1204-003 North Fork Maquoketa Watershed Final Report

(2015) 1204-003 North Fork Maquoketa Watershed Final Report. Agriculture and Land Stewardship

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Abstract

The Headwaters North Fork Maquoketa River Project encompasses the Hewitt Creek, Bear Creek, and the Coffee Creek-North Fork Maquoketa subwatersheds. These three.sub-watersheds have intensive livestock agriculture production with manures applied generously on the landscape. Approximately 85% of the watershed area is cropland. Although livestock operations are not permitted to discharge waste directly into surface waters, the mishandling and over-application of animal waste and fertilizer have impacted water quality. Each of the subwatersheds has a strong locally led effort, concentrating significant efforts on monitoring, education, and conservation practice adoption. The original MRBI application was accepted by USDA with funding being extended to producers through FY14. A large component of this effort was the IJOBS funds awarded by IDALS to support the Project Coordinator for the first two years of this project. As previous funding for the support of the Project Coordinator has been exhausted, the local partners identified WIRB as a potential replacement funding source. The goal of the existing MRBI effort, in being consistent with this WIRB application, will help landowners and operators in the three selected watersheds voluntarily implement conservation systems that reduce nutrient loss; protect, restore, and enhance wetlands; maintain agricultural productivity; improve wildlife habitat; and achieve other objectives, such as flood reduction.

Item Type: Departmental Report
Keywords: Watershed Improvement Review Board, WIRB, water quality, watershed, Dubuque County, Delaware County, Dubuque Soil and Water Conservation District
Subjects: Natural resources and environment > Water resources > Water quality
Natural resources and environment > Water resources > Watersheds
ID Code: 21388
Deposited By: Jerome Neppel
Deposited On: 15 Feb 2016 20:02
Last Modified: 15 Feb 2016 20:02
URI: https://publications.iowa.gov/id/eprint/21388