Protect Rathbun Lake ProjectProtect Rathbun Lake Project

Agribusiness Association of IowaAgribusiness Association of Iowa

Iowa Certified Crop AdvisersIowa Certified Crop Advisers

February 7, 2012February 7, 2012

Presentation Take-AwaysPresentation Take-Aways

Landowners invest time and money in conserving natural resources…soil….water….It is important to them

Certified Crop Advisers are uniquely positioned to help landowners achieve their conservation goals

Learning about the Protect Rathbun Lake Project will encourage you to seek out opportunities to assist landowners and others protect Iowa’s water resources

There is probably a watershed project near you….There is probably a watershed project near you….

Talk with your local Soil and Water Conservation DistrictTalk with your local Soil and Water Conservation District

Now…..Why Protect Rathbun Lake?Now…..Why Protect Rathbun Lake?

Water supply for Rathbun Regional Water Association

Recreation for one million visitors annually

Fish and wildlife habitat

Flood damage reduction

Water for the Iowa DNR’s Rathbun fish hatchery

Storage to supplement navigational flows

Rathbun Lake and WatershedRathbun Lake and Watershed

354,000 acre watershed: land use of 40% cropland, 42% grassland, and 11% woodland

15,000 residents, 860 farms, and 10 communities

11,000 acre lake and 21,000 acres of adjacent public land

Developed and managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers

Protect Rathbun Lake ProjectProtect Rathbun Lake Project

Rathbun Land and Water Alliance

Water quality monitoring program

Watershed assessment

Watershed management plan

Financial support for field staff and cost share

Long-term commitment

Protect Rathbun Lake ProjectProtect Rathbun Lake Project

Rathbun Land and Water Alliance

•Committed local leadership

- SWCDs, Counties, RRWA, farm community

•Dedicated professional staff

- Technical assistance, outreach, administration

•Farmer understanding and participation

- More than half of targeted farmers applying BMPs

•Active and expert advisory team

Protect Rathbun Lake ProjectProtect Rathbun Lake Project

Water Quality Monitoring

• Identify primary water quality concerns

• Monitor 20 sites in lake and watershed since 1997

• Cooperative effort: RRWA, DNR, SHL, ISU, USACE

• Use results to conduct 303(d) and 305(b) evaluations

- Determine impaired water bodies

- Impairment due to turbidity, algae, bacteria, and low levels of dissolved oxygen

- Impaired uses include primary contactrecreation and aquatic life support

Protect Rathbun Lake ProjectProtect Rathbun Lake Project

Watershed Assessment

• Identify principal sources of primary water quality concerns

• Inventory potential sources of water quality concerns

• Analyze relative impact of potential sources

- Runoff from cropland in watershed- Livestock operations- Impact of activities on riparian zones- Shoreline erosion

Protect Rathbun Lake ProjectProtect Rathbun Lake Project

Watershed Management Plan

• Strategies and actions to address principal sources of primary water quality concerns

- Focus resources on reducing sediment and phosphorus delivery

- Prioritize sub-watersheds and land to target according to delivery potential

- Plan, track, and evaluate application of best management practices

Protect Rathbun Lake ProjectProtect Rathbun Lake Project

Financial Support from Partners

• $22+ million in support from landowners in watershed, private organizations, and public agencies

• Field staff to provide one-on-one, on-farm technical assistance to landowners

• Funds to provide 75% cost share to help landowners construct practices to protect water quality

Protect Rathbun Lake Project PartnersProtect Rathbun Lake Project PartnersAlliance Members and Partners Project Support * Principal Uses of Project Support

NRCS Special and Regular Program Support $2,877,950 BMP cost share. Includes EQIP and AWEP.

NRCS Special WRP 2,440,000 Wetland restoration and easement costs.

IDALS DSC WPF and WSPF 2,424,700 Field staff support and BMP cost share.

EPA/DNR Section 319 Program 2,376,450 Field staff support and BMP cost share.

EPA Targeted Watershed Program 600,000 Field staff support and BMP cost share.

Participating landowners 2,838,164 BMP cost share.

Iowa WIRB 2,332,878 BMP cost share.

RRWA 175,300 Field staff support and BMP cost share.

SWCDs IFIP 39,400 BMP cost share.

ISU 25,500 Value of ISU Extension staff support.

Iowa DNR, ACOE, SIDCA. 5,350,000 Shoreline and wetland restoration.

RRWA, Iowa DNR, ISU, ACOE. 595,000 Water quality monitoring program.

RRWA, Farm Bureau, Iowa DNR, SWCDs, NRCS

178,500 Rathbun Lake Protectors watershed outreach program.

Total $22,253,842

* Includes project support since 2004

Protect Rathbun Lake ProjectProtect Rathbun Lake Project

Long-term commitment

• Rathbun Land and Water Alliance - organized 18 years ago

• Water quality monitoring - continuously for 14 years

• Watershed assessment - 3 years to complete and ongoing

• Achieve initial goals for reducing sediment and phosphorus delivery to Rathbun Lake

- 30,000 acres; 90,000 tons; 360,000 pounds

- Staff and practice costs of at least $30 million

- Require 25 years at current pace of efforts

Protect Rathbun Lake Project ProgressProtect Rathbun Lake Project Progress

Assisting 500 farmers plan and apply best management practices for priority land in 35 of 61 sub-watersheds

Protect Rathbun Lake Project ProgressProtect Rathbun Lake Project Progress

Assisting 500 farmers plan and apply best management practices for priority land in 35 of 61 sub-watersheds

Practice installation is completed and underway for more than 10,000 acres of priority land (goal: 30,000 acres)

Shoreline and wetland restoration measures completed and underway at priority sites on Rathbun Lake

Protect Rathbun Lake Project ProgressProtect Rathbun Lake Project Progress

Practices will reduce sediment delivery to Rathbun Lake by 38,000 tons per year (goal: 90,000 tons)

Practices will reduce phosphorus delivery to Rathbun Lake by 166,000 pounds per year (goal: 360,000 pounds)

Rathbun Lake Protectors watershed outreach program