Smart Watersheds and Rebates

What is the Ames SmartWatersheds Program?

The Engineering Division of the Public Works Department leads this program that provides watershed education and outreach to citizens and businesses and promotes water quality and reduced runoff through offering stormwater related cost sharing rebates.

Rebate Program

Bird and Pollinator Friendly Community

Annual Stream Cleanup

Get Involved with a Local Group

• Friends of Emma McCarthy Lee Park and Munn Woods
• Friends of Ada Hayden Heritage Park
• Friends of Brookside Park

South Skunk River Watershed

• Headwaters of the South Skunk River
• Story County- South Skunk River Water Trail Map(PDF, 1MB)

Ioway Creek Watershed

• Ioway Creek Watershed Coalition
• Ioway Creek Watershed Management Authority(PDF, 16MB)
• Ioway Creek Watershed Management Plan(PDF, 16MB)

Additional Ways to Protect Our Waterways

• Do not dump anything down the storm drain. Watch this video: Oil Changes
• If you smoke properly dispose of your cigarette butt in either a portable ash tray or one the public receptacles on Welch Avenue(PDF, 95KB)
• Pick up your pet's waste.
• Lawn Care: Watch this video for lawn care tips.
• Wash your car on your lawn or take it to a commercial car wash. Car Wash
• Use the appropriate amount and type of deicer. Salt and Deicing Guide(PDF, 3MB)
• Do you live along a stream or pond? Review this guide for (PDF, 3MB)Water protection tips(PDF, 3MB)

More Resources

• Ames Bird Friendly Community Resources
• Iowa Stormwater Education Program
• 2018 Story County Watershed Assessment(PDF, 45MB)

The Watersheds of Ames

The land area that drains to a waterbody is called a watershed. We all live in a watershed and how we improve and manage our properties have an impact on our stream and lake water quality.

• Overall Watershed Map(PDF, 1MB)
• South Skunk River(PDF, 2MB)
• Ioway Creek(PDF, 2MB)
• Clear Creek(PDF, 1MB)
• Onion Creek(PDF, 1MB)
• Worrell Creek(PDF, 1MB)
• College Creek(PDF, 1MB)
• Ada Hayden Lake(PDF, 208KB)