Ever wondered about different environmental facts about Storm Lake, Buena Vista County or even Northwest Iowa? Then the Storm Lake Watershed Interpretive Center & Museum is the place to go. Here visitors will find different exhibits and information on the Storm Lake watershed and the environment in Northwest Iowa. People of all ages can participate in hands on and interactive exhibits and displays while learning about the environment. Visitors of the Center are sure to leave full of new information.

As part of a future phase of Project AWAYSIS the Storm Lake Watershed Interpretive Center and Museum will be constructed on the shores of Little Storm Lake. The main interior exhibit hall will offer approximately 2,500 square feet of exciting interpretive experiences. The suggested arrangement of exhibits will not confine visitors to one traffic-flow pattern, but allow them to follow their own individual interests. The Center, which is about the environment, will also be environmentally friendly. The building itself will follow the guidelines of conservation and sustainability in many ways, including an organic green roof and gray water storage system. All exhibits will be designed to meet ADA accessibility guidelines.

An example of one of the many interactive displays is the combined mural and topographic map which will represent the Storm Lake and Little Storm Lake watershed. The mural is striking all by itself, but it is just the beginning of this engaging interactive experience. Visitors push a button to activate a virtual thunderstorm, complete with lightning and tiny fiber-optic lights show the sequence of rainfall and runoff. Visitors will be able to see the difference between flooding and runoff in developed areas and water absorption in natural wetlands. They will also be able to make many other comparisons.

Another exciting exhibit is the Generating Power with Wind exhibit. The object of this exciting wind tunnel interactive is to figure out how to generate as much wind energy as possible. Various hand cranks allow visitors to raise their wind turbines, as well as lower various obstacles. As the wind turbine generates electricity, a scale model of the town of Storm Lake will begin to light up.

A slice of marsh habitat, magnified several times, brings the unseen wetland inhabitants into view making for another great exhibit. Looking up, visitors see cattails and other emergent plants. A giant dragonfly looks for mosquitoes, and water bugs skate the surface of the “water.” A closer look reveals tadpoles, minnows, fingerlings, and nymphs. A cutaway of the marsh’s mud floor shows clams and other creatures that live there.

These examples are just a few of the interesting and informative displays at the future Interpretive Center & Museum. Besides the displays there will also be a classroom, Gift Shop, Theater, Wet Lab, and an Observation Deck for viewing wildlife. Be sure to visit and learn about all the environmental aspects of Storm Lake and Northwest Iowa.