Johnson 27.6 Jasper 13.0 Johnson 13.0 Humboldt 4.0 Story 26 Keokuk 13.0 Story 11.9 Monona 3.9 Jefferson 25.2 Adair 12.8 Jefferson 10.8 Mitchell 3.6 Polk 21.9 Pocahontas 11.2 Black Hawk 9.0 Pocahontas 3.6 Scott 21.4 Osceola 10.8 Scott 9.0 Adams 3.3 2000 Johnson 29.5 O'Brien 12.4 Johnson 14.1 Louisa 4.0 Story 26.6 Pocahontas 12.2 Story 11.9 Emmet 3.8 Jefferson 22.4 Audubon

Decorah is a unique community situated alongside the Upper Iowa River and traversed by Old Dry Run Creek that runs directly through the heart of the city. These natural features are what make Decorah a destination for trout fishing and other activities in nature, but they also bring their challenges. Flooding and water quality impairment have plagued the Upper Iowa River in recent years, and Old Dry Run Creek has long been covered and forgotten. Decorah essentially rests in a topographic bowl, causing major problems with stormwater ponding and runoff of contaminants into the streams and rivers. Decorah is now seeking to address these issues with sustainable solutions that will help the community to thrive. Our team of Univeristy of Iowa School of Urban and Regional Planning students, in collaboration with the Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities, was tasked with helping Decorah to reach these goals. We recommend area-specific and comprehensive solutions to Decorah's stormwater management issues in this Decorah Stormwater Management Plan. Our project involved conducting several analyses, including mapping of water flow and infrastrucutre, as well as references to several community case studies that had been addressing stormwater issues. We also participated in significant community engagement and input events that aimed to both education the public about the importance of managing stormwater and our natural water bodies, and to help us identify problems and solutions for stormwater in Decorah. City staff input and advice from stormwater and water quality experts also signficantly informed the project. Based on community-and staff-identified problems, our analyses, and consultations wit urban stormwater experts, we were able to define susceptible areas in Decorah where stormwater was of particular concern. The Decorah Stormwater Management Plan provides recommendations for addressing water quality and quantity issues in Decorah, particularly in five identified mitigation areas: the Locust Road Area, Iowa Avenue Area, Heivly Street Area, Old Dry Run Creek Corridor, and Northeast Redevelopment Area. We recommend specific practices that can be used at each of these locations to mitigate identified problems, including ponding and water contamintation. The plan provides guidelines for encouraging the use of infiltration and filtration practices throughout the city to capture and filter water before it runs off into surrounding water bodies. stormwater utility ordinance iniating the recommended fee. These ordinances will ensure that stormwater management is engrained in future decisionmaking. Decorah is now taking a proactive and comprehensive approach to managing stormwater runoff, and simultaneously beautifying and enhancing its unique community. With continued investment and dedication, Decorah can greatly mitigate the effects of stormwater, helping the city to become a proactive model for holistic and sustainable stormwater management to communities across Iowa. DECORAH'S WATER BODIES Decorah, Iowa is a town o...