WATER TRAILS & GREENWAYS PLAN Des Moines Area MPO September 24, 2015
Water Trails: Project Phases 1. Existing Conditions Report & Recommendations – Dec 2. Vision and Goals – February 1, 2016 3. Draft Plan – June 1, 2016 4. Master Plan – November 1, 2016 Public Input – Major input opportunities throughout
All this plan could include…. WHAT ARE WATER TRAILS?
Variety of User Experiences
Sustainable Launch Locations
Fishing Amenities
Joyful Experiences
Respite and Beauty
Greenways: Shoreline Restoration, Habitat Corridors & Buffers
Dam Mitigation
FEEDBACK FROM FOCUS GROUPS
Focus Groups: Who Participated? # Focus Participants Average Age Race Percent Groups 15 109 50 years Caucasian 98% African American 2% Sex Percent Age Range Male 66% 12-85 years old Female 33%
Focus Group Summary To-Date Number of Participants 10 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 50021 50023 50111 50125 50131 50156 50161 50211 50212 Participation by Zip Code 50225 50228 50229 50263 50265 50266 50301 50309 50310 50311 50312 50313 50314 50315 50316 50317 50320 50321 50322 50324 50325 50327
Focus Group Summary To-Date Living near and viewing Playing near water's Fishing the river edge 7% 4% 3% What Canoeing and Kayaking activities Flood 13% Relaxing protection along the 4% 8% rivers do you Camping 4% prioritize? Boating Learning about History 9% 1% Bird Watching Walking, jogging, and 2% biking Tubing 13% 4% Wildlife habitat 12% Protecting Drinking Building leisure space for families Water 4% 12%
Focus Group Summary To-Date Focus Groups To Date • • Environmental groups Small business owners • • Paddlers Anglers • • Planners Power boaters • • Area communications Engineers and public works • specialists Two general sessions for • Core families individuals with scheduling • Trail users and bikers conflicts • Youth • Rowers • Parks and recreation
Focus Group Summary To-Date Upcoming Focus Groups • ? Emergency responders Who is • Landowners • missing? Hunting and gaming • Unaffiliated people through dam outreach Post Recommendations Additional Outreach • Meetings with economic development, developers and policy makers • Circling back to focus group participants
Focus Group What has surprised you in your experiences along the river? • Amount of trash, pollution, riprap, concrete • Bank erosion • Poor water quality • Importance of rivers as nature corridors • Lack of access and use • Volatility and flooding • Access to nature and wild feel considering there isn’t much wild space in Iowa • They go through the heart of downtown • Trails system adjacent
Focus Group Emerging Themes Increase Accessibility • Multiple types of users and demographics – Family friendly – Physical ability • Increase number of public access points • Interconnect water trails and bike trails • Maintain consistent water levels
Focus Group Emerging Themes Natural Corridor Management and Conservation • Improve water quality • Naturally restore and stabilize waterways • Improve and protect wildlife habitat • Address flooding and flood plains • Address the dams
Focus Group Emerging Themes Coordination Among Key Players • Build cooperation among governments and users • Figure out management of projects and upkeep – Who is supposed to do it? • Sustainable funding • Connect to other initiatives and economic development
Focus Group Emerging Themes Community Engagement • Build upon citizens; personal histories, as well as the city’s river history • Wayfinding and signage • Multiple types of users • Marketing • Connect to other initiatives • Programming – Classes -Safety education – Events -Rentals
Focus Group Emerging Themes Plan for Safety • Address the dams • Multiple types of users • Safety education • Wayfinding and signage
Focus Group: Takeaways • Most people saw our waterways as an asset and were excited about an intentional planning effort. There is an expectation and hope from users that this planning process will create momentum for implementation. • Many of the user groups were glad to be part of the planning process and are interested in continued participation.
Focus Group: Takeaways • There are concerns about who will maintain any projects and where the money will come from. There is a perception that the waterways are largely maintained by users. • There are a lot of people who will be important within the water trails planning and implementation process that have had little to no experience on or near central Iowa waterways.
Focus Group: Takeaways • There is a lot of history and connection to central Iowa waterways by current users. In many cases, generational experiences along the rivers and creeks. There is potential for a small number of people who have a deep sense of ownership that may be very vocal around change. • For government entities, water recreation has not been a group they have been serving. This will mean asking them (government) to do more.
Focus Group: Takeaways • While there are 150 miles of waterways in central Iowa, not all of them are appropriate for all users. • Having multiple user groups sharing some of the same stretches of river can cause conflict and safety concerns. • There is a tension between increased activity and safety. The more people on the river, the more risk.
Focus Group: Takeaways • Water quality is seen as a barrier to safety and recreation as well as connected to flooding. • Mixed feelings regarding mitigation of the dams.
MACRO VIEW OF AREA WATERWAYS
Raccoon River • 31 miles in study area • Dallas county, West Des Moines, Des Moines • 24% in public ownership
Raccoon River Major Landmarks & Features – Raccoon River Park, Brown’s Woods, Walnut Woods State Park, Water Works Park, Gray’s Lake Park – Bill Riley Trail – Quarries – Commerce ledges – unique natural bedrock ledges for whitewater – Levees, rock dam and low-head dam
Raccoon River Users and Experiences – Agriculture to woods to urban – Fishing, tubing, paddling, birding – Commerce ledges – unique limestone bedrock ledges for whitewater
Raccoon River Water Quality – Category 4 impaired waterway (no TDML) – Primary contact - indicator bacteria and nitrates
Des Moines River
Des Moines River • 65 miles in study area • Polk County, Johnston, Des Moines Pleasant Hill • 41% in public ownership
Des Moines River Major Landmarks & Features – Parks: Saylorville, Jester Park, Corps Open Space, Prospect, McHenry, Kiwanis Riverview Nature Island, Yellow Banks, Red Rock – High Trestle, Neal Smith, Des Moines River Trails – Botanical Center, Principal Riverwalk, Principal Park, Cownie Socer Complex – Birdland Marina
Des Moines River Major Landmarks & Features – Levees and historic balustrades – Saylorville, Center Street, Scott Street and Red Rock dams
Des Moines River Users and Experiences – Woods to urban to woods – Fishing, paddling, rowing, powerboating, birding, adjacent trail usage/biking (upper stretch seems too busy) – Lower stretch has lots of wildlife including important Pelican migration
Des Moines River Water Quality – Category 4 impaired waterway (no TDML) starting at Center Street Dam in Des Moines – Indicator bacteria
Middle River • 14 miles in study area Carlisle • Warren County but near Carlisle, Hartford • 38 % in public ownership
Middle River Major Landmarks & Features – Banner Lakes at Summerset State Park, Red Rock Users and Experiences – Agriculture to woods – Logjams – Fishing, snowmobiling
Middle River Water Quality – Category 5 impaired waterway (TDML required) – Aquatic Life - Biologically impaired waterway (low biotic index); cause unknown
North River • 26.7 miles in study area (17 in secondary) • Warren County, Carlisle, Des Moines, Norwalk • 3 % in public ownership
North River Major Landmarks & Features – Warren CC land Users and Experiences – Agriculture – Fishing, snowmobiling – Logjams
North River Water Quality – Category 5 impaired waterway (TDML required) ending at Badger Creek – Aquatic life and primary contact - biologically impaired waterway; cause unknown and indicator bacteria (E. coli)
South Skunk River • 18 miles in study area • Polk County • 28% in public ownership Bondurant
South Skunk River Major Landmarks & Features – Chichaqua Bottoms Park – finishing up master plan – Non-meandering stream Users and Experiences – Agriculture with small forested buffer – Fishing, paddling, small paddling campground
South Skunk River Water Quality – Category 5 impaired waterway (TDML required) – Primary contact – indicator bacteria (E. coli)
Mud Creek • 7.3 miles in study area (all secondary) • Polk County, Bondurant, Altoona • 1% in public ownership
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