Around Des Moines

One way to wake up after spending time in a stuffy airplane cabin is to step out into a chilly Iowa night with icy pellets hitting exposed skin. Such was my experience late yesterday. Then this morning I woke up to snow on the ground in Des Moines!

When I left New York in early afternoon there were a few sprinkles of rain and a nippy breeze. But there were also magnolias blooming along with daffodils, tulips, and hyacinths. When I went outside in Des Moines this morning I noticed a few more inches of growth on plants, some new shoots above ground, and still only a few buds on trees. Some people may choose the size of Des Moines over that of New York, but for me there are many other factors to consider, such as when flowers bloom.

It was for a new but traditional revenue-generating endeavor that I was in New York for the past several days. With daytime hours unavailable for sightseeing, I found I was unable to visit most museums and was too tired to attend literary readings in the evenings.

I was able to step into the George Gustave Heye Center of the National Museum of the American Indian. This is in the old Customs Building near the southern tip of Manhattan. The current installations are James Luna’s “Emendatio” and a group show, “Listening to Our Ancestors: The Art of Native Life Along the North Pacific Coast.” Perhaps because I had been expecting more historical education and not modern artistic interpretation, I was disappointed in the exhibitions. One of my new colleagues said he thinks the New York portion of the NMAI is geared more towards school children than adults.

The taste of water is a delight in New York and I enjoyed every sip. There was no musty taste of decayed leaves nor was there need to filter out excess ntirogen and other farm runoffs.

The number of people gathered on the train from the airport and at Penn Station was a shock at first. It took me only a couple days to forget about the crowds, though. They do not exist everywhere in the city nor at all times. Even the lack of large trees alongside most streets was not missed as I became reacquainted with the numerous parks and other places to enjoy nature. There’s not really any place in Iowa to use as a comparison for the New York crowds. The Iowa state fair may have sufficient people in one space at one time, but I don’t recall the moments of privacy that can be found in a city park nor the congestion of bodies at subway stops.

The flight attendant on the trip back to Des Moines had a two-day layover here. This is her first visit to the city and she was looking forward to doing some shopping. I wish her a fun stay in Iowa.

M.R. Field writes for AroundDesMoines.com. 

Have you been tasting and smelling chlorine when you shower or run water for your coffee this week? Blame it on the weather and the government. Due to work related to the new Center Street pedestrian bridge, water flow out of Saylorville Lake had been reduced. In turn, that meant Des Moines Water Works (DMWW) had to pull water from the Raccoon River to meet demand within the city of Des Moines. The 54 degrees (Fahrenheit) temperature of Monday quickly melted snow and ice. This rapid runoff could create a musty odor and taste. To counter that, DMWW increased the chlorine content in the water.

Chris Jones, the laboratory supervisor at DMWW, answered some questions for this post. Chlorine is added to the water supply as the last step before it is sent running through pipes to flow from household faucets. Usually there is 1 part per million (ppm), which dissipates the farther the water travels. On a typical day, the chlorine content for a customer in Des Moines is between 0.3 and 1 ppm. On Wednesday and Thursday, the amount being added was increased to 2 ppm. Powdered activated carbon, which absorbs odors, also was increased.

DMWW monitors the amount of bacteria in the river. When there is a snow melt, the amount of coliform bacteria can increase, but no such increase was noted this week. Thus, the chlorine was needed only to neutralize the musky characteristics of the river water. As the ice began to break up on the Raccoon River, DMWW was able to switch back to drawing water from the Des Moines River. Some ice had formed on the Des Moines but it disappeared once the Corps of Engineers increased the amount of water released from Saylorville.

The average daily demand for water from DMWW is 46 million gallons. It is rare to have a chlorine demand above 1 ppm. In addition to a rapid snow melt, more chlorine may be added during very hot weather when the molecules dissipate at a faster rate than normal. The current aroma of chlorine should work its way through the system in about another day.

The Army Corps of Engineers received a request from the City of Des Moines to reduce water flow from January 22nd through the 24th for the bridge-related work. The water flow had been 1120 cubic feet per second (cfs). It was reduced to 750 cfs. This week it was increased to 1200 cfs and reduced again today (February 1, 2008) to 960 cfs.

Jon Fussell in the city’s engineering department answered questions about the bridge work. The bridge abutments are going in close to the abutments of the dam, which required water to be routed around the dam for an inspection. In addition, Cramer & Associates, the bridge contractor, wanted to drive pilings instead of putting in caissons. Fussell said that was approved with some restrictions on vibrations. He also said the dam looked good, especially since it is over 100 years old.

M.R. Field is editor of Leading Voices: Iowa. 

According to a KCCI-TV meteorologist, after this week the average temperature in Des Moines starts to rise. A glance at The Weather Channel’s web site confirms this. Of course, with 8 degrees Fahrenheit forecasted for Saturday’s high, history may be of little comfort to city residents. According to The Weather Channel, January is the coolest month, July the warmest, and June the wettest. The lowest temperature on record is -30 deg. in 1884; the highest is 110 deg. in 1936. According to the National Weather Service’s Climate Summary, 2007 in Des Moines was the 12th wettest, the 5th snowiest, and tied for the 24th warmest on record.

There is one benefit to this seasonal cold. Three ponds in the city are now open for ice skating. A green flag means skating conditions exist; a red flag means the proper conditions do not exist. You can skate at Greenwood Park, MacRae Park, and Gray’s Lake Park. The first two are open sunrise to sunset. Gray’s Lake is open 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

In just over two weeks, the Des Moines Winter Games will begin. These are designed for fun with a low entry-fee for participants and opportunities to watch the activities for free. If you are enjoying the exercise, remember that Wednesday, February 6th, is the 22nd Annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day. The theme this year is “All In.” One of the organizations holding activities around the day encourages people to wear sports attire of their favorite team. In Iowa, we have competitive teams in roller derby, soccer, and football. There is also Granny Basketball for women over 50, but they take referees of all ages. There is a tryout for Granny Basketball on Thursday, January 24th, at the DMPS Central Campus, at 1800 Grand at 5:30 p.m.

Chinese New Year, Groundhog Day, Michaelmas, and Imbolc are some of the celebrations that take place as mid-winter approaches in the early days of February. Chinese New Year (Gung Hoy Fat Choy!) will be celebrated on February 7th. It will be the year of the rat. For those who prefer Michaelmas, Ash Wednesday is on February 6th. I’m never sure whether to think of the blessing of the candles as a thank you for providing light through the long winter nights or as a plea for them to last through the last few weeks of winter weather.

I like cold weather but there is something about Des Moines that makes it worse than any other place where I’ve lived. The day I had to photograph Des Moines at mid-Winter as part of my seasonal environmental art project was not pleasant. This was in February 2006 and the temperature was not too bad; it was in the 20’s with some sunshine. Yet, by the time I finished the last shot, caught the bus, and made it back to my apartment, I was chilled through to the bone. It took more than two hours for me to warm up.

M.R. Field is editor of Leading Voices: Iowa. 

No matter what else you do this weekend, by Sunday afternoon please make sure you have the snow, ice, and other obstacles cleaned off your sidewalks. If you have a corner property, please take a few extra minutes to ensure there is a clear path from the sidewalk to the street. Piles of snow are also created when alleys are plowed so double check for those obstacles, too. Thank you.

If you are tired of watching ice and snow fall from the sky, the Geminid meteors shower will be at its peak on Thursday and Friday. Of course, if the skies are clear enough to see the shooting stars, it means clouds are not keeping warmth in the air at night. The Geminids are so named because they appear to come from the constellation Gemini near the star Castor.

Whether you celebrate Christmas, the Solstice, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, or merely the change from 2007 to 2008, the last Holiday Market will be held at Capital Square and Nollen Plaza on Saturday, December 15th from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. There will be wonderful food to buy and an assortment of gifts from local shops and artisans to purchase.

The best part of this weekend’s planning is that there is only a slight chance for precipitation in the forecast. It will be a good weekend to run errands, to check on the status of your outdoor decorations, and to do any shopping you need to do. Next weekend is very close to Christmas so if you are a person who does not like crowded roads and malls, you are probably not going to want to be in the midst of the last-minute holiday rush. When you’re out shopping, set your budget and then pull out $1, $5, $10 or more to use for charity. If you are driving to a store that’s 10 miles away, consider a closer store. That gallon of gas you save could give you more than $2 to use in helping feed a struggling family.

If you find yourself at Merle Hay Mall (3800 Merle Hay Road) in the late afternoon on Saturday, Sara Butcher will be working on a painting outside of David’s Briar Shoppe from 3:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Butcher does fantasy paintings. If you are in the East Village and looking for a fantasy art item, The Atlantean (412 East 5th Street) is a good place to stop. Colores, next door to The Atlantean, is also worth a visit. The speciality of Colores is tie-dye clothing.

Some authors are stopping at the Central Library (1000 Grand) on their book tours. Paul Krugman will be there at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday to promote The Conscience of a Liberal. Poet John Thompson will discuss On Holiday on Monday at 6:30 p.m.

For something different, I think my pick this weekend will be bowling. It offers exercise, good social networking, and plenty of opportunities to join leagues in the New Year. It’s also an indoor activity.

M.R. Field is editor of Leading Voices: Iowa.

The Christmas season officially starts with Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade today. Oh, wait, I’m not in New York City this year. Okay, I’ll say Des Moines beat New York to the punch with a record-breaking, 4.8-inch, day-before-Thanksgiving snowfall. That’s as good a signal of Christmas approaching as is Macy’s Santa Claus. I have mixed opinions about Christmas Day but I choose to accept the Christmas season as a time to emphasize joy of and kindness towards each other. Thus, a “Merry Christmas” may be interpreted as a celebration of Christ’s birth or it may be given and accepted as a seasonal thank you. If there is a drawing for Secret Santas, though, you’re on your own.

Being an advocate of public transportation, I have a challenge for shoppers. Thanksgiving is relatively early this year, so there are plenty of extra days in which to shop for Christmas presents. On one of your outings, leave the car at home and take the bus. Calculate how much money you save by not driving your car, e.g., reducing the odds of an icy crash and avoiding $3.00 a gallon gasoline. Use the savings to buy yourself a special stocking stuffer. Because you will not have a car in which to toss packages and you will have to carry whatever you buy on and off of a bus, you may find yourself re-thinking your gift ideas. Heck, maybe you will decide to give someone who keeps talking about possibly taking the bus to work a nice beverage container or a brief case. Here’s a bit of advice: a canvas bag helps with the schlepping of gifts.

If free entertainment and avoidance of any place that has more than one person waiting at a cash register is more your speed, the Des Moines Public Library has a few options. On Friday, November 23rd, at 2:00 p.m., Charlotte’s Web will be the movie at Franklin Avenue (5000 Franklin Avenue) and Ratatouille will be shown at the East Side branch (2559 Hubbell Avenue). On Saturday, the 24th, the Central Library (1000 Grand) will show A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving at 10:00 a.m. On Friday morning, 10:00 a.m. to noon, at the Central Library there will be Thanksgiving Break Craft Time for all ages. For Central Library activities, the phone number to use in pre-registering is (515) 283-4152, ext. 3.

A Fall Into Winter Family Festival will be held at the State Historical Building (6th and East Locust) on Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. This free event is sponsored by Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield. There will be a fiddle and banjo band to which to dance, weavers and other crafts folks to observe, and wreaths and squirrel, er, I mean bird, feeders to build, among other activities.

Temperatures on Saturday and on Sunday have been forecasted to be above freezing. If you haven’t already, check your winter preparations for your sidewalk, your car (or other transportation), and your residence.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

M.R. Field is editor of Leading Voices: Iowa.

A public meeting was held on Tuesday, November 20, 2007, on Des Moines’ east side to talk about the revised floodplain and floodway maps around Fourmile Creek. The maps were updated recently thanks to a survey by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and compilation of data from storm events. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) last updated the zones in 1987. I was unable to attend the meeting, but I did talk with employees in the city’s community development and engineering departments.

One of the many questions I had was about the proper name for the waterway. I have seen it spelled as one word, as two words, and with a numeral. The single-word version is what the city uses officially. The creek starts in Boone County, runs for 26 miles, and has a drainage area of 92.7 miles. In the graphic to the right, Fourmile Creek is shown in orange. The creek curves down from the northwest (not shown), starting at a point roughly north of the arm jutting off of Saylorville Lake. As the creek heads towards the Des Moines River, it runs through Pleasant Hill from University to Scott Avenue.

Both of the city employees with whom I spoke stressed the large size of the creek’s drainage area when talking about flood control. Planning Administrator Mike Ludwig pointed out that Des Moines has authority over only a small part of the creek’s route. Development decisions made by other municipalities and county governments impact how much water runs into the creek and how quickly it enters the waterway. I talked to people who know the east side area and they thought the city had spent money on flood control about five to ten years ago. However, according to a city engineer who deals with storm water and sewers, a storm basin and related work was not connected to any flooding of Fourmile Creek.

The current map revisions, according to the city employees, came about when residents who live near the creek complained in 2000 or 2001 that their properties were being flooded. Apparently, the 1987 maps did not include those properties in the floodway or in the flooplain. The city received grant money to help pay for an updated study. The Army Corps of Engineers was already in the city doing analysis on the Des Moines River.

FEMA manages the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which has three parts: flood insurance, floodplain management, and flood hazard mapping. The FEMA web site has an interactive tool to determine how much flood insurance would cost depending on the risk (low to moderate, with and without prior flood claims; high; and, coastal high). Insurance may be bought for either ground or contents separately or for both together. Prices for combined insurance covering $250,000 and $100,000 in ground and content damage, respectively, range from $317 annually for low to moderate risk without prior flood claims to $5,358 per year for a high risk coastal residence. Separate $500 dollar deductibles apply to ground and to content damage even when combined insurance is bought. Some mortgage lenders may require homeowners in a floodplain or a in floodway to buy flood insurance.

A floodway is defined as the channel of the creek plus the adjacent land that is needed to spread the flood waters without raising the elevation of the water’s surface more than a foot. A floodplain is the relatively level land on either side of the creek’s banks that is subject to flooding. The 100-year floodplain is the area around a waterway that is expected to flood once every hundred years. Just glancing at the new maps it appears that, in general, the floodway has been reduced slightly but the floodplain has been expanded by several blocks. However, any given piece of property along the course of the river may have a different type or degree of change as the adjacent land.

The revised maps will not help to provide relief from flooding. Instead, being included in one of the designated areas may allow homeowners, renters, and businesses to obtain flood insurance under the NFIP. In addition, the designations will not limit development but certain requirements, such as the height of living space above flood levels and inclusion of retention ponds, may apply.

The Army Corps of Engineers applies a cost-benefit analysis to flood control measures. According to the storm water engineer, there is a negative cost benefit assigned to Fourmile Creek. In contrast, the value of some businesses along the Des Moines River means there is a high benefit compared to cost for changes along that waterway. Residents living near Fourmile creek believe the cost of insurance should be included in the cost analysis done by the Corps. Flood analyses were also done for the Raccoon River and Walnut Creek.

M.R. Field is editor of Leading Voices: Iowa.

A blog for life and events around Des Moines has to include an item on the state fair. Being on the Internet, the piece has to include some background information for non-Iowans, as well as something new for the locals.

I had planned to attend the fair during its first week and to talk with people about their views of the fair and of Iowa. Alas, when I finally made it to the fair on the second Thursday, the mood on the fairgrounds was not conducive to pestering people for their opinions.

The morning was rainy and that seemed to limit the crowds and to dampen the energy level. The line for samples of dairy, soybean, and meat products in the Agricultural building stood still for minutes at a time, as though it were just too much effort to move. Smiles and the pace picked up midway through the afternoon after the rain clouds finally dissipated. Having been at the fair just the one day I cannot say if the malaise of moodiness was due wholly to the weather or if it had another underlying cause. However, KCCI TV news reported on Friday that hot weather had kept food sales down and CityView reported that dry weather had severely limited the number of entries into produce contests. People tending booths seemed worn down and not pleased to be there.

The Information booth people were helpful, though. I even found an answer to my question about reserve champions. The term refers to second place. I was curious because the term “reserve” could mean either higher or lower quality and coverage of auctions I had seen in prior years seemed to praise reserves more than champions. The person at the Information booth explained that a champion may not go to auction at the fair. The animal might be taken to another, bigger show. If the champion wins there, it can bring more money. However, sometimes it comes in third or fourth and the value is lost.

I also learned some things at the Vatterott College booth in the Varied Industries building. Enrollment and course options are up and the college is constructing a new building at 7000 Fleur Drive. The web site reveals that the career and technical education center has campuses in several other states, too.

The presidential selection caucuses were heavily promoted. WHO-TV had mason jars into which a kernel of corn counted as a vote for a candidate. The political parties had candidate and caucus information at their booths. Even the State Historical Museum was promoting a caucus exhibit that opens on October 5, 2007. Alas, nobody was informing Iowans that school board and municipal government elections will be held this year.

As always, there were rides to excite children and games for men to show their prowess. Gardeners and gardening centers provided colorful plants to landscape the fairgrounds. Pride of 4-H animal raising and practicality of farming continue to be major reasons for the state fair.

Guest Writer: M.R. Field is editor of Leading Voices: Iowa.

Move to Des Moines and you will soon hear stories about the flood of 1993. Live here a few months and you will be surprised there isn’t more flooding given the high humidity. Wait a bit and someone will start talking about the mud flats on the Des Moines River that regularly added to the aroma of downtown in September before dams were installed. How does the summer of 2007 compare?

August brought many days and nights of rain across the northern half of Iowa. The ground was saturated and sewers overtaxed. Creeks and rivers rose and water did not drain from streets. People were evacuated from their homes and some municipal water supplies became unusable. Few of those rain
showers, or similar ones in the southern half of Iowa, crossed over Des Moines. The humidity in the city was high, though, and was at tropical levels for several days.

Flowers in the city continued to bloom and to attract butterflies, while mushrooms grew thick and strong among blades of grass. (The picture shows scenes from the western part of Des Moines on August 22.) The flood waters from northern Iowa were rushing through Des Moines on August 24 (pictured, left) and 25 (right), as seen from the Walnut and Locust Streets bridges. The roiling of the water and rocking of the waves is not captured very well, however. Unlike the spring, when high river levels continued until rain and warm temperatures melted snow, this autumn high should drop quickly.

While you stroll along the shores of the river downtown, notice the crickets as they jump across your path. In this picture they are gathered among flower beds edging the Simon Estes Amphitheater outside the Embassy Suites Hotel.

Guest Writer: M.R. Field is editor of Leading Voices: Iowa.

They’re calling it an unusually wet spring. According to the article in the Des Moines Register, Des Moines has received 9.44 inches of rain since March 1, quite a bit above the normal rate of 6.57 inches.

Photo on flickr by iowa spirit walker

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Today we’re in the middle of another winter storm that has most of the people in the state hunkered down to wait it out. News reports indicate that the interstate highways are closed north and west of Des Moines and there are many cancellations running across the bottom of the TV screen.

The storm is already dropping as much as 12 inches of snow in parts of Iowa. Utility crews have been working ’round the clock to restore power to those affected by the last storm. We’re all hoping this one will be easier. I’ve been lucky to be in a location that has power.

technorati tags: Home Turf Media, Iowa, Des Moines, Winter