1. Price Creek Watershed Project A joint project of the Iowa & Benton County Soil and Water Conservation Districts IOWATER Meeting – November 13, 2007

2. Price Creek Watershed 13 mile long tributary of the Iowa River 13 mile long tributary of the Iowa River 19,000 ac. watershed 19,000 ac. watershed Land use Land use Cropland – 58% Cropland – 58% Pasture/hayland – 23% Pasture/hayland – 23% CRP – 11% CRP – 11% Woodlands – 2% Woodlands – 2% Farmsteads/roads – 2% Farmsteads/roads – 2% Other – 4% Other – 4%

3. Price Creek Watershed Project Features Partnerships Partnerships Watershed Assessment Watershed Assessment Water Quality Monitoring Water Quality Monitoring Targeted BMP Application Targeted BMP Application Watershed Outreach Watershed Outreach

4. Partnerships Participating landowners in the Price Creek Watershed Participating landowners in the Price Creek Watershed Iowa and Benton County Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) Iowa and Benton County Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s Division of Soil Conservation Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s Division of Soil Conservation Iowa Department of Natural Resources Iowa Department of Natural Resources Iowa State University Extension Iowa State University Extension Iowa Watershed Improvement Fund Iowa Watershed Improvement Fund USDA Farm Service Agency USDA Farm Service Agency USDA Natural Resources Conservation Agency USDA Natural Resources Conservation Agency Iowa and Benton County Public Health Iowa and Benton County Public Health Iowa Farm Bureau Iowa Farm Bureau Iowa Geological Survey Iowa Geological Survey Iowa Hygienic Lab Iowa Hygienic Lab IOWATER water monitoring volunteers! IOWATER water monitoring volunteers!

5. Watershed Assessment Tools Land use assessment Land use assessment Tablet Computer Tablet Computer In-stream assessment In-stream assessment RASCAL RASCAL Adam Kiel, IDNR

6. Land Use Assessment (Tablet) Objective: to collect field by field land use/land cover data for targeting of upland BMPs Objective: to collect field by field land use/land cover data for targeting of upland BMPs Land use Land use Tillage practices Tillage practices Rotations Rotations Management Management Existing BMPs Existing BMPs Waterways Waterways Sediment basins Sediment basins Filter strips Filter strips Ponds, etc. Ponds, etc.

7. In Stream Assessment (RASCAL) Objective: to assess and collect in stream and near stream conditions to target areas for BMP installation Objective: to assess and collect in stream and near stream conditions to target areas for BMP installation Riparian zone width Riparian zone width Livestock access Livestock access Substrate Substrate Bank stability Bank stability Canopy cover Canopy cover Channel alterations Channel alterations Hydrologic variability Hydrologic variability Bank height Bank height Discharge points (tile outlets, culverts, septic) Discharge points (tile outlets, culverts, septic)

8. Canopy Cover Livestock Access Adjacent Land Use Riparian Zone Width Hydrologic Variability (pools, riffles, runs) Bank Stability Substrate Channel Alterations Bank Height Point Sources

13. Water Quality Monitoring Volunteer based effort initiated in 2005 Volunteer based effort initiated in 2005 Eleven sites in Price Creek Eleven sites in Price Creek Monitored 3 times/yr for 10 different physical and chemical parameters Monitored 3 times/yr for 10 different physical and chemical parameters Water Temperature Water Temperature Chloride Chloride pH pH Nitrate & Nitrite Nitrate & Nitrite Dissolved Oxygen Dissolved Oxygen Transparency Transparency E.Coli Bacteria E.Coli Bacteria Ammonia Ammonia Total Phosphorus Total Phosphorus

14. Water Quality Monitoring

16. What Does This Mean?

17. Water Quality Monitoring 50 th % 25 th % 75 th % 90 th % 50 th % 25 th % 75 th % 90 th % EPA

18. Water Quality Monitoring 90 th % 75 th % 90 th % 75 th %

19. Water Quality Monitoring 90 th % 50 th % 25 th % 10 th % 75 th % 90 th % 50 th % 25 th % 10 th % 75 th %

20. What Does This Mean?

21. Targeted BMP Application Utilized watershed assessment, landowner surveys, and local knowledge to identify and prioritize resource concerns with greatest potential to impact water quality. Utilized watershed assessment, landowner surveys, and local knowledge to identify and prioritize resource concerns with greatest potential to impact water quality. Bacteria primary resource concern Bacteria primary resource concern Sedimentation secondary resource concern Sedimentation secondary resource concern Lynn Betts, NRCSIowa DNR

24. The Plan… Reduce livestock access on 50% of the stream corridor Reduce livestock access on 50% of the stream corridor Develop alterative livestock watering sources Develop alterative livestock watering sources Manage livestock access to the stream Manage livestock access to the stream Improve grazing efficiency and livestock management Improve grazing efficiency and livestock management

25. The Plan… Reduce nutrient loading on 1500 acres Reduce nutrient loading on 1500 acres Develop manure management systems on open beef feeding areas Develop manure management systems on open beef feeding areas Install conservation buffers & filter strips to stop nutrient movement Install conservation buffers & filter strips to stop nutrient movement Sarah Anderson, NRCS Lynn Betts, NRCS

26. The Plan… Reduce sediment loading on 1500 ac. of priority land and 200 ft. of unstable stream bank Reduce sediment loading on 1500 ac. of priority land and 200 ft. of unstable stream bank Install sediment trapping practices such as grassed waterways, terraces, basins, and grade stabilization structures to address most critical areas Install sediment trapping practices such as grassed waterways, terraces, basins, and grade stabilization structures to address most critical areas Stabilize 200 ft. of critical stream bank through rip-rap placement and bioengineering Stabilize 200 ft. of critical stream bank through rip-rap placement and bioengineering Install conservation buffers & filter strips to stop sediment movement Install conservation buffers & filter strips to stop sediment movement Convert critical areas from row-crop to hay and forage production Convert critical areas from row-crop to hay and forage production Jeff Vanuga, NRCS

27. Cost-share Opportunities 75% cost-share assistance available for most practices structural in nature 75% cost-share assistance available for most practices structural in nature Per acre incentives for management practices such as nutrient management, rotational grazing, & use exclusion. Per acre incentives for management practices such as nutrient management, rotational grazing, & use exclusion. Buffers and filters through CRP Buffers and filters through CRP $66-200+ per ac. per year $66-200+ per ac. per year 90% cost share to establish 90% cost share to establish Low Interest Loan Program (LWPP) Low Interest Loan Program (LWPP) Administered through local lender of your choice Administered through local lender of your choice Terms: 3% interest up to 10 year repayment Terms: 3% interest up to 10 year repayment

28. Watershed Outreach Nutrient & Manure Management Nutrient & Manure Management Forage and Livestock Management Forage and Livestock Management Well and household Septic System assessments Well and household Septic System assessments

29. The Bottom Line… IOWATER Volunteers CRUCIAL in all stages of this project IOWATER Volunteers CRUCIAL in all stages of this project Monitoring program major part of grant application Monitoring program major part of grant application Data utilized to help prioritize WQ resource concerns Data utilized to help prioritize WQ resource concerns Future data will document results Future data will document results

30. Contact Information Iowa Co. NRCS/SWCD 435 N. Highland S. PO Box 210 Williamsburg, IA 52361 Ph. 319-668-2359 Benton Co. NRCS/SWCD 1705 West D. St. Vinton, IA 52349 Ph. 319-472-2161 Aaron Pickens, 435 N. Highland St. Williamsburg, IA 52361 Ph. 319-668-2359 Email: Aaron.Pickens@ia.nacdnet.netaron.Pickens@ia.nacdnet.net or