Walnut Creek Watershed Management Authority
The Walnut Creek Watershed is located in western Polk and eastern Dallas counties in central Iowa. It stretches 83 square miles across both counties, divided nearly evenly across rural and urban areas. The 53,000-acre landscape is rapidly changing. Following a decade where more than six square miles of watershed developed into urban land uses, Walnut Creek continues to be one of the fastest urbanizing areas in Iowa.
As the watershed has changed, so have the environmental conditions. Flooding, nutrient loading, bacteria and eroded soils impact public health, reduce habitat, and undermine the ability of Walnut Creek to serve as a Central Iowa amenity. Walnut Creek flows into the Racoon River, less than a mile from the Des Moines Water Works intake for a public water supply serving nearly 500,000 users. Walnut Creek is a priority area to focus restoration efforts. The Walnut Creek Watershed Management Authority is working to collaboratively address watershed issues.
Walnut Creek Watershed Master Plan
A Watershed Management Authority (WMA) was developed to address environmental concerns seen throughout the watershed and in the creek. A watershed management plan was developed in 2016 to showcase ways the urban and rural communities can overcome these concerns and increase the overall quality of the watershed. You can view the entire plan by clicking here.
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Walnut WMA Meeting Agendas & Minutes
A Watershed Management Authority is formed when two or more eligible political subdivisions want to work together to engage in watershed planning and management. The political subdivisions can include a combination of cities, counties, and Soil and Water Conservation Districts. The requirements of a WMA include being located within a watershed no larger than an 8-digit Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) watershed, notifying all eligible political subdivisions to participate within 30 days prior to establishing organization, a Chapter 28E agreement filed with the Secretary of State, and a Board of Directors. The Walnut Creek WMA meets quarterly, and agendas and minutes can be accessed below.
Board Member Representative Packet