A close to a $2 million project looks to implement several conservation practices to improve water quality even more in the Beaver Creek Watershed. 

According to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) is partnering with the Boone County Soil and Water Conservation District and several other public and private entities to invest $1.94 million for nitrate-reducing measures in the Beaver Creek Watershed, which includes Greene and Dallas Counties. Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig says the project will oversee from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2028 the installation of three key areas of that filtration system: saturated buffers, bioreactors and oxbow restorations.

According to IDALS, saturated buffers and bioreactors help to filter water from farm fields, while oxbows revive natural wetlands that clean water and support wildlife. Naig points out that this project will also assist farmers with connecting them to the statewide Water Quality Initiative cost-share program that includes cover crops as another conservation measure. He notes that cover crops are an in-field practice that improves soil health, reduces soil erosion, prevents compaction and provides an area for livestock, among other benefits.

IDALS is contributing $244,100 towards this initiative, along with other entities such as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS),  Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Polk County Public Works, The Nature Conservancy as well as new partnerships in the works. Anyone interested can contact the project coordinator, Justin Grieff at justin.grieff@ia.nacdnet.net.