1301-001 Yellow River Headwaters Watershed Project Final Report

(2018) 1301-001 Yellow River Headwaters Watershed Project Final Report. Agriculture and Land Stewardship

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Abstract

The District and the advisory board have unanimously favored to peruse a WIRB grant to increase the available dollars to effectively leverage partner funds on hand. We’ve experienced extraordinary support from our producers/partners thru investment into land stewardship; over 6,000 tons of sediment loading reductions (with associated nutrients) have been achieved from BMP construction since the inception of this watershed project. Extensive water sampling has revealed high bacteria levels that pose as a significant human health risk to watershed and bolsters the necessity for increased water quality. This RFA allows the project to enhance our conservation toolkit by infusing the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategies’ practices which coincide currently with utilized stewardship practices and encourages pioneering producers science based practices that are economically and environmentally rewarding. Reference materials such as a Watershed Management Plan and a detailed TMDL on this portion of the Yellow River have been deployed into implementation since the last successful WIRB application. When surveyed (94%) of landowners indicated that they believed the water quality in the Yellow River Headwaters was in need of improvement and felt that changes in agricultural practices and rural land use were the biggest factors contributing to water quality impairments. The Yellow River is a highly utilized water body for recreational activities, including canoeing, kayaking and fishing (Iowa’s largest trout waters) that greatly enhances eco-tourism that makes Northeast Iowa a recreational destination and infusing local economies with crucial funds.