Iowa-Funded Conservation Programs and Initiatives

Which

Reduce Nutrient Transport to Water Resources

State Fiscal Year 2011

IMPLEMENTATION AND WATERSHED PROTECTION

• Implement the Iowa Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)
constructing highly targeted nitrogen-removal wetlands for cropland
drainage. State and federal funding for FY11 totals $20.6 million. The
program currently has 72 wetlands restored or under development totaling
715 acres of wetland pools, which treat the drainage from 86,100
watershed acres and remove 40 to 90 percent of nitrate, for an estimated
53,600 tons of nitrate removed over design life.

• Implement the Iowa Watershed Protection Program currently supporting
50 watershed protection projects, which primarily reduce nutrients and
sediment to water resources. Continue watershed targeting and assessment
of nutrient load reductions from the watershed projects. FY11 funding is
$4.3 million state, $3.0 million §319 Clean Water Act funds, and $2.4
million landowner match funds for a total of $9.7 million.

• Implement the Iowa Jobs initiative for watershed protection
projects, conservation practice flood damage repair and reclamation,
which will significantly reduce nutrients and sediment to water
resources. FY11 funding is $5.5 million state funds and estimated
landowner match of $1.83 million, for a total of $7.33 million.

• Implement the competitive grant award program to local sponsors
through the Watershed Improvement Review Board. Much of the funding is
used to reduce nutrients and sediment to water resources. FY11 funding
is $2 million state funds and $4.4 million of estimated local match
funds, for a total of $6.4 million.

• Implement the Iowa Financial Incentive Program for cost-sharing
implementation of soil and water conservation practices on private
working lands to reduce erosion, sedimentation, and nutrient transport
to water resources. FY11 state funding is $11.9 million, which with
landowner match funds of $11.9 million is estimated to total $23.8
million in conservation practices.

• Implement the District Initiatives program, which for FY11 provides
$1.35 million state funds to leverage federal conservation programs and
increase Iowa landowner participation in federal conservation programs.

• Implement the Local Water Protection Program, which for FY11
provides $14 million, comprised of $8 million to implement animal waste
management practices and $6 million for general nonpoint source
practices. The program assists landowners with the installation of
practices to protect and improve water quality.

• Implement the Resource Enhancement and Protection program which for
FY11 provides $1.3 million for watershed and water quality protection
projects, $1.3 million for cost-sharing management practices for water
quality enhancement, and with $1.1 million landowner match totals $3.7
million.

• Implement the Watershed Development and Planning Assistance Grant
program to assist local watershed project sponsors in the assessment,
targeting, and planning of water quality and watershed protection
projects. FY11 state funding is $0.12 million with local match of $0.04
million for a total of $0.16 million.

• Provide state personnel support and funding to Iowa’s 100 Soil and
Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs), which assist implementation of
federal, state, and local conservation programs that reduce nutrients
and sediment. Federal programs delivered through SWCDs include the
Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Wetland Reserve Program,
Conservation Security Program, Conservation Reserve Program,
Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, Watershed Protection and Flood
Prevention, Conservation Technical Assistance, and Resource Conservation
and Development.

RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

• Continue the Wetlands, Nutrients and Water Management research
initiative with Iowa State University to develop new technologies and
improve the targeting and efficiency of water quality management
practices. Continue water quality monitoring of research sites
evaluating various management practices and monitoring of CREP nitrogen
removal wetland field sites. FY11 state funding is $0.44 million.

• Develop new technology through the EPA Targeted Watershed Grant
“Integrated Drainage-Wetland Systems for Reducing Nitrate Loads from
Des Moines Lobe Watersheds” with Iowa State University. FY11 federal
and state funding is $0.2 million.

• Continue development of the Iowa Wetland Landscape Systems
Initiative for reducing nitrogen and phosphorus to water resources
across 6 million acres of croplands targeted for nitrate reduction to
water resources. For FY11, implement six (6) initial pilot projects to
serve both as demonstrations and as study sites to confirm nutrient
reductions and other benefits. Funding for FY11 is $4.0 million state
funds, $2.0 million for nitrogen removal wetland restoration through
Iowa CREP, $0.4 million + low-interest loan from the state revolving
fund for water and wastewater, and $5.3 million landowner match which
totals $11.7+ million.

• Continue Integrated Farm and Livestock Management program funding of
research and demonstrations through Iowa State University on impacts of
nutrient management, harvest of crop biomass for bio-energy, and cover
crops on water quality of drainage and surface runoff. FY11 state
funding is $0.1 million.

• Invest fees paid by farmers on the sale of agricultural chemicals
toward developing new technologies and improved practices for reducing
nutrients from cropped landscapes to water resources. FY11 funding is
$0.62 million.

• Conduct cover crop farm demonstrations and nitrogen management
assessments for corn following cover crops. FY11 funding is $0.1
million.

EDUCATION AND OUTREACH

• Support Web sites, publications, and educational/outreach
initiatives sponsored by the Cooperative Extension Service of Iowa State
University addressing nutrient management in cropped landscapes,
detailing topics such as nitrogen and phosphorus fertility
recommendations, real-time soil temperatures Web site to determine
acceptability of fall nitrogen fertilization for water quality
improvement, livestock waste management systems and land application,
phosphorus index for water quality improvement, etc.

• Conduct Iowa Learning Farms demonstrations, education, and outreach
through Iowa State University to improve water quality through crop
residue and tillage management. FY11 funding is $0.45 million.

• Conduct outreach and education concerning Gulf hypoxia and nutrient
reductions to farm organizations, Iowa drainage districts, and watershed
management groups.

Dean Lemke 1 Oct 10

Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship

