## Iowa
- Funded Conservation Programs and Initiatives Which Reduce Nutrient Transport to Water Resources

State Fiscal Year 2011

IMPLEMENTATION AND WATERSHED PROTECTI ON • Implement the Iowa Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) constructing highl y targeted nitrogen

- removal wetlands for cropland drainage. State and federal funding for FY11 totals $20.6 million. The program currentl y has 72 wetlands restored or under development totaling 715 acres of wetland pools, which treat the drainage from 86,1 00 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 nu trients 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 fund s 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 significantl y 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 nu trients 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 wate r 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 con servation 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 Loc al Water Protection Program, which for FY11 provides $14 million, comprised of $8 million to implement animal waste management practices and $6 millionfor 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 quali ty 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. • P rovide state personnel support and funding to Iowa’s 100 Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs), which assist i mplementation of federal, state, and local conservation programs that reduce nutrients and sediment. Federal programs delivered through SWCDs include the Environmental Quality I ncentives Program, Wetland Reserve Program, Conservation Securit y Program, Cons ervation 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, Nu trients and Water Management research initiative with I owa State University

to develop new technologies and improve the targeting and efficiency of water qualit y management practices. Continue water quality monitoring of research sites evaluating various m anagement 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 Sy stems for Reducing Nitrate Loads from De s Moines Lobe Watersheds” with Iowa State Universit y. FY11 federal and state funding is $0.2 million. • Continue development of the Iowa Wetland Landscape S ys tems 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 lan downer match which totals $11.7+ million. • Continue Integrated Farm and L ivestock Management program funding of research and demonstrations through Iowa State Universit y 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. • C ondu ct 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 b y the Cooperati ve 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 qualit y improvement, livestock waste management sy stems and land application, phosphorus index for water quality improvement, etc. • Conduct Io wa 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 hy poxia and nutrient reductions to farm organizations, Iowa drainage districts, and watershed management groups.

Dean Lemke 1 Oct 10 Io wa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship