Ribbon Cutting Marks Completion of CampusTown WQI Project

On May 27, 2021, Secretary Naig attended the ribbon cutting for the City of Ames’s permeable pavers and bioretention systems project funded by the IDALS Water Quality Initiative.  Permeable pavers were installed on sidewalks in conjunction with trees and bioretention cells.  As a highly visible project that provides a demonstration of BMPs in a densely urban setting, the finished design will capture and treat over 22,000 gallons of stormwater runoff reaching College Creek, Ioway Creek, and the South Skunk River, in addition to Lake Laverne on the campus of Iowa State University. 

The bioretention cells and permeable pavers will remove nutrients, sediment, bacteria, oil, grease, heavy metals and other common pollutants.  Trees installed along Welch Ave. will also provide shade and wildlife habitat.

The City partnered with the Ioway Creek Watershed Management Authority, Prairie Rivers of Iowa RC&D, Iowa State University, and the Iowa Stormwater Education Partnership to install these water quality BMPs on Welch Avenue in the CampusTown area.  By working with these educational agencies, the city of Ames will reach a vast diversity of students, visitors, and residents through signage and educational programming.