WATER QUALITY RELATING TO STREAM BANK STABILITY OF DRY RUN CREEK, CEDAR FALLS, IOWA

The Iowa DNR considers Dry Run Creek to be an impaired water body and some portions of Dry Run Creek have projects underway to improve stream bank stability and the general health of the stream. Observations of stream bank stability were made at several locations on the stream. To assess the stream’s water quality, a water chemistry analysis was conducted measuring turbidity, pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, phosphate, chloride, and nitrate levels in the stream in thirteen locations. The locations were selected to compare water quality in the three branches of Dry Run Creek and one location after all branches combined before draining into the Cedar River. Stream bank stability influences water quality during rain events by increasing sediment loads. In the future more studies are needed to see the extent of stream bank restoration on water quality.