DES MOINES COUNTY, Iowa — Iowa's Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is looking to expand its Water Quality Initiative Project in the state's southeastern corner after what it says has been nearly a decade of success.
Since 2014, the state has been implementing the Lower Skunk River and Big Sugar Creek Partnership project in Lee, Henry, Van Buren, Des Moines and Jefferson counties. The goal is to work with farmers and landowners to implement conservation practices that promote soil health and water quality.
Over the last ten years, the project has seen more than 54,000 acres of cover crops seeded and nearly 238,000 feet of terraces built.
The next stage of the project is to continue emphasizing and expanding those conservation efforts while also adding additional practices. New focuses will include edge-of-field conservation techniques such as saturated buffers, bioreactors and nutrient-reducing grade stabilization structures.
“Accelerating our water quality progress requires us to continually do more, and that’s exactly what the next phase of this southeast Iowa water quality project is all about – more farmers and landowners, more partners, more practices, more technical and financial resources, and more Iowa acres and waterways positively impacted,” Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said. “We make participating easy and accessible, so if you are a farmer or landowner in this area, we invite you to help us build upon our growing water quality momentum.”
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is investing approximately $245,736 into the next phase of this project.
If you or another landowner you know is interested in getting involved, you're encouraged to contact your local county conservation and/or USDA office. You can also contact the Iowa Department of Agriculture.
Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig joined The Current to discuss this expanding project and its importance. You can watch his full interview in the above video.
Tune into The Current from 4 to 5 p.m. on weekdays to catch even more live interviews impacting you, your family and your hometown as well as all of the biggest headlines of the day.
Watch more news, weather and sports on News 8's YouTube channel