Urban Practices

Low Impact Development is a more sustainable land development approach that begins with a site planning process that first identifies critical natural resource areas for preservation. Then, once the building envelope is established, LID techniques, such as maintaining natural drainage flow paths, minimizing land clearance, clustering buildings, and reducing impervious surfaces are incorporated into the project design. A series of small stormwater best management practices (BMPs) that preserve the natural features and hydrology of the land are used instead of the conventional methods of collecting, conveying, and piping away runoff.  The Iowa Rainscapers had more details about practices used in Iowa.  Some of the small storm water best managment pratices (BMPs) working in Dickinson County can be seen below.

Dickinson County SWCD currently has finacial and technical assitance for home or business owners that want to protect water quality on their property.  These funds are specific to lake watersheds.  Current financial options area:

Iowa Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) for landowners within the East and West Okoboji Lakes watersheds.

Watershed Improvement Review Board (WIRB) for targeted watersheds of Spirit Lake, East Okoboji, West Okoboji and Lower Gar Lakes.

Iowa Infrastructure Investment Initatve (IJOBS) for targeted areas within the Iowa Great Lakes Watershed.

Dickinson County Water Quality Commission (WQC) for landowners within Silver Lake and Center Lake watersheds.
Dickinson County has some financial assitance for landowners who want to do these pratices in the watershed of most of the lakes in Dickinson County.  For more infomration please contact the Dickinson County SWCD at 712-336-3780 ext. 3.

Pervious Paving

Pevious Paving is a system that allows storm water to flow through the surface instead of off the surface.  After the storm water flows throught the surface it enters into a rock chamber.  The rock chamber holds the water temporarly to allow for infiltration of polluted water as so it chang be cleaned by natural systems in the soil.

Below is the pervious pavement system installed at Triggs Resort in Arnolds Park.

Below is a completed project located at Arnolds Park Amusement Park.

Rain Gardens: Filtering and Recycling Rain Water As our cities in Dickinson County grow, we continue to build houses, shopping centers and parking lots. This new development compacts the soil and creates impermeable surfaces. Storm water run off from parking lots and buildings runs into the sewer systems taking with it soil and chemical residues. This material ends up in the ground water system that we depend on. To help control run off and return rain water to the ground water system without all the impurities, we are now encouraging the installation of a rain garden.  Here is a photo of a Rain Garden installed at the Lutheran Camp: