pretty typical wetland but it is kind of unique because it’s a small town doing this type of project, which is not common in rural Iowa yet,” said Godwin. Technical assistance on the design was provided by Derek Namanny, Urban Conservationist at the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.

The wetland is located near the south edge of the city as well as the school, which creates opportunities for the small community to learn about the benefits the wetland and bioswale projects reap for the environment. Lenox will also serve as an example by showing other small towns how they can take action to improve water quality.

“We did something different on the upper end of the wetland to construct some small levies,” said Godwin. “This forces the water to take on a more circular path to increase flow lengths and travel times. By storing the water for a little bit longer, sand, salt and other contaminants settle into the soil instead of running into the stream.”

The wetland is also home to an array of plant and wildlife species making it a functional and beautiful sight to see in the small town.