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