IOWA WATER QUALITY INITIATIVE

Iowa Water Quality Initiative IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE & LAND STEWARDSHIP

IOWA WATER QUALITY INITIATIVE

Moving From Strategy to Implementation

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United States 4.5% of World Population

Iowa 0.04% of World Population

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Total Grain Production (Metric Tons) Iowa – 55 Million

Canada – 45 Million

3 Source: Earth Policy Institute-2011

Total Soybean Production (Metric Tons) China – 15 Million Iowa – 14 Million

4 Source: Earth Policy Institute-2011

• Nutrient impairment is not mainly due to mismanagement of fertilizers and manures, but more to historic changes in land use and hydrology.

• Current major cropping system leaves soil vulnerable to erosion and nutrient leaching.

• Markets and Technological Advances have shifted cropping patterns and increased productivity.

• Have the most tools available to date and will continue to develop and adopt to new understanding and technology.

NUTRIENT REDUCTION STRATEGY



NUTRIENT REDUCTION STRATEGY OVERVIEW

• Strategy Development:

– Reduce Iowa’s nitrogen & phosphorus loads to Iowa waters and the Gulf of Mexico by at least 45% (Gulf Hypoxia Task Force)

– Lead by IDALS, IDNR, and ISU

– Integration of Non-point and Point sources.

– Improve & protect Iowa’s waters with respect to nutrient impacts

– Based on evidence of practice performance to prevent and/or remove significant levels of nutrients from Iowa waters.

• The strategy is a dynamic document that will change over time as new information, data and science is discovered and adopted

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiu1ozj2KzMAhXskYMKHRRYAUYQjRwIAw&url=http://iowabusiness.tips/summer-seasonal-positions-available-in-iowa-state-parks/&psig=AFQjCNGHCmnJHctbwWSOR2jlUfyWeID7xQ&ust=1461773500358725


IOWA NUTRIENT REDUCTION STRATEGY

• Non Point Source (NPS) and Point Sources (PS) working together for common goal

• Non Point Source • ~36M acres in Iowa ~90% in agricultural use, ~24M acres in

row crops • Addressing the scale needed to address the goals of the NRS

• Historically soil conservation based • Advance understanding and critical practices and delivery

of practices focusing on addressing nutrient reduction • Tracking and documenting progress

• Collective effort of management and practice installation • Measurement coordinator established in 2015

• Nutrient impairment is not mainly due to mismanagement of fertilizers and manures, but more to historic changes in land use.

• Managing the N factor • http://www.extension.iastate.edu

/waterquality/ • Iowa Nutrient Research Center

• Current major cropping system leaves soil vulnerable to erosion and nutrient leaching.

• Variable rainfall during these periods can exacerbate the issue.

• Markets and Technological Advances have shifted cropping patterns and increased productivity.

NUTRIENT REDUCTION STRATEGY


http://www.extension.iastate.edu/waterquality/




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Nitrogen moves primarily as nitrate-N with water Phosphorus moves primarily with eroded soil

Nitrogen Practices

Phosphorus Practices


NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT

By:

Photo: Hagie Mfg

Maximum Return to Nitrogen (MRTN)


COVER CROPS


ISA EPS – 22 Bioreactors - 12 actively monitoring - Project with Iowa

Nutrient Research Center

WOODCHIP BIOREACTOR


SATURATED BUFFERS


WETLANDS


IOWA NUTRIENT REDUCTION STRATEGY

• Over 120 partners engaged in the process to date. • Water Quality Initiative (WQI) est in 2013 to begin implementation. • 2 new groups formed to help address key areas of the Iowa NRS

• Iowa Agricultural Water Alliance (IAWA)

• Advance farmer-led watershed and water quality related activities • Increase the pace and scale of NRS practice adoption

• Iowa Nutrient Research and Education Council (INREC)

• Test and verify new and emerging technologies to reduce nutrient loss • Provide education to ag retailers, agronomists and CCAs to deliver NRS

message and broaden adoption • Foster engagement in WQ practice delivery/messaging • Track and measure private implementation through network of ag

retailers and co-ops (pilot phase)

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=&url=http://www.iowaagwateralliance.com/&psig=AFQjCNF6KMEwkM_gZEu0hrWzTJq3mwzi3Q&ust=1461772684783379

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjG_Z741azMAhWnnYMKHVYjB68QjRwIBw&url=http://iowanrec.org/&psig=AFQjCNF2tW4DgBo8Yr3plPWJMlW6tCLP7w&ust=1461772734489393

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=0ahUKEwjG_Z741azMAhWnnYMKHVYjB68QjRwIBw&url=http://iowanrec.org/&psig=AFQjCNF2tW4DgBo8Yr3plPWJMlW6tCLP7w&ust=1461772734489393


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WQI DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS

• Targeted Priority Watersheds to Provide: – Demonstration of practices and technologies outlined in science assessment

– Foster partnerships with wide range of project stakeholders to leverage resources and expand audience.

– Strong outreach/education components to provide information on practices and adoption of available practices detailed in the Science Assessment

– Local/regional hubs for demonstrating practices and providing practice information to farmers, landowners, farm managers, peer networks, etc.

• 45 Current Demonstration Projects – 16 Current Watershed Demonstration Projects

– 7 Current Practice Demonstration Projects

– 22 Current Urban Demonstration Projects


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Current Watershed Projects


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• Annual Statewide Practice Offering

• Offer incentives to try a new practice from NRS Science Assessment

– Priority for first-time users

– Follow-up efforts to offer the information necessary to improve chances of successful implementation

• Any new practice adds complexity to already complex weather and management related variables

– Recruit the help of experienced farmers in providing assistance to new users.

WATER QUALITY INITIATIVE

• Iowa Targeted Demonstration Watershed Partnership

Project (IDALS)

• Awarded $3.5M

• ~$4.5M in partner contributions

• Middle Cedar Partnership Project (City of Cedar Rapids) –

partner

• Awarded $2M

• ~$2.3M in partner contributions

2015 RCPP SUMMARY


• Midwest Agriculture Water

Quality Partnership Project

(IDALS)

• Co-led w/ Iowa Agricultural

Water Alliance (IAWA)

• 45 other partners

• Awarded $9.5M

• $37M in partner contributions

• Upper Cedar Urban-Rural

Partnership Project (City of

Charles City) – partner

• $1.6M award

• ~$1.6M partner contributions

2016 RCPP SUMMARY



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BMP MAPPING

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiu1ozj2KzMAhXskYMKHRRYAUYQjRwIAw&url=http://iowabusiness.tips/summer-seasonal-positions-available-in-iowa-state-parks/&psig=AFQjCNGHCmnJHctbwWSOR2jlUfyWeID7xQ&ust=1461773500358725


ISA EPS – 22 Bioreactors - 12 actively monitoring - Project with Iowa

Nutrient Research Center

MEASURING PROGRESS

• First report beginning to transition to logic model – nutrientstrategy.iastate.edu/documents

• Continue to advance data collection and reporting

• Existing sources for data collection, potential for improvement, start from scratch


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

www.nutrientstrategy.iastate.edu

www.CleanWaterIowa.org

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Matt Lechtenberg

Water Quality Initiative Coordinator

(515) 281-3857

[email protected]

Will Myers

Water Quality Initiative Projects Coordinator

(515) 725-1037

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

IOWA WATER QUALITY INITIATIVE

Documents