Northwest Iowa — Two watershed projects in northwest Iowa have been awarded funding, meaning an opportunity for farmers who farm in the area of the projects.
According to the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service or “NRCS”, they recently selected eight Iowa watersheds for priority funding through the Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative, or “MRBI.” The NRCS is accepting applications from farmers through March 15, 2019.
Farmers in the selected watersheds may be eligible to receive special funding for conservation practices that avoid, control, and trap nutrient runoff; improve wildlife habitat; and maintain agricultural productivity. Example practices include cover crops, bioreactors, grassed waterways, terraces, and prescribed grazing. Each watershed project will have its own practice list.
In our area, the Deep Creek Watershed in Plymouth, Cherokee, O’Brien, and Sioux Counties and the West Branch Floyd River Watershed in Sioux County have been selected to receive funds.
The NRCS tells us that MRBI builds on past efforts by producers, NRCS, and partners to address nutrient loading in the Mississippi River Basin. They say nutrient loading contributes to both local water quality problems and the hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico.
If you farm or own agricultural land in one of the MRBI watersheds, they say you can visit your local NRCS office for more information about eligible practices and signup information, or go to http://bit.ly/IowaMRBI.
