After

Helping People Help the Land

A series of conservation projects with before & after images showing how Iowa NRCS and our 

partners help private landowners address natural resource concerns on their land

Before &

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@IowaNRCS
After

Before

Denitrifying Bioreactor/Water Monitoring

Background: 

Denitrifying bioreactors are underground structures 

filled with wood chips that intercept and treat tile 

water. They help reduce nitrate levels in water leaving 

agricultural land. The newly constructed bioreactor at 

left is about 3,900 square feet.

Success:

Hamilton County farmer Arlo Van Diest has two bioreactors – one installed by the Iowa Soybean Association 

(ISA) and another through USDA-NRCS. Both are helping improve water quality where there is concentration 

of nitrogen of subsurface, or ground, water. Keegan 

Kult (below) monitors the ISA installed bioreactors 

regularly for water quality.

Years

2009-2011

Project Partners

Iowa Soybean 

Association (ISA)

Iowa State University

Iowa Learning Farm

USDA-NRCS

Landowner

Funding Source

Landowner

Iowa Soybean 

Association (ISA)

Mississippi River Basin 

Healthy Watersheds 

Initiative (MRBI)

USDA-NRCS

Resources Treated

Water Quality

Nutrient Management

Location

Hamilton County

Photos by Lynn Betts
Before

After

Filter Strip

Location

Wapello County

Cedar Creek

Background: The number one water pollutant in Iowa 

is sediment, and a lot of that comes from runoff from 

adjacent cropland. Along with a high residue manage-

ment system, several other conservation practices can 

help crop producers reduce the amount of sediment 

running into adjacent streams. Practices such as terraces, contour buffer strips, and grassed waterways can 

reduce in-field erosion. A final stop-gap to keep sedi-

ment and other pollutants from water is a filter strip 

- an area of vegetation along a water course used to 

reduce pollutants from runoff to improve water quality.

Success: The landowner installed a filter strip along 

Cedar Creek in 1995. He is seeing improved water 

quality and more wildlife in the area.

Year

1995

Project Partners

USDA-FSA

USDA-NRCS

Landowner

Funding Source

Landowner

Conservation Reserve 

Program (CRP)

Resources Treated

Water Quality

Sediment Reduction

Nutrient Management

Wildlife Habitat
Before

After

Floodplain Restoration

Background: Craig Byers experienced flooding more 

years than not on his 480-acre cropland that sits in 

a floodplain near the Cedar River. Flooding meant 

sediment delivery to the nearby river and, oftentimes, 

a ruined crop. So when the USDA offered to place the 

flood-prone cropland into a permanent easement, 

Byers took the offer.

Success: Restoration work on Byers’ cropland consisted of drilling in a native seed mix that fits the local 

ecosystem. If that land floods now, the floodwater 

will slowly recede back into the river without causing 

damage to the environment, infrastructure or valuable 

crops. The native grasses in floodplains also serve as 

good habitat for wildlife.

Year

2010

Project Partners

USDA-NRCS

Funding Source

Emergency Watershed 

Protection Program-Floodplain Easements (EWP-FPE)

American Recovery and 

Reinvestment Act of 2009 

(ARRA)

Resources Treated

Flooding

Sediment Runoff

Water Quality

Wildlife Habitat

Location

Linn County
Before

After

Grassed Waterway

Background: A gully formed in cropland at Iowa 

State University’s Armstrong Research Farm near Lewis. 

Gully erosion is caused by areas of concentrated flows 

of water down a slope. One of the best conservation 

practices to fix gully erosion is a grassed waterway.

Success: To combat the gully, the Armstrong Research 

Farm crew seeded down a grassed waterway of permanent vegetative cover. Waterways are designed in a parabolic, or dish, shape wide enough and deep enough 

to carry peak runoff from a 24-hour storm. Following 

installation, fabric checks were installed to help control 

ephemeral gully erosion. Fabric checks are required on 

all NRCS-funded waterway installations in the East Pottawattamie Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD).

Year

2010

Project Partners

USDA-NRCS

Iowa State University

Funding Source

Iowa State University

Resources Treated

Soil Erosion

Wildlife Habitat

Location

Pottawattamie County
Before

After

Prescribed Burning

Background: The landowner worked with the local 

fire department to implement a prescribed burn on his 

tall grass prairie CRP land. (The Farm Service Agency 

requires mid-contract management, such as a prescribed burn, during the CRP contract.) His goal was to 

control the invasion of cool season introduced species 

and some woody plants.

Success: Following the burn, the landowner noticed 

a strong comeback and increased diversity of the forb 

(native flower) component of the prairie. Prescribed 

burns also help enhance seed production, control plant 

disease, and improve wildlife habitat.

Year

2011

Funding Source

Landowner

Conservation Reserve 

Program (CRP)

Resources Treated

Soil Erosion

Wildlife Habitat

Location

Wayne County
Before

After

Prescribed Grazing

Background: 

With continuously grazed pastures, livestock tend to 

congregate in areas and form trails, leading to bare, 

eroded soils. If a farm pond is supplying water, cattle 

often stand in these areas causing animal health issues and poor water quality.

Success:

A Mahaska County father-son grazing operation 

implemented a grazing system where they successfully 

graze 100 stockers per acre using temporary fences 

and move water with the cattle. This type of system 

allows plants sufficient time to recover and for diverse 

wildlife and plant species to move in. This system also 

provides the animals optimal feeding and weight gain.

Year

2011

Project Partners

USDA-NRCS

Landowner

Funding Source

Landowner

Environmental Quality

Incentives Program 

(EQIP)

Resources Treated

Soil Erosion

Plant Condition/

Livestock

Wildlife Habitat

Location

Mahaska County
Before

After

Rain Garden

Location

Polk County

Background: Like so many suburban homeowners, Paul Miller’s yard had areas of ponding following 

heavy rains. Storm water runoff from impervious surfaces (i.e. rooftops, driveways, patios) carries pollutants like grass clippings, hydrocarbons, and sediment 

to receiving waters without treatment. Rain gardens 

are shaped like shallow bowls. They are built with 

amended soils with high percolation rates and planted 

with native plants and flowers to capture and infiltrate 

water before it can reach any water bodies.

Success: Miller placed his rain garden in his backyard 

near enough to the downspout to capture rainwater 

from his roof. He estimates that about 100,000 gallons 

of rainwater will flow into his rain garden annually. 

Year

2009

Funding Source

Landowner

Resources Treated

Water Quality

Water Quantity

Flood Reduction

Project Partners

Polk SWCD

IDALS-DSC

Landowner
Before

After

Restored Wetland

Background: 

Cropland adjacent to the Big Sioux River in northwest 

Iowa frequently flooded and was eventually used for 

hayland. By the mid 2000s the land was too wet to 

even get a solid hay crop.

Success:

The landowner transitioned a portion of the ground to 

wetlands. A new landowner purchased the property and 

restored the remainder to wetlands through the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP). The new owner uses the 

newly created wildlife habitat for hunting. The wetland 

complex is also used for family recreational outings 

such as camping and fishing in the adjacent river.

Years

2006-07

Project Partners

Landowner

USDA-NRCS

Funding Source

Landowner

Wetlands Reserve 

Program (WRP)

Resources Treated

Flood Reduction

Water Quality

Sediment Runoff

Wildlife Habitat

Location

Plymouth County
Before

After

Riparian Buffer Strip

Location

Bear Creek

Story County

Background: Bear Creek in Story County is much like 

many streams in Iowa that run through areas of intensive cropping or heavy grazing. The creek’s banks had 

eroded, the creek bottoms were loaded with sediment, 

and the water quality was degraded by high concentrations of suspended solids, nutrients, and agricultural 

chemicals.

Success: A conservation partnership implemented a 

restoration plan. The team installed a multi-species 

riparian buffer strip to reduce the impact of non-point 

source pollution on the creek. The buffer includes an 

outside area of undisturbed trees, a middle area of 

managed fast-growing trees, and a strip of grass along 

the creek to intercept surface runoff.

Year

1990

Project Partners

Iowa State University

Iowa DNR

Pheasants Forever

USDA-NRCS

Funding Source

Iowa State University

Iowa DNR

Pheasants Forever

USDA-NRCS

Resources Treated

Streambank Erosion

Sediment Runoff

Water Quality

Wildlife Habitat
Before

After

Steel Roofed Livestock Building

Location

Shelby County

Background: Cattleman Clint Sonderman battled 

manure runoff issues, particularly during spring 

snowmelt, on his 20-acre feedlot. In October 2008, 

he installed a 20,000 square foot total containment 

monoslope building for his 500-head livestock feeding 

operation. The new building includes three pens and 

cornstalks for bedding.

Success: Sonderman’s monoslope building totally 

eliminates the manure runoff and soil erosion issues 

he faced with his open feedlot, thus improving water 

quality in nearby streams. The new facility also allows 

for better manure utilization and is helping him produce healthier, more productive livestock.

Year

2008

Funding Source

Landowner

Environmental 

Quality Incentives 

Program (EQIP)

Resources Treated

Manure Runoff

Soil Erosion

Water Quality
Before

After

Stream Crossing/Stabilization

Location

Jordan Creek

Pottawattamie County

Background: There were several reasons and partners with interest in this project. Pottawattamie County 

needed something done along Jordan Creek to reduce 

erosion beneath a bridge. That stretch of the creek was 

also the most unstable, and needed to be stabilized. 

Additionally, an old stream crossing (left) that allowed 

a farmer to access his field was ready to collapse.

Success: The final Jordan Creek Watershed Project 

included large-scale streambank stabilization and a 

new crossing upstream from the old location. This project stabilizes the stream bed and banks along a two 

mile stretch, and allows the farmer easier access to 

cropland on the other side of Jordan Creek.

Year

2009

Project Partners

Pottawattamie Co.

USDA-NRCS

Hungry Canyons 

Alliance

IDALS-DSC

East Pottawattamie SWCD

Funding Sources

Watershed Protection 

Fund (WSPF)

Hungry Canyons

Clean Water Act 

(Section 319)

Landowners

Resources Treated

Streambank Erosion

Streambank Degradation

Wildlife Habitat
Before

After

Streambank Stabilization

Location

South Canoe Creek

Winneshiek County

Background: In the summer of 2010 the non-profit 

group Seed Savers ExchangeTM stabilized 1,915 feet 

along the banks of a trout stream – South Canoe 

Creek. The project included removing trees and other 

brush from the area and reducing the slope of the 

bank to provide a suitable condition for native vegetation. Rip rap and fish hides were also installed along 

portions of the stream project.

Success: Now that vegetation is established along 

South Canoe Creek, sediment delivery from stream 

banks is being reduced. This project is producing a 

healthier stream through cleaner water for natural 

brook trout spawning.

Year

2010

Project Partners

Seed Savers ExchangeTM

Iowa Natural Heritage 

Foundation (INHF)

Iowa DNR

USDA-NRCS

Trout Unlimited

Funding Source

Landowner

Cooperative 

Conservation 

Partnership 

Initiative (CCPI)

Resources Treated

Streambank Erosion

Wildlife Habitat
Before

After

Terraces

Location

Montgomery County

Background: Seven Montgomery County landown-

ers in the Hacklebarney Watershed took advantage 

of special funding on conservation practices through 

the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 

(ARRA). This landowner installed tile outlet terraces on 

cropland that is highly susceptible to soil erosion.

Success: The landowner’s newly constructed terraces 

did the job reducing soil erosion during near-record 

rainfall totals in June 2011. This erosion reduction will 

ultimately help maintain soil quality and reduce sedi-

ment delivery to nearby ditches. Year

2009

Funding Source

Landowner

American Recovery and 

Reinvestment Act of 2009 

(ARRA)

Resources Treated

Soil Erosion

Wildlife Habitat

Water Quality
Before

After

Watershed Dam/Road Structure

Location

Bear Creek Watershed

Site 26

Winneshiek County

Background: Special federal funding in 2009 allowed 

the Bear Creek Watershed Project to add several new 

flood control structures. The watershed covers parts of 

four counties in northeast Iowa and southeast Minnesota. 

Success: Site 26 is a combination watershed dam and 

new road structure. The completed structure levels the 

steep side slopes along the road. That area can now 

be mowed and the road is safer for traffic and snow 

removal. The pool area will impound the runoff from 

a 50-year rainfall event, and a significant amount of 

damage to local infrastructure is being reduced below 

this and other new structures in the watershed. Years

2010-2011

Project Partners

Winneshiek SWCD

Winneshiek County

Bear Creek 

Advisory Board

USDA-NRCS

Funding Source

American Recovery and 

Reinvestment Act of 2009 

(ARRA)

Winneshiek County

Resources Treated

Flooding

Soil Erosion

Sediment Runoff
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at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

After

&

Before

November 2011

NRCS Offers Conservation Planning

With an office in every Iowa county, USDA’s Natural 

Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has conservationists nearby to help you through the conservation 

planning process. The Before & After projects in this 

brochure, for example, were part of a conservation plan 

designed specifically for that farm, property or watershed. 

NRCS employs soil conservationists, agricultural engineers, soil scientists, wetland specialists, and other 

experts to help you develop a plan that addresses 

resource concerns on your farm, including soil erosion, 

water quality, wildlife habitat, and energy efficiency.

NRCS Provides Financial Assistance

In addition to providing free, voluntary technical assistance, NRCS administers several conservation programs 

that help reduce the cost of installing conservation 

practices. 

One of our main programs that helps fund conservation 

is the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). 

This program helps eligible landowners fund the cost 

of installing or implementing structural, vegetative and 

management practices on eligible agricultural land. 

Through EQIP, NRCS provides assistance in the implementation of practices such as grassed waterways, 

animal waste storage facilities, cover crops, and nutrient management activities. In fiscal year 2011, NRCS 

provided more than $25 million in financial assistance 

to Iowa farmers to install such practices.

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