Decorah Leader – 4-12-2025. Statewide Water Sensors.
Dear Editor,
It is disappointing that the article in the Decorah Leader about Larry Weber’s presentation and request to the County Supervisors for help in funding the statewide water sensor system didn’t mention all the money spent and work that was done in the Upper Iowa watershed, the Turkey watershed, and the Bear Creek watershed over the years.
Without the amount of money spent, most recently $5.5 million from “Iowa Watershed Approach” program, there would be no reason for people, and the County Supervisor’s, to understand that they might want to contribute money to keep the statewide water sensor program funded.
There were 43 conservation practices put in the Upper Iowa watershed recently keeping many Winneshiek County contractors busy over the last few years. Lee Bjerke, the former County Engineer, was very happy that many of those conservation projects protected county roads and county bridges. The 10 to 20% cost share for the County and the public participants was well worth the money for what those practices contributed to the County.
Larry Weber is asking the County Supervisors to fund one of the 5 water sensors in the Upper Iowa River; three in Winneshiek County. Those sensors are not to get information to blame farmers for water pollution. The sensors are to study how much of an affect on the cleanliness, and flow, of our waters those many conservation projects contributed.
It would seem the County might want to contribute the $8500 a year that one sensor costs that is being requested by Larry Weber. $5.5 million is quite an investment in our Upper Iowa watershed.
Bob Watson
Rural Decorah