2025 UMSRS Oral Presentations

Invited speaker Chris Jones, Retired Research Engineer - University of Iowa; President – Driftless Water Defenders. Author of the blog “The Swine Republic”. Moderated by Aaron Gwinnup

Defending Water Quality in Northeast Iowa

Northeast Iowa is home to Iowa's highest quality water resources, mainly because only about half the land is suitable for crops. Nonetheless, streams and aquifers in the region are very vulnerable to pollution from crop and livestock production because of thin topsoils and fractured limestone bedrock. The livestock industry appears poised to expand in the region with the 11,000 head cattle confinement at the headwaters of Bloody Run Creek as evidence. A new non-profit, Driftless Water Defenders, was formed in 2024 to educate, advocate, and when needed, litigate to protect water resources in Iowa's last bastion of environmental integrity. This program will highlight water quality in the region and DWD's ongoing efforts to protect it.

Invited speaker Jonathan Czuba, Associate Professor, Virginia Tech University. Moderated by Karen Gran

Floodplain Channels and Fine Sediment in Gravel Streambeds: Processes and Implications for Stream and Floodplain Restoration

Technical Session 1: Technology & Sediment Mod: Peter Moore

• Determining the Effect of Terrain Data Visualization on Feature Extraction – Charles Nixon (North Dakota State University)
• Using Machine Learning to make Fluvial Sediment Predictions in Minnesota StreamStats – Joel Groten (U.S. Geological Survey)
• Utilizing Natural Materials to Improve Bedform Diversity in an Over-Widened, Sediment-Starved River – Jon Lore (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources)
• Prioritizing BMPs in the Wabash River Watershed – Stephanie Day (cbec)

Technical Session 2: Mitigation & Two Stage Ditches Mod: Kate Barnes

• Stream Mitigation for a Michigan Copper Mine – Matt Stone-Palmquist (Barr Engineering)
• MNWI SQT Overview and Updates – Cidney Jones (Ecosystem Planning and Restoration)
• The Two Stage Ditch: What have Learned – Joe Magner (University of Minnesota)

Technical Session 3: Ecological Assessments Mod: Jessica Olson

• Evaluating the Ecological Impacts of a 160-Year-Old-Dam: a Cost-Effective Approach Using eDNA and Habitat Assessment to Inform Fish Passage Restoration – Sean Gibbs (Mount Hood Environmental)
• An Application of the Ecological Floodplain Inundation Potential (EcoFIP) Methodology for Assessing and Prioritizing Multi-objective Floodplain Restoration Opportunities on the Lower Wabash River – John Stofleth (cbec)

Invited speaker Dorothy Merritts, Professor, Franklin & Marshall College. Moderated by Jessica Kozarek

Unearthing Earth's Past, Envisioning its Future: Rewilding Landscapes to Improve Waterways and Aquatic Ecosystems

Technical Session 4: Built for Creatures Mod: Emma Burgeson

• Iowa Monastery Beaver Restoration Opportunity – Nichoel Church (Snyder & Associates) and Emily Fairfax (Department of Geography, University of Minnesota)
• Reviving Rivers: The Role of Freshwater Mussels in Ecosystem Restoration – Jesse Weinzinger (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources)
• Big Lessons from Little Creek: Fish Passage and Stream Restoration for the Recovery of Topeka Shiner in Missouri – Steve Herrington (The Nature Conservancy, MN-ND-SD)
• Improving Aquatic Organism Passage at Low Head Barriers – Rob Myllyoja (ECT)

Technical Session 5: Urban Issues Mod: Stephanie Day

• The Impact on Ecosystem Health from Artificial Floating Wetlands in a Heavily Urbanized River – Phil Nicodemus (Urban Rivers)
• Five Phases and Fourteen Years: Elm Creek Restoration Benefits to the City of Champlin – Amy Anderson (WSB)
• The Differential Impacts of Chloride on Urban Surface Waters in a Changing Climate: a Study in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota Metro Area – Claire Bass (Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota)
• Tischer Creek Roadmap to Resilience: A Collaborative Watershed Management Framework for Ecological Health and Climate Resilience – Rebecca Eiden (GEI Consultants)

Technical Session 6: Wisdom Shared Mod: Nick Hayden

• Lessons Learned from over a Decade of Designing for Floodplain Connectivity – Suzanne Hoehne (Biohabitats, Inc)
• Looking Downstream to Avoid Stumbling Upstream – How Past Projects Can Be Used to Prepare for Future Stream Restoration Challenges – Mark Pranckus (Inter-Fluve)
• Risk Assessment in Stream Restoration Design – Ben Lee (Fish Creek Restoration LLC)

Panel – Show Me the Money: Regional Funding Options for Stream Restoration

Moderated by Aaron Gwinnup and Beth Wentzel

This panel discussion will explore a variety of regions around the Midwest and the evolving state of funding and collaboration for stream-related projects. Panelists will include representation from cities/counties, private consultants, NGOs, academics, etc. that are specialists in coordinating, compiling, disseminating, or soliciting funding and collaboration to get great projects in the ground.

• John Swanson, Water Resources Supervisor, Polk County Public Works
• Andrew Struck, Director, Ozaukee County Planning and Parks Department
• Lisa Hollingsworth-Segedy, Coordinator, Ohio River Basin Fish Habitat Partnership
• Carrie Jennings, Research and Policy Director, Freshwater Society
• Wes Cattoor, PE, CFM, Acting

Technical Session 7: The Last Act Mod: Will Gaskins

• Collaboration for Catfish Creek – Greg Pierce (RDG Planning & Design), Dan Kirby (Iowa DNR), Brian Preston (Dubuque County Conservation)