Thanks to improved water management initiatives, Iowa’s lakes and rivers will soon be healthier, flooding will be reduced, and more Iowa soil will stay on the land. This approach benefits water quality as well as Iowa communities and quality of life. It impacts our drinking water, recreation, economic development, fish and wildlife—here at home and in watersheds across the country.
The biggest investment is $22 million to jumpstart a new initiative that will work with farmers, landowners and communities on conservation and other efforts to improve water quality (SF 435, HF 648). This effort will focus on projects in priority watersheds, in cooperation with local farmers and landowners. The Iowa Department of Agriculture will monitor the projects and water quality to make sure our investments are getting the desired improvements.
Other water quality initiatives approved during the 2013 session include:
• Restoring Iowa lakes with more than $11 million in infrastructure appropriations (HF 638).
• Enhancing our soil and water by committing $3.2 million from REAP, Iowa’s Resource Enhancement & Protection Program (SF 435).
• Establishing an Iowa Nutrient Research Center to provide expertise, technical and research support to reduce nutrients, including nitrogen and phosphorus, making their way into our water (SF 435).
• Ensuring proper use of pesticides on or near waterways to control invasive species (HF 311).
• Keeping manure out of Iowa’s waterways by adding more inspectors to ensure Animal Feeding Operations comply with the law (SF 435).
• Improving wastewater treatment by expanding funding for rural communities (HF 311).
Environmental and agricultural organizations have praised the Legislature’s emphasis this year on conservation and water quality. According to the Iowa Corn Growers Association, this year’s efforts “will contribute to pro-active environmental practices on the farm that will benefit water quality, assist in the management of nutrients, and improve farmers’ ability to keep Iowa’s soil in place on the farm.”
For more on Iowa’s water quality improvement efforts, including grant opportunities, go to www.iowadnr.gov/Environment/WaterQuality.aspx.