H.F. 2477 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 456A.33C River restoration plan 1 and report. 2 1. a. The department shall develop and annually update a 3 river restoration plan and report that shall be submitted to 4 the general assembly by January 1 of each year. The plan and 5 report shall include the department’s plans and recommendations 6 for river restoration projects to receive funding consistent 7 with the process and criteria provided in this section, and 8 shall include the department’s assessment of the progress and 9 results of projects funded pursuant to the recommendations. 10 b. The department shall recommend funding for river 11 restoration projects that are designed to achieve the following 12 goals: 13 (1) Ensure a cost-effective, positive return on investment 14 for the citizens of Iowa. 15 (2) Ensure local community commitment to river and 16 watershed protection. 17 (3) Ensure significant improvement in water quality and 18 safety. 19 (4) Provide for a sustainable, healthy, functioning river 20 system including wildlife habitat and improved flood control. 21 (5) Result in the removal of the river from any impaired 22 waters list maintained by the department pursuant to section 23 455B.195. 24 (6) Where feasible, provide for increased public access and 25 enjoyment. 26 2. The process and criteria the department shall use to 27 recommend funding for river restoration projects shall include 28 the following: 29 a. The department shall solicit recommendations from 30 stakeholder groups and develop an initial list of not more than 31 twelve rivers or river segments to be considered for funding 32 based on the necessity and feasibility of restoring each river 33 or river segment and the use or potential use of the river 34 or river segment, if restored. The list may include river 35 -1- LSB 5964YH (7) 85 tm/nh 1/ 4

H.F. 2477 projects under active development that the department shall 1 recommend be given priority for funding so long as progress 2 toward completion of the projects remains consistent with the 3 goals of this section. 4 b. The department shall schedule public meetings with 5 watershed management authorities established for the rivers 6 and river segments on the initial list to provide an initial 7 assessment and to explain the process and criteria for 8 receiving river restoration funding. The department shall work 9 with representatives of each watershed management authority to 10 develop a joint river restoration action plan. At a minimum, 11 each joint action plan shall document the causes, sources, and 12 magnitude of river degradation and impairment, evaluate the 13 feasibility of the river and watershed restoration options, 14 establish water quality goals and a schedule for attainment, 15 assess the economic benefits of the plan, identify the sources 16 and amounts of any leveraged funds, and describe the local 17 commitment to the plan, including local funding. 18 c. Each joint river restoration action plan shall comply 19 with the following guidelines: 20 (1) Biologic controls shall be utilized to the maximum 21 extent, wherever possible. 22 (2) The costs of river restoration shall include the 23 maintenance costs of improvements to the river. 24 (3) Sediment, phosphorus, nitrogen, bacteria, and other 25 pollutants delivered to the river from the watershed shall 26 be identified and a plan to address such hazards shall be 27 developed before river restoration begins. In conjunction 28 with in-river management, river loads shall meet or exceed the 29 following water quality targets: 30 (a) A diverse, balanced, and sustainable aquatic community 31 shall be maintained. 32 (b) The water quality benefits from the restoration efforts 33 shall be sustained for at least fifty years. 34 (4) Practices including but not limited to river bank 35 -2- LSB 5964YH (7) 85 tm/nh 2/ 4

H.F. 2477 stabilization, remeandering rivers, reshaping river banks, 1 improving river habitat, and modifying or removing old or 2 unused dams shall be considered in the development of a joint 3 river restoration action plan. 4 d. The department shall evaluate the joint action plans and 5 prioritize the plans based on the criteria described in this 6 section. The department’s annual river restoration plan and 7 report shall include the prioritized list and the amounts of 8 state and other funding the department recommends for each 9 river restoration project. The department shall seek public 10 comment on its recommendations prior to submitting the plan and 11 report to the general assembly. 12 EXPLANATION 13 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 14 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 15 This bill relates to river restoration plans and reports. 16 The bill requires the department of natural resources to 17 develop and annually update a river restoration plan and report 18 that shall be submitted to the general assembly by January 1 of 19 each year. The plan and report shall include the department’s 20 plans and recommendations for river restoration projects to 21 receive funding, and shall include the department’s assessment 22 of the progress and results of projects funded pursuant to 23 these provisions. 24 The department is required to recommend funding for 25 river restoration projects that are designed to ensure 26 a cost-effective, positive return on investment for the 27 citizens of Iowa; ensure local community commitment to river 28 and watershed protection; ensure significant improvement in 29 water quality and safety; provide for a sustainable, healthy, 30 functioning river system including wildlife habitat and 31 improved flood control; result in the removal of the river 32 from any impaired waters list maintained by the department; 33 and, where feasible, provide for increased public access and 34 enjoyment. 35 -3- LSB 5964YH (7) 85 tm/nh 3/ 4

H.F. 2477 The department is required to solicit recommendations 1 from stakeholder groups and develop an initial list of not 2 more than 12 rivers or river segments to be considered for 3 funding based on the necessity and feasibility of restoring 4 each river or river segment and the use or potential use of 5 the river or river segment, if restored. The department shall 6 schedule public meetings with watershed management authorities 7 established for the rivers and river segments on the 8 initial list to provide an initial assessment and to explain 9 the process and criteria for receiving river restoration 10 funding. The department shall work with representatives 11 of each watershed management authority to develop a joint 12 river restoration action plan. Each joint river restoration 13 action plan shall comply with certain listed guidelines. The 14 department shall evaluate the joint action plans and prioritize 15 the plans. The department’s annual river restoration plan and 16 report shall include the prioritized list and the amounts of 17 state and other funding the department recommends for each 18 river restoration project. The department shall seek public 19 comment on its recommendations prior to submitting the plan and 20 report to the general assembly. 21 -4- LSB 5964YH (7) 85 tm/nh 4/ 4