2016 Calendar Year Annual Report of the Watershed Improvement Review Board

(2018) 2016 Calendar Year Annual Report of the Watershed Improvement Review Board. Agriculture and Land Stewardship

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Abstract

The Watershed Improvement Fund and the Iowa Watershed Improvement Review Board (WIRB) were created in 2005. This statute is codified in Iowa Code Chapter 466A. The fifteen-member Board conducted three meetings throughout the year in-person or via teleconference. Meetings were held January 18, March 31 and November 15. A final board meeting was held January 22, 2018 to approve final reports of the remaining projects funded through the WIRB. Attachment 1 lists the board members and their organization affiliation. Statutory changes were enacted in 2016 affecting the contributions to the Watershed Improvement Fund and the functions and activities of the WIRB. Animal Agriculture Compliance Fund Penalties formerly deposited into the Watershed Improvement Fund are now credited to the Iowa Nutrient Research Fund. In addition, the WIRB is suspended from establishing any new activity, including a project. Existing projects established prior to the statutory changes are allowed to conclude on their own terms. Legislation enacted in 2017 repealed Chapter 466A eliminating the WIRB effective December 31, 2017. The remaining active projects will close out by December 31, 2017. Attachment 2 is a map showing the status of all projects funded since inception of the program. At the end of 2017 there are 152 completed projects. In cooperation with the Treasurer of State, the WIRB submitted the 2017 year-end report for the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund to the Legislative Services Agency and the Department of Management. Attachment 3 contains the annual progress reports submitted from projects finished in 2017.