Volunteers will have an opportunity this summer to spend their vacations working as aquatic garbage collectors - cleaning up, learning about and exploring 90 miles of the Big Sioux River between Sioux Falls, S.D., and Westfield, Iowa, from July 12 to 19.  The registration deadline is June 20, so check out the changes for 2014 on the Project AWARE website and download your registration form: http://www.iowadnr.gov/Recreation/CanoeingKayaking/ProjectAWARE  or contact: Lynette Seigley (319)-335-1598 Lynette.Seigley@dnr.iowa.gov 

Project AWARE, which stands for A Watershed Awareness River Expedition, is the Iowa Department of Natural Resources' (DNR) annual volunteer river cleanup event. In addition to muscling trash out of the river, participants learn about watersheds, water quality, recycling and other natural resource topics.

This year's expedition marks AWARE's 12th year. This year's event is unique in that the Iowa DNR and the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks will team up to focus efforts on the Big Sioux River, which borders both states.  "South Dakota Department of Game, Fish & Parks is excited to partner with the Iowa DNR to provide resources and assist with cleanup along the Big Sioux River this coming July," says District Park Supervisor Eric Vander Stouwe of South Dakota. "The objectives of this event complement our Department's mission statement to protect and enhance South Dakota's natural resources and outdoor recreational opportunities.  We look forward to our two states working side by side to clean up the section of the Big Sioux River from Gitchie Manitou to Westfield, Iowa."

Volunteers participate by paddling down the river in canoes and cleaning up river trash along the way. Opportunities for land-based volunteers are also available. While the expedition lasts a week, volunteers may stay and help for as little or as long as they like.  Project AWARE is family-friendly and provides the opportunity to experience a different river each year.  "This is a great opportunity for people around the state to see and experience the northwest corner of Iowa," said Mark Bohner, a Le Mars resident and nine-year veteran of Project AWARE. "I got involved when Project AWARE was on the Little Sioux River in 2005. I've been hooked ever since and look forward to it each year."

In addition to river cleanup, Project AWARE also offers a unique blend of educational programs and demonstrations, volunteer camaraderie, camping and other outdoor recreation opportunities that enrich the experience. "The Sioux County Conservation Board is excited to have the opportunity to be part of Project AWARE.  This event has a reputation of being an outstanding program and provides stewardship, awareness, and newfound friendships," said Sunday Ford, assistant director and naturalist for the Sioux County Conservation Board.

In the past 11 years, more than 2,800 AWARE volunteers from across the state have cleaned up more than 877 river miles, removing 277 tons of trash - 72 percent of which has been recycled - from rivers all across Iowa.  For more information on this event and to download the registration materials, visit www.iowaprojectaware.com.

Golden Hills RC&D will host a special program on the "Geologic History of Iowa River Valleys" on Saturday, June 21 at 10:00 am at the Avoca Fire Hall, 201 N Elm St, Avoca, IA, 51521.  

Robert M. McKay, a recently retired geologist after 35 years with the Iowa Geological Survey, will share his insight into the origin and evolution of our Iowa river valleys, as well as the surrounding upland landscape, emphasizing some of the unique attributes of the West Nishnabotna River valley.  Discussions will focus on the geologic history and age of river valleys, providing participants a better understanding and appreciation concerning the function and importance of Iowa's stream valleys. Robert McKay has a BS in Geology from Tulane University, with graduate studies in geology at the U of Iowa.

An optional float on the West Nishnabotna River from Avoca to Botna Bend Park will follow the presentation.  Paddlers are encouraged to bring their own boats and equipment, but a few boats may be available on a first-come, first-served basis if enough people sign up for the event. For more information, contact Emily Haase at Golden Hills RC&D; 712-482-3029 or Emily@goldenhillsrcd.org. 

This event is free, but due to space constraints, preregistration is required. 

Register online at:  

http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=oqgqe6jab&oeidk=a07e9d4vr227907da99 

Online registration will be open through June 19.  After that date, please contact Emily Haase at Golden Hills RC&D, 712-482-3029. 

This event is cosponsored by Golden Hills RC&D and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.  

Enjoy the beauty of Jackson County while participating in the 15th Annual Timber City Adventure Race on Saturday, June 21, starting at 7:30 am.  

The race starts with 8 miles of canoeing, followed by 14 miles of biking, and ends with a 5K run to the Jackson County Fairgrounds. 

To register, visit www.GetMeRegistered.com or www.Maquoketachamber.com. . For questions, call 1-800-989-4602 or email cheryl@maquoketachamber.com.

The public is invited to a free Paddling Celebration on Sunday June 22 from 2 pm--5 pm at the Cottonwood Shelter in River Valley Park, near the 13th Street dam in Ames on the South Skunk River.  The event is sponsored by the Story County Conservation Board, with event coordination assistance by Skunk River Paddlers. 

The celebration is designed to introduce people to the Skunk River, both by paddling a short stretch of it, and by talking to local experts who will provide background information. The Story County segment of the river is under consideration to become a state designated water trail.

This event is open to the public, all ages are encouraged to participate, and no preregistration is needed.  Come to paddle on the river, learn about the water trail designation process, and learn about river cleanups, dam safety, and how the South Skunk ground and surface water are related to the Ames water supply.

Canoes and all necessary paddling equipment will be available all afternoon to paddle on the pool upstream of the 13th Street Dam. The Skunk River Paddlers will be on hand to help with basic paddling skills and assistance while paddling.

Jim Colbert and Bill Simpkins, two local experts with strong interests in the South Skunk, are excited to meet the public, discuss the river, and answer your questions. Colbert leads the Skunk River Navy, an organization of students and adults from ISU and the Ames area which conducts large scale river cleanups. Much of Simpkins' research focuses on South Skunk River aquifer. He is developing groundwater models for the City of Ames. Both Colbert and Simpkins are ISU faculty members.

River Valley Park is located at 725 East 13th Street, Ames 50010.

For more info, contact Mimi Wagner, wagner.mimiLA@gmail.com 

Photo by Skunk River Paddlers 

The Iowa DNR Canoe & Kayak School has a few openings in two of the three remaining 2014 sessions.  Each one or two-day course will cover skills, hazard and river feature identification, teaching to different learning styles, and risk management. All courses will be taught at Briggs Woods, along the Boone River in Hamilton County. 

Each paddling school is limited to 10 students, and is taught by two American Canoe Association certified canoe instructors--Glenn Harmon, Todd Robertson, John Wenck or Nate Hoogeveen. 

To register or get more information, contact Todd Robertson, DNR River Programs, 515-979-9538 or email todd.robertson@dnr.iowa.gov. 

• June 25-26, Canoe School
• Aug. 20-21, Kayak School - FILLED!
• Sept. 17-18 Canoe School

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This special "Aquatic Insects (Invertebrates) Float," will begin at 9:00 am on Saturday, June 28, with a shuttle from Bailey's Ford Park to the launch point at Schram Park in Manchester, ending with a take-out around 2:00 pm back at Bailey's Ford Park (Delaware CCB Nature Center).  

Participants should bring a sandbar lunch (only small coolers fit in kayaks), drinking water, shoes which can get wet, bug spray, hat, sunglasses, plus an adventuresome attitude!

Join Jackie Gautsch, Iowa DNR Biologist, to discover interesting adaptations and life cycles of aquatic invertebrates which dwell below the water surface, and learn how they are used as bio-indicators for water quality.  Jackie is a Biologist with the Watershed Monitoring and Assessment Section of the Iowa DNR.  She holds a BS degree in biology and earth science from the University of Wisconsin, and has participated in projects as varied as herpetological studies, caddisfly research, and fish monitoring on the upper Mississippi.

The Iowa DNR is partnering with Watershedia to provide a limited number of free 

kayaks, including PFDs & paddles, and a shuttle service.  All proceeds from this paddle will be donated to the Hughes Memorial Trust, invested back into the community for the citizens of Delaware County. 

Participants should gather at 9:00 am Saturday morning, meeting at the Bailey's Ford Park concrete boat ramp, 2379 Jefferson Rd, Manchester, IA, 52057 to park vehicles and shuttle people to the put-in at Schram Park boat ramp area, 120 Schram Drive, Manchester, IA, 52057.   

If you are bringing your own boat and would like to use our free shuttle, please drop your boat, gear, and excess people at the put-in prior to driving your vehicle to the take-out at Bailey's Ford Park concrete boat ramp for the shuttle.  You may want to have someone stay at the put-in to watch your gear. 

Everyone will be required to sign a waiver and wear a PFD (life jacket) while on the river. 

This program is free of charge, but participation is limited to 20 boats, so preregistration is required.

Click on the link below to register online:

http://events..constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=oqgqe6jab&oeidk=a07e9d59kc0eb145764  

Online registration will be open through June 26.  After that date, please contact Mary Hyland, (641) 373-6302

This event is cosponsored by Good to Great River Recreation  http://www.manchesteriowa.org/goodtogreat , The Watershed  http://www.watershedia.com/ , Delaware County Conservation, and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. 

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The Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning Council (SIMPCO) will offer a special "River Critters & Wildlife Float" on the Big Sioux River on Saturday, June 28. Put in will be at 1:00 pm at Akron City Park in Plymouth County.

Paddling Iowa rivers since the age of 12, Dr. Jim Pease is a wildlife and interpretive specialist who will help you find and understand the wild life along Iowa's rivers. From birds and mammals to trees and shrubs, Jim knows them and knows how to help you understand them and their relationship with the river. Depending on the river, we'll paddle for 1-3 hours, stopping frequently to watch and learn what the river has to teach us. Family groups are welcome.

Now retired from Iowa State University, Jim consults on a variety of projects, leads international trips, and can be heard monthly on Iowa Public Radio's "Talk of Iowa" program.  Jim has over 3 decades of experience as a front-line interpreter, 24 years as a professor of interpretation to undergraduate and graduate students, two decades as an Extension Wildlife Specialist, fifteen years in youth development and natural resources, and served as director of Iowa's Nature Mapping and Master Conservationist programs. He helped design and coordinate Iowa's new Master River Stewards Program with Iowa Rivers Revival.

Participants are encouraged to provide their own boats.  A limited number of boats will be available at no charge, first-come, first-served.  Contact Michelle Bostinelos, 712-279-6286 or mbostinelos@simpco.org. 

This program is free of charge, but participation is limited, so preregistration is required.

Click on the link below to register online:

http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=oqgqe6jab&oeidk=a07e9d5f3duc89219a1 

Online registration will be open through June 26.  After that date, please contact Michelle Bostinelos, (712) 279-6286 or mbostinelos@simpco.org. 

Find more information about SIMPCO at http://www.simpco.org/ 

This event is cosponsored by SIMPCO and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources

Webster County Conservation will offer a special "Archaeology & Cultural History Float," on the Des Moines River south of Lehigh, beginning at 1:00 pm on Saturday, June 28.    

During the float, Archaeologist Mark Anderson will explain the rich cultural history of the Des Moines River valley.  Participants will be introduced to Iowa's archaeological past, a chronology of Iowa's cultural history, and the importance of Iowa's water trails to people throughout time. 

Mark Anderson is a Research Specialist at the UI Office of the State Archaeologist, with over 26 years experiencing conducting archaeological investigations across the state.  One of his many research specialties is experiments in ancient technologies (projectile point manufacturing, atlatls and darts, fire starting, etc.). 

This event is free, but participation is limited to 20 boats, so preregistration is required.  Call or email Karen Hansen at (515) 576-4258 or khansen@webstercountyia.org. 

This event is cosponsored by Webster County Conservation, the UI Office of the State Archaeologist, and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. 

The Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning Council (SIMPCO) will offer a special "River Critters & Wildlife Float" on the Little Sioux River on Sunday, June 28. Put in will be at 1:00 pm at Little Sioux Park in Correctionville in Woodbury County.

Paddling Iowa rivers since the age of 12, Dr. Jim Pease is a wildlife and interpretive specialist who will help you find and understand the wild life along Iowa's rivers. From birds and mammals to trees and shrubs, Jim knows them and knows how to help you understand them and their relationship with the river. Depending on the river, we'll paddle for 1-3 hours, stopping frequently to watch and learn what the river has to teach us. Family groups are welcome.

Now retired from Iowa State University, Jim consults on a variety of projects, leads international trips, and can be heard monthly on Iowa Public Radio's "Talk of Iowa" program.  Jim has over 3 decades of experience as a front-line interpreter, 24 years as a professor of interpretation to undergraduate and graduate students, two decades as an Extension Wildlife Specialist, fifteen years in youth development and natural resources, and served as director of Iowa's Nature Mapping and Master Conservationist programs. He helped design and coordinate Iowa's new Master River Stewards Program with Iowa Rivers Revival.

Participants are encouraged to provide their own boats.  A limited number of boats will be available at no charge, first-come, first-served.  Contact Michelle Bostinelos, 712-279-6286 or mbostinelos@simpco.org. 

This program is free of charge, but participation is limited, so preregistration is required.

Click on the link below to register online:

http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=oqgqe6jab&oeidk=a07e9d7p1ii94a467bf 

Online registration will be open through June 26.  After that date, please contact Michelle Bostinelos, (712) 279-6286 or mbostinelos@simpco.org.  

Find more information about SIMPCO at http://www.simpco.org/ 

This event is cosponsored by the Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning Council (SIMPCO) and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

The Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning Council (SIMPCO) will offer a special presentation on "Freshwater Mussels" beginning at 1:00 pm on Sunday, June 29 at Little Sioux Park in Correctionville.

Freshwater mussels can be found in many rivers and streams in Iowa. They are valuable components of freshwater biodiversity and healthy ecosystems, and help keep the water clean by acting as Mother Nature's water filters.  For something that looks like a living rock, they have a unique life cycle and interesting adaptations to the environment in which they live.  Come learn more!

Join Iowa DNR Biologist Jennifer Kurth for a closer look at these "one-footed" wonders roaming the many rivers and streams of our state. Jennifer is a Natural Resources Biologist in the Watershed Improvement Section of the Iowa DNR.  She has a BA in Theatre and a BS in Biology from the U of Minnesota, and an MS in Ecology & Environmental Science from the U of Maine.  She works on streams which are listed as impaired for aquatic life, referring to it as "environmental CSI."  She is currently in the midst of a six-year, statewide survey of freshwater mussels in Iowa rivers and streams.

This event is free, but preregistration is requested.   

Click on the link below to register. 

http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=oqgqe6jab&oeidk=a07e9e0s7h650e38603 

Online registration will be open through Thursday, June 26.  After that date, please contact Michelle Bostinelos at 712-279-6286.  

Find more information about SIMPCO at http://www.simpco.org/  

This event is cosponsored by the Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning Council (SIMPCO) and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Discover the secrets to Louisa County's distant past! Joe Artz, a Geoarchaeologist with Earthview Environmental, Inc., will be presenting on the geology of the area and how it was affected by glaciers and the Iowa River. This presentation will be held at Chinkapin Bluffs Recreation Area due to its wonderful overlook of the Iowa River.  

This free, public event will be held from 6:30 pm-7:30 pm on Thursday, July 10, and preregistration is not required.  All ages are welcome. Info on this and other Louisa County Conservation events can be found at:  www.LouisaCountyConservation.org  or call 319-523-8381.

This program is an official Iowa River Water Trail event, cosponsored by Louisa County Conservation and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. 

Louisa County Conservation will host this July 12 Iowa River Paddle, Sturgis Ferry Park to Hills Access, 9 am-3 pm, 

Spend a delightful day on the river learning about the geology of the river and the fossils found along the way. This trip will start at Sturgis Ferry Park in Iowa City and end nine river miles downstream at Hills Access, just outside of Hills, Iowa. Participants will leisurely paddle down the river, stopping at sand and rock bars along the way, looking for evidence of past marine inhabitants of Iowa found in the fossils washed down the river. 

Shuttle and boats (if needed) will be provided. All Ages & Experience Levels Welcome; ages 16 and younger must be accompanied by an adult

This event is free, but all participants must be registered in advance. There is a limit of 20 boats for this trip, so get registered early!

Registration information: Please call (319)-523-8381 or email btiller@lccb.org to reserve canoes or kayaks, to register your own boat, or to reserve a spot on the shuttle!

Online Registration Coming Soon.  Download Information Packet

More information on Louisa CCB events at www.LouisaCountyConservation.org. 

This trip is an official Iowa River Water Trail event, cosponsored by Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Johnson County Conservation and Louisa County Conservation.

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WT Education presentations and floats are obviously in full swing, but the IDNR continues to encourage and consider additional requests. Most of the topics available for 2014 can be enjoyed as outdoor presentations or floats, or adapted for indoor presentations on into the fall and winter. Contact Todd Robertson, Outreach Coordinator for DNR River Programs, at 515-979-9538 or todd.robertson@dnr.iowa.gov . 

Fish Assemblage & Sampling; Biologists with IDNR Watershed Improvement or Water Monitoring Sections.

Observe electro fishing techniques & learn the unique features of each fish species & their role in the river ecosystem.

Aquatic Insects; Jacklyn Gautsch, Biologist with IDNR Watershed Monitoring & Assessment Section.

Discover the interesting adaptations & life cycle of aquatic invertebrates which dwell below the water surface.

Freshwater Mussels; Jennifer Kurth, Natural Resources Biologist in IDNR Watershed Improvement Section.

Meet these valuable components of freshwater biodiversity-Mother Nature's water filters.

Geologic History of Iowa River Valleys; Geologists from IDNR Geology & Groundwater Section.

Learn about the origin & evolution of Iowa's river valleys & the surrounding upland landscape.

River Critters & Wild Life; Wildlife and Interpretive Specialist Dr. Jim Pease.

Find & understand the wide variety of interconnected wildlife along Iowa's rivers, from birds & mammals to trees & shrubs.

Riparian Plant Program; IDNR Botanist John Pearson.

Learn to recognize the trees, shrubs, & wildflowers which inhabit our waterways, lakeshores, riverbanks & floodplains. 

Iowa's Archaeological Past, A History of Iowa Cultural History; OSA Staff Cherie Haury-Artz & Elizabeth Reetz.

Reflect on the importance of Iowa's water trails to various people and cultures through time.

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