Walnut Creek (Raccoon River tributary)
Walnut Creek is a stream in Polk and Dallas counties, in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is a tributary of the Raccoon River.[1]
Location and activities
[edit]Walnut Creek is an easily perceivable stream that is beside the Des Moines River and alongside 63rd Street. There are parks and trails by the creek with activities that include birdwatching, biking, art, and swimming.[2] The water is the main source of drinkable water for the metro area and it is located above the Des Moines Water Works.[3]
Environment
[edit]To solve concerns relating to the environment, a Watershed Management Authority was started to manage the creek and the watershed. The Walnut Creek Watershed Management Authority manages 53,000 acres (21,000 ha) in Dallas and Polk counties.[3] The watershed authority has studied "nitrate, phosphorus, sediment, and pathogens" in the area.[4] In July 2019, a fish kill was discovered along 2 miles (3.2 km) of the bottom of Walnut Creek and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources worked to investigate the cause after it was reported many times.[5]
A 1979 environment impact report stated that flooding is common for Walnut Creek with high and brief peaks.[6] A report was created in 1975 to determine how to protect Des Moines, Iowa, and West Des Moines, Iowa, from flooding by Raccoon River, Walnut Creek, and Jordan Creek.[7] A major flood happened in 1973 and on May 10, 1986, the creek flooded and caused $6,300,000 in damage in Clive, Iowa.[7][8] In 1986, a flood protection project was formed.[7]
Naming
[edit]Walnut Creek was named for the black walnut trees which once lined the creek before early settlers cleared them.[9]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Learn about Walnut Creek watershed". The Des Moines Register. April 20, 2015. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
- ^ "Walnut Creek". Iowa Confluence Water Trails. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
- ^ a b "Walnut Creek Watershed". Walnut Creek Watershed. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
- ^ "Walnut Creek Watershed Management Authority". Iowa Agricultural Water Alliance. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
- ^ "Fish kill along Walnut Creek Bike Trail reported by Iowa DNR". The Perry News. July 24, 2019. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
- ^ Des Moines and West Des Moines Flood Protection: Environmental Impact Statement. United States Army Corps of Engineers. 1979. p. 6.
- ^ a b c Water Resources Development in Iowa. United States Army Corps of Engineers. 1995. pp. 54–55.
- ^ "Floods of 1986 and 1990 in the Raccoon River Basin, West-Central Iowa, HR-140, 1992". State Library of Iowa. 1992. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
- ^ The History of Polk County, Iowa: Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Towns, &c. Union Historical Company. 1880. p. 262.