Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig today (Thur) announced the expansion of a successful area Water Quality Initiative project.
The project in northwest Iowa counties including Cherokee and O’Brien is expanding into a larger territory while beginning a new phase that includes an added focus on edge-of-field conservation practices. The Deep Creek Water Quality Initiative Project started in 2014. Since then, nearly 27-thousand acres of cover crops have been seeded in the project area. Along with cover crops, the project will now also focus on edge-of-field practices like saturated buffers and bioreactors. Those two proven structural practices filter water as it leaves farm fields, helping to keep nutrients from entering waterways. Traditional practices will also be deployed.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, through the Water Quality Initiative, is allocating over 660-thousand dollars for the next phase of this expanded project. Additional partners include the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Soybean Association, and others.
Farmers and landowners interested in participating or wanting to learn more should contact their local soil and water conservation district office.
