Conservation Connection
Watershed Planning Update
An update on our watershed planning efforts is long overdue. Our NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant for the “Keigley” watershed project wrapped up in September of 2018. Here’s some of the...
Counting our blessings: 1,165 acres of grassed waterways
Look down from a plane in any part of the state and you will see Iowa farmers’ commitment to soil and water conservation etched into the landscape. Using aerial photos and Lidar from 2007-2010, the...
Nutrient loading is like… beer
On June 14, Squaw Creek rose to flood stage. On the same day, nitrate concentrations in Squaw Creek dropped from 11.8 mg/L to 2.7 mg/L. Does that mean that June’s storm clouds had a silver lining...
Story County Watershed Signs
Story County roads now have 50 signs marking the boundaries between watersheds. Another 105 signs label creeks at bridges. As you drive around Story County, we hope you will have a...
Upgrade your sewage treatment plant, get a free bioswale!
Does the State Revolving Fund (SRF) do infomercials for its Clean Water Loans? I think they should because SRF Sponsored Projects are a classic case of "buy-one-get-one-free." We usually focus on...
The good, the bad, and the ugly of the South Skunk River
How do we reconcile good recreation with poor water quality? How can we work together to improve water quality in the South Skunk River? These are some questions I hope you will discuss with me at...
ACPF: A menu of conservation opportunities
I’ll take some cover crops with a prairie filter strip on the contour, a side-dressed nitrogen application, a grassed waterway, and riparian buffer strip. Hold the soil, please.
What the heck is a HUC? Understanding hydrologic units
HUC stands for the Hydrologic Unit Code. Think of it as the zip code for your watershed address. The more digits in the code, the smaller the watershed, and the more specific we can be about where water is draining.
Local creeks can be special places
March 1, 2017 I spent Sunday hiking along Clear Creek in the company of a curious herd of six deer, who came within 20 feet of me. Bigger rivers may afford more opportunities for boating....