Conservationists fight to protect what makes Okoboji unique

OKOBOJI, Iowa | Arnolds Park's Preservation Plaza will be filled with music, kids' activities and talk of clean water August 11 and 12.

"It's all about raising public awareness of water quality issues locally and across the state of Iowa," says Greg Drees, festival chairman and longtime water quality advocate. 

"Our water resource is what defines us here--without our lakes, we're just another small town in Iowa." 

The Okoboji Blue Water Festival is the brainchild of the Okoboji Protective Association, a group responsible for maintaining the water quality of West Lake Okoboji. Founded in 1905, the OPA is one of six lake protective associations in the Iowa Great Lakes. 

Drees, past president and current board member of the OPA, says the group was looking for a way to spread the word and start a conversation about water quality and natural resource issues. 

"2016 was the inaugural event and it was a big success. We had exhibitors, an expert panel, about 30 booths with kids' activities, all with clean water themes, and Boz Scaggs performed on stage Saturday night." 

This year, singer-songwriter JD McPherson will perform at 7:30 p.m. and rock artist Chris Isaak will perform at 9 p.m. Friday. Eric Burdon & The Animal will end the festival with a bang at 9 p.m. Saturday. 

Admission to both days of the festival is free. Festival elite sponsor Bank Midwest and over 100 local sponsors "make it possible for the OPA to bring the festival to Okoboji free of charge," Drees says. 

Having grown up in a family of conservationists, Drees has been advocating for clean water his whole life and he hopes the festival will inspire the next generation of conservationists to get involved. "Last year, kids really embraced the festival, and we hope that's the case this year, too." Educating young festival goers is a big focus says Drees. "They are our future." 

Candidates for the 2018 Iowa gubernatorial seat, including Rich Leopold, John Neiderbach, Todd Prichard and Ron Corbett, will discuss Iowa's clean water and natural resource issues. 

Passionate water advocates from all over Iowa will be in attendance to discuss water quality initiatives as part of two expert panels to be held on Saturday. A local panel will discuss the latest water quality initiatives in the Iowa Great Lakes and a panel of state experts will talk about broader water issues facing the state of Iowa. 

Mike Hawkins of the Iowa DNR will speak as part of the local panel. Hawkins will discuss current water quality improvement projects the DNR is working on and a few "pertinent issues" that face the Iowa Great Lakes. Hawkins lists managing nutrient input and invasive species as two areas the Iowa DNR is concerned about. 

"There is a lot of education and outreach here in the Iowa Great Lakes and the festival is a great way to reach thousands of people," Hawkins says. 

"The Iowa Great Lakes have been leaders in water quality work for a long time. One component I, and other partners, am very proud of is the reach these projects have had. What we're doing here has had application to other parts of Iowa and the Midwest. I think we will continue to work and share our successes."