Ada Hayden Water Quality Monitoring
The lakes at Ada Hayden Heritage Park are used for fishing, paddling, and other recreation. They also act as a water source for the Ames Water Treatment Plant in times of extreme drought. While the City has yet to need to use them for a water source, the lakes continue to replenish the Ames Aquifer which is the source of Ames' great-tasting drinking water.
In 2008, the Ames City Council approved a plan for the Water and Pollution Control Department to move on improvements that would mitigate phosphorus contamination at the lakes. Council also set aside funds to be used for water testing at the lakes. That plan included targeted public education in the Hayden Park watershed, testing of the stormwater entering the south wetland to ensure there is no sanitary waste entering the storm sewer system, evaluation of possible carp exclusion devices, and a review of the north wetland performance.
In 2009 and 2010, Dr. John Downing and the ISU Limnology Lab were awarded a two-year contract to monitor changes in the water quality at Ada Hayden. Dr. Downing and his staff found minimal changes to the water quality over the life of the contract.
In 2017, Water and Pollution Control staff recommended another round of water quality monitoring at the lakes for 24 months, as well as to keep repeating the monitoring every five to seven years. Throughout the summers of 2017 and 2018, the State Hygienic Laboratory conducted sampling and analysis at Ada Hayden Heritage Park and provided a report which summarizes the results.
Following the recommendation from staff, City Council awarded a contract to the State Hygienic Laboratory for water quality monitoring throughout 2023 and 2024.
The 2017-2018 and 2023-2024 State Hygienic Laboratory's Water Quality Sampling reports can be found below.
Click here for information about Ada Hayden from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
Click here for historical information about Ada Hayden Heritage Park from the Ames Historical Society.