Price Creek Watershed Price Creek Watershed ProjectProject

A joint project of the Iowa & Benton County A joint project of the Iowa & Benton County Soil and Water Conservation DistrictsSoil and Water Conservation Districts

IOWATER Meeting – November 13, 2007

Price Creek WatershedPrice Creek Watershed

13 mile long tributary 13 mile long tributary of the Iowa River of the Iowa River

19,000 ac. watershed19,000 ac. watershed Land useLand use

Cropland – 58%Cropland – 58% Pasture/hayland – 23%Pasture/hayland – 23% CRP – 11%CRP – 11% Woodlands – 2%Woodlands – 2% Farmsteads/roads – Farmsteads/roads –

2%2% Other – 4%Other – 4%

Price Creek Watershed Price Creek Watershed Project FeaturesProject Features

PartnershipsPartnerships Watershed Assessment Watershed Assessment Water Quality MonitoringWater Quality Monitoring Targeted BMP ApplicationTargeted BMP Application Watershed OutreachWatershed Outreach

PartnershipsPartnerships Participating landowners in the Price Creek WatershedParticipating landowners in the Price Creek Watershed Iowa and Benton County Soil and Water Conservation Iowa and Benton County Soil and Water Conservation

Districts (SWCD) Districts (SWCD) Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s

Division of Soil Conservation Division of Soil Conservation Iowa Department of Natural Resources Iowa Department of Natural Resources Iowa State University ExtensionIowa State University Extension Iowa Watershed Improvement FundIowa Watershed Improvement Fund USDA Farm Service Agency USDA Farm Service Agency USDA Natural Resources Conservation AgencyUSDA Natural Resources Conservation Agency Iowa and Benton County Public Health Iowa and Benton County Public Health Iowa Farm BureauIowa Farm Bureau Iowa Geological SurveyIowa Geological Survey Iowa Hygienic LabIowa Hygienic Lab IOWATER water monitoring volunteers!IOWATER water monitoring volunteers!

Watershed Assessment Watershed Assessment ToolsTools

Land use assessment Land use assessment Tablet ComputerTablet Computer

In-stream assessmentIn-stream assessment RASCAL RASCAL

Adam Kiel, IDNR

Adam Kiel, IDNR

Land Use Assessment Land Use Assessment (Tablet)(Tablet)

Objective: to collect field by field land Objective: to collect field by field land use/land cover data for targeting of use/land cover data for targeting of upland BMPsupland BMPs Land useLand use

Tillage practicesTillage practices RotationsRotations ManagementManagement

Existing BMPsExisting BMPs WaterwaysWaterways Sediment basinsSediment basins Filter stripsFilter strips Ponds, etc. Ponds, etc.

In Stream Assessment In Stream Assessment (RASCAL)(RASCAL)

Objective: to assess and collect in stream Objective: to assess and collect in stream and near stream conditions to target and near stream conditions to target areas for BMP installationareas for BMP installation Riparian zone widthRiparian zone width Livestock accessLivestock access SubstrateSubstrate Bank stabilityBank stability Canopy coverCanopy cover Channel alterationsChannel alterations Hydrologic variabilityHydrologic variability Bank heightBank height Discharge points (tile outlets, culverts, septic)Discharge points (tile outlets, culverts, septic)

Canopy Cover

Livestock Access

Adjacent Land UseRiparian Zone Width

Hydrologic Variability(pools, riffles, runs)

Bank Stability

Substrate

Channel Alterations

Bank Height

Point Sources

Water Quality Water Quality MonitoringMonitoring

Volunteer based effort initiated in 2005Volunteer based effort initiated in 2005 Eleven sites in Price CreekEleven sites in Price Creek Monitored 3 times/yr for 10 different physical Monitored 3 times/yr for 10 different physical

and chemical parametersand chemical parameters Water TemperatureWater Temperature ChlorideChloride pHpH Nitrate & NitriteNitrate & Nitrite Dissolved OxygenDissolved Oxygen TransparencyTransparency E.ColiE.Coli Bacteria Bacteria AmmoniaAmmonia Total PhosphorusTotal Phosphorus

Water Quality Water Quality MonitoringMonitoring

#S

#S#S

#S #S#S#S #S #S

#S

#S

ShueyvilleSwisher

North Liberty

Iowa City

Coralville

Oxford

Williamsburg

ParnellHills

Iowa County Johnson County

SolonMarengo

PC 9

PC 8PC 1

PC 7

PC 6PC 2 PC 3

PC 4

PC 5 PC 10 PC 11

CitiesStreamsRoadsOld Mans and Clear Creek W atersheds

#S Price Creek

Water Quality Water Quality MonitoringMonitoring

What Does This Mean?What Does This Mean?

Water Quality Water Quality MonitoringMonitoring

50th %

25th %

75th %

90th %

50th %

25th %

75th %

90th %

EPA

EPA

EPA

EPA

Water Quality Water Quality MonitoringMonitoring

PC01 PC02 PC03 PC04 PC05 PC06 PC07 PC08 PC09 PC10 PC11

WaterTransparency

(cm)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60July 16, 2005 Oct. 15, 2005 Oct. 14, 2006July 14, 2007

Upstream Downstream

Upstream Downstream

PC01 PC02 PC03 PC04 PC05 PC06 PC07 PC08 PC09 PC10 PC11

WaterTransparency

(cm)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60May 13, 2006 May 14, 2007

Price Creek

PC01PC02

PC03PC04

PC05PC06

PC07PC08

PC09PC10

PC11

Ammonia-N(mg/L)

0.01

0.1

1July 16, 2005Oct. 15, 2005Oct. 14, 2006

Upstream Downstream

Upstream Downstream

PC01PC02

PC03PC04

PC05PC06

PC07PC08

PC09PC10

PC11

Ammonia-N(mg/L)

0.01

0.1

1May 13, 2006

90th %

75th %

90th %

75th %

Water Quality Water Quality MonitoringMonitoring

90th %

50th %

25th %

10th %

75th %

90th %

50th %

25th %

10th %

75th %

What Does This Mean?What Does This Mean?

Targeted BMP Targeted BMP ApplicationApplication

Utilized watershed assessment, Utilized watershed assessment, landowner surveys, and local landowner surveys, and local knowledge to identify and prioritize knowledge to identify and prioritize resource concerns with greatest resource concerns with greatest potential to impact water quality.potential to impact water quality. Bacteria primary resource concernBacteria primary resource concern Sedimentation secondary resource Sedimentation secondary resource

concernconcern

Lynn Betts, NRCS Iowa DNRIowa DNR

The Plan…The Plan…

Reduce livestock access on 50% of Reduce livestock access on 50% of the stream corridorthe stream corridor Develop alterative livestock watering Develop alterative livestock watering

sourcessources Manage livestock access to the streamManage livestock access to the stream Improve grazing efficiency and livestock Improve grazing efficiency and livestock

managementmanagement

The Plan…The Plan… Reduce nutrient loading on 1500 Reduce nutrient loading on 1500

acresacres Develop manure management systems Develop manure management systems

on open beef feeding areason open beef feeding areas Install conservation buffers & filter Install conservation buffers & filter

strips to stop nutrient movementstrips to stop nutrient movement

Sarah Anderson, NRCS Sarah Anderson, NRCS Lynn Betts, NRCS

The Plan…The Plan… Reduce sediment loading on 1500 ac. Reduce sediment loading on 1500 ac.

of priority land and 200 ft. of of priority land and 200 ft. of unstable stream bankunstable stream bank Install sediment trapping practices such as Install sediment trapping practices such as

grassed waterways, terraces, basins, and grade grassed waterways, terraces, basins, and grade stabilization structures to address most critical stabilization structures to address most critical areasareas

Stabilize 200 ft. of critical stream bank through Stabilize 200 ft. of critical stream bank through rip-rap placement and bioengineering rip-rap placement and bioengineering

Install conservation buffers & filter strips to Install conservation buffers & filter strips to stop sediment movementstop sediment movement

Convert critical areas from row-crop to hay and Convert critical areas from row-crop to hay and forage productionforage production

Jeff Vanuga, NRCS

Cost-share OpportunitiesCost-share Opportunities 75% cost-share assistance available for 75% cost-share assistance available for

most practices structural in naturemost practices structural in nature Per acre incentives for management Per acre incentives for management

practices such as nutrient management, practices such as nutrient management, rotational grazing, & use exclusion. rotational grazing, & use exclusion.

Buffers and filters through CRP Buffers and filters through CRP $66-200+ per ac. per year$66-200+ per ac. per year 90% cost share to establish 90% cost share to establish

Low Interest Loan Program (LWPP) Low Interest Loan Program (LWPP) Administered through local lender of your Administered through local lender of your

choicechoice Terms: 3% interest up to 10 year repaymentTerms: 3% interest up to 10 year repayment

Watershed OutreachWatershed Outreach

Nutrient & Manure ManagementNutrient & Manure Management Forage and Livestock ManagementForage and Livestock Management Well and household Septic System Well and household Septic System

assessments assessments

The Bottom Line…The Bottom Line…

IOWATER Volunteers CRUCIAL in IOWATER Volunteers CRUCIAL in all stages of this projectall stages of this project Monitoring program major part of grant Monitoring program major part of grant

applicationapplication Data utilized to help prioritize WQ Data utilized to help prioritize WQ

resource concernsresource concerns Future data will document results Future data will document results

Contact InformationContact Information

Iowa Co. NRCS/SWCDIowa Co. NRCS/SWCD

435 N. Highland S. PO Box 210 435 N. Highland S. PO Box 210

Williamsburg, IA 52361Williamsburg, IA 52361

Ph. 319-668-2359 Ph. 319-668-2359

Benton Co. NRCS/SWCDBenton Co. NRCS/SWCD

1705 West D. St.1705 West D. St.

Vinton, IA 52349Vinton, IA 52349

Ph. 319-472-2161Ph. 319-472-2161

Aaron Pickens, 435 N. Highland St.

Williamsburg, IA 52361Ph. 319-668-2359

Email: Aaron.Pickens@ia.nacdnet.net

or