Clay County got a close‑up look at Iowa’s water‑quality strategy on Thursday as Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig toured a gravity‑flow nutrient reduction wetland northeast of Webb — a project he says shows how conservation can reshape entire watersheds when landowners are willing to say yes.
About 30 people attended the visit, including Iowa Senator Lynn Evans of Aurelia, local landowners, engineers, watershed staff and Iowa State University (ISU) graduate student researchers.
The wetland, built on Carl Simons’ chronically wet ground in 2024, uses existing tile lines to route water through a natural basin before it reaches nearby streams — a design Naig says is becoming a model for rural Iowa.
Brandon Dittman, Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program field coordinator for the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, opened the tour by explaining how the wetland works.
He walked the group through how engineers tapped into tile mains from three directions to create a gravity‑flow system that naturally filters nitrates.
Dittman said the site was a perfect fit for a wetland because the ground rarely produced a crop.
Turning unproductive acres into a nutrient‑reduction wetland, he said, is a “win‑win.”
He also explained the science behind nitrate removal.
In that environment, bacteria strip oxygen from nitrate molecules, converting them into harmless nitrogen gas. The wetland, along with another nearby project, treats thousands of acres draining toward the Little Sioux River.
Three landowners, including Simons, shared why they embraced wetlands, noting the added habitat and wildlife benefits.
Naig praised the landowners for stepping forward.
He pointed to the site as an example of how wetlands can treat large catchment areas while solving long‑standing crop challenges.
Naig also highlighted Iowa’s growing conservation momentum.
He credited landowners, soil districts, Natural Resources Conservation Service partners and conservation groups for pushing adoption higher each year.
ISU graduate student researchers added that wetlands are boosting wildlife recovery statewide. They surveyed the rural Webb wetland on Thursday prior to Naig’s visit.
Naig said the Clay County project is part of a broader push to scale up wetland construction, reduce permitting barriers and expand watershed partnerships. He noted that Iowa went from building just a few wetlands a year to bidding 26 last year, with a goal of reaching 30 annually.
Thursday’s visit was part of Naig’s annual tour of all 99 counties. He told attendees that wetlands like the one near Webb show how practical, farmer‑led conservation can improve water quality, strengthen wildlife habitat and reduce flood impacts — all while turning unproductive acres into long‑term assets for the watershed.
