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Sustainability director: regional climate plan draft, county water studies and oxbow funding moving forward
Summary
Sustainability Director Cara Matson told supervisors the East Central Iowa regional climate plan draft is open for comment, geologic‑survey contracts for aquifer and contaminant mapping are finalized, a water‑balance RFP is due Oct. 27, and Indian Creek funding was approved for oxbow projects.
Cara Matson, Linn County sustainability director, updated the board on a range of climate and water initiatives, saying the East Central Iowa Council of Governments revised the name of its comprehensive climate plan and released a draft that includes a Linn County appendix open for public comment.
Matson said the county will receive a greenhouse‑gas inventory as part of the regional effort, which will reduce the workload for county staff in producing baseline emissions data. “The final plan of that will be submitted to EPA by the November,” she said.
On water, Matson reported finalized contracts with the geologic survey for aquifer‑vulnerability mapping, contaminant‑plume mapping and surface‑water sampling. She said a separate water‑balance request for proposals is out and that proposals are due Oct. 27.
Matson described a pilot for on‑road structures to provide localized flood mitigation — raising road elevation to act as temporary detention — and said secondary roads, landowners and outside partners are exploring funding options to scale the pilot if successful.
She also reported that the Indian Creek Watershed Management Authority identified priority oxbow locations and approved funding to pursue an oxbow that is ineligible for other funding, with a suggestion to fund additional oxbows annually through that authority. Matson emphasized staff are trying to avoid double‑funding projects that may be eligible under other state or local programs.
Matson listed several upcoming meetings and outreach events tied to water planning and noted the sustainability budget balance as $21,732.90 with 23% of operating budget spent to date.
