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Too much bacteria coming into the lake South Fork, Maquoketa River project designed to improve water in Backbone Lake |
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A survey of people living near the South Fork of the Maquoketa River found that 75 percent of them felt water quality in the watershed was either poor or fair. The river empties into Backbone Lake, which is on the state’s list of impaired waters because of excessive concentrations of bacteria. The lake and the surrounding Backbone State Park, Iowa’s first state park, are heavily used for swimming, fishing, hiking, camping, and other recreational activities. The Buchanan, Delaware and Fayette County Soil and Water Conservation Districts––with assistance from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS)––began the South Fork Maquoketa River Watershed Project in 2004 with a primary goal of reducing bacteria, sediment and nutrient delivery to the river by 30 to 40 percent. The plan has been to provide information and education, as well as technical and financial assistance, to landowners to help them step up the application of soil conservation measures. Since 2005, IDALS has contributed about $275,000 and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources has contributed more than $350,000 to assist local landowners in improving the land and water in the watershed. Among the practices applied are 1,000 acres of no-till farming, 175 acres of wetlands, about 400 acres of conservation buffer strips, 133 acres of prairie restoration, more than 900 acres of contouring, 113 acres of grassed waterways, 115 acres of filter strips, 7 acres of tree plantings, and an ag waste facility. |
Tree planting and filter strips (above) are among the conservation measures IDALS project coordinator David Suchan is helping landowners use to protect their land and improve water in Backbone Lake (below).
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One in a series of summaries of watershed projects in Iowa carried out by local conservation districts, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Division of Soil Conservation, and other partners. |
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