The Raccoon River Watershed Association will hold their 2015 conference, “Life in the Raccoon River: Water Quality”, on March 7, 2015. There is no cost to attend. Additional details will be added as they’re finalized. The day’s agenda is as follows:

9:00 a.m. – Welcome Steve Roe, President, RRWA

9:05 – 9:50 a.m. – Water Chemistry in the Raccoon presented by Jeff Mitchell, Laboratory Supervisor, Des Moines Water Works

10:00 -10:20 a.m. –  Macroinvertebrate bacterial resistance to triclosan at the Outlet Creek (IA) WWTP outfall and potential for downstream resistance migration presented by Ethan Wilson & Alex Schriber, BVU

10:25 -10:45 a.m. – BVU Watershed Research Group presented by  Dr. Melinda Coogan, Associate Professor of Biology, Buena Vista University

11:00 – 11:15 a.m. – An Overview of Drake University Research in the Raccoon River presented by Dr. Keith Summerville, Professor of Environmental Science and Policy, Drake University

11:15 – 11:45 a.m. – The Effects of land Use and Land Cover on Benthic Macroinvertebrates in the Raccoon River presented by Rebekah Reynolds, 2015 RRWA Research and Education Grant Recipient, Drake University

12:00 – 1:30  p.m. – Lunch – lunch is on your own, consider bringing a sack lunch and continue the discussion!

1:30 – 2:00 p.m. – Iowa’s Nutrient Reduction Strategy presented by James Gillespie, Director, Iowa Division of Soil Conservation, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship

2:05 – 3:00 p.m. – Panel on Farming and the Nutrient Loss Problem with Jim Caligiuri, Izaak Walton League, Agriculture Committee chair & John Gilbert, farmer, Practical Farmers of Iowa

3:05 – 3:30 p.m. – Phenology in the Raccoon River, Dr. Lee Searles