By Steve Weisman
The week of August 4-9 is an extremely important conservation/clean water week here in the Iowa Great Lakes. It starts with the three-day Prairie Lakes Conference (Wednesday – Friday) culminating with the 10th annual Okoboji Blue Water Festival on Saturday, August 9. The week gives both residents and visitors alike the chance to learn, grow and celebrate in the efforts to protect our valuable soils and continue working to protect our lakes and continually improve our water quality.
A general overview
The Prairie Lakes Conference offers a unique opportunity for lake management professionals, citizens and researchers to come together and focus on improving the water quality. Appropriately set on the shores of the Iowa Great Lakes, the conference will explore the unique topic of prairie lakes, as well as engage participants in discussions about science, stewardship and the roles of economics and social goals in lake management.
Participants will dive into the broad range of management subjects with a special emphasis on the interconnected nature of our prairie lakes and the opportunities for collaboration as the participants strive to work together to improve water quality.
The first two days of the Prairie Lakes Conference (Wednesday and Thursday) will feature morning sessions at Lakeside Lab’s Mahan Hall with afternoons set for field trips, while Friday morning will feature a Question-Answer session.
Dr. Mary Skopec, one of the organizers and Executive Director the Iowa Lakeside Laboratory, says this about the ’25 Prairie Lakes Conference (PLC). “The Prairie Lakes Conference is a great opportunity for anyone who has an interest in protecting the Iowa Great Lakes to come out and hear more about actions the local community is doing to ensure that we reduce future flood impacts, enhance water quality and ensure the quality of the lakes for the next generation.”
Skopec also discusses the format and hopes that a lot of people will attend. “Presentations are geared toward the public, and no special knowledge or expertise is needed to attend. The conference blends classroom-style presentations in the morning and field tours in the afternoon. The cost is only $25 for the general public, and you can attend as much or as little as you like.” To register, go online at https://plciowa.com/2025-registration/. For more information, call (712) 336-3782 or email the PLC at info@plciowa.com.
Listed below are the daily schedules:
Wednesday Thursday
8 a.m. – light breakfast 8 a.m. light breakfast
8:30-9:00 -Welcome and opening 8:30-9:00 -Welcome and opening
9- 9:30 – “Drained Lakes of Iowa” – Jim Otto 9-9:30 – “Lakeshore Collapse”–Mike Hawkins
9:30-10 – “Changes in PPT” – Larry Weber 9:30-10 – “Lakeshore Stabilization”-Andrea Trolano
10-10:30 – Break 10-10:30 – Break
10:30-11 – “Groundwater Contribution”-Keith Schilling 10:30-11 – “Soil Quality”-Johnathan Swanson
11-11:30 – “Flood Water Quality Results”-Mary Skopec 11-11:30 – “Garlock Slough”-Beck Engineering
11:30-12 – “Little Sioux Watershed Plan”–Charles Ikenberry 11:30-12
Noon to 1 – Lunch Noon to 1 – Lunch
1-4 p.m. -Field Trip (to be announced at conference) 1-4 p.m.– Field Trip (To be announced at conference)
5-9 p.m. – Evening Tour (local farming operation) 5-9 p.m. Evening Reception
Friday
9 a.m. – Light Breakfast and social time
9:30-10 – Welcome and introductory remarks
10 – ??? – Q & A to presenters from audience
After last year’s massive flooding throughout northwest Iowa, the PLC gives us all a chance to understand the causes of that event and how over 30 years of past conservation practices in the Iowa Great Lakes area helped make the flooding and disaster less than what it could have been. Even so, we all know the devastation that the area experienced and what more needs to be done to protect humans, wildlife and our soil and waters.
That’s the purpose of this week: to celebrate successes, understand the shortcomings, learn what we need to do if we want to better protect ourselves against future potential disasters and then act on those goals.
Clean Water Week
So, this is an invitation to join Clean Water Week here in the Iowa Great Lakes beginning with the Prairie Lakes Conference (August 6-8) and culminating with the Okoboji Blue Water Festival (August 9). Greg Drees, co-chair of the Saturday OBWF encourages both residents and visitors, young and old to join in the Clean Water Week experience.
Drees notes, “The Prairie Lakes Conference really sets the stage for the OBWF. We will have more than 30 clean water exhibitors lined up along the Promenade Preservation Plaza Green Space in Arnolds Park. They are a mix of lake protective associations, conservation organizations, non-profit organizations with some sort of clean water message or natural resource message. They will interact with thousands of festival goers about implementing clean water ideas.”
Take advantage of the opportunities during this Clean Water Week! It will definitely be an experience to remember!
Morning sessions at Lakeside Lab’s Mahan Hall will feature clean water experts sharing different topics surrounding clean water.
Members of the OPA will spend the morning at the OBWF discussing the organization’s clean water efforts.
