08006-003 East Okoboji Beach Final Report

East Okoboji Beach was platted on April 20, 1961 and includes over 90.4 acres with 489 lots. The East Okoboji Beach project includes a complete storm water discharge system, which includes low impact development and reconstruction of the roadways in East Okoboji Beach. The East Okoboji Beach Project is an enormous project that is the first Dickinson County project to retrofit LID practices, lake-friendly storm-water drainage systems and roadway reconstruction throughout an existing sub- division. This cooperative project between DNR, Dickinson County, and EOB landowners includes engineering retention ponds, rain gardens, bio-swales and other LID practices to reduce nutrient and sediment pollutants flowing directly into East Okoboji. The nature of the problem stems back to that original plat where small lots were platted and developed without planning for storm water discharge. There was no consideration of the effects of filling in and developing over the many wetland areas existing in EOB. The scope of the problem covers the entire 90.4 acres in East Okoboji Beach, the DNR owned land and the farmed land to the east. The nature of the problem stems from storm water runoff flowing throughout the watershed and into East Okoboji Beach where it flows down self-made paths and then into East Lake Okoboji. That storm water runoff dumps nutrient and sediment pollutions directly into East Lake Okoboji. The expected result of this project is a new roadway and drainage system constructed with engineering that is intended to protect East Lake Okoboji and the land and homes in East Okoboji Beach. The benefit will be the improvement in the waters and the reduction of the siltation in the East Lake Okoboji.

1109-003 Coe Creek Watershed Final Report

The city of Elliott has had an increase in nitrate levels in their community water supply located in the Coe Creek Watershed. They have been working with the IDNR Source Water Protection (SWP) Programs to conduct site investigations and have formed a SWP Planning Team. This Team has been reviewing the investigation findings, formed an action plan and studied different Best Management Practices (BMPs). After considering the BMPs the SWP Team made a recommendation to the Elliott City Council which included native grass seeding and a shallow water wetland. The Team also held an informational meeting for the citizens of Elliott. The goal of this meeting was to inform and educate the public of the Team findings and BMPs. The Elliott City Council approved the restoration of a shallow wetland with a native grass buffer. This whole project is 27 acres and includes a shallow water wetland with native grass buffer. This would be a long term method to reduce nitrates in the city wells. Elliott is partnering with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Montgomery County Soil and Water Conservation District, Pheasants Forever, the Montgomery County Conservation Board, US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors in the restoration of the shallow water wetland and native grass buffer.

09006-003 Bear Creek Watershed Final Report

Bear Creek is an impaired warm water fishery designated as class B(LR) by the Iowa DNR and is on 303 impaired waters list for fish kills and ammonia. Bear Creek is located in eastern Delaware County. This project is designed to improve the water quality of Bear Creek by educating the landowners, operators and watershed community about the importance of this water resource. The goal of the Bear Creek Watershed Project is to improve the water quality of Bear Creek by reducing the amounts of ammoniated manure discharge, fecal coliform bacteria, sediment, nitrogen, and phosphorous. The Bear Creek Watershed Project has been a watershed project since July 2004, first as a Demo project FY 2004-2005 and then full time WSPF/319 project FY06-09. Fish kills have not occurred in 2008-2009. Sediment delivery has decreased in the Bear Creek Watershed by 5,328 tons per year. The objectives of this watershed project will be to improve Livestock Waste Storage, to improve Livestock Waste Usage, to decrease Sediment Losses, and to improve Education & Area Outreach. This project will install 2 manure storage structures (EQIP/project funded), 19 ac of CRP waterways, 12 ac of project waterways, 17 ac of CRP filter strips along stream, 12 water and sediment control basins, 18,000 ft of terraces, 350 ac of new notill planting, and 3,700 ft of streambank protection.

1008-003 White Oak Watershed Final Report

Whit Oak Lake was listed on the 2008 Section 303(d) List if impaired waters in four categories. The first phase of the project has already helped to affect approximately 60% of the watershed. There has been an estimated sediment reduction of 609 tons per year with phase one. The structure being planned for the South end of the lake, (phase two) will affect nearly all of the remaining 40%. If we can accomplish similar results, we can expect a sediment reduction of approximately 273 tons additional per year. We have been working with the Mahaska County NRCS office, Snyder & Associates (engineers) and private landowners in the watershed to make this project a reality.

07011-003 Keg Creek Watershed Final Report

Mills County proposes to reduce the identified impairment of the watershed, Keg Creek, by eliminating one of the main reasons for the impairment - non-conforming, on-site septic tanks that allow effluent to drain into the creek from the unincorporated community of Mineola. This has been identified by the county as a major priority. Therefore, the county proposes to construct a collection system and lagoon treatment facility, which would eliminate effluent from draining into Keg Creek. Regional Water will own, operate, and manage the collection and treatment systems in Mineola for Mills County.

06004-003 Big Sioux River Watershed Final Report

Controlling and managing manure-contaminated runoff is a responsibility of every livestock producer. The minimum requirement of all confined feeding operations in Iowa, regardless of size, is to settle solids. Two separate watershed assessments conducted in 2003-2004 by the Lyon SWCD of 141 feedlot sites indicated only 29% have solid settling basins in place. Regulating agencies generally recommend a holding pond followed by irrigation land application which require large capital investments, specialized machinery and additional management skill sets. Producers are looking for more cost-effective alternatives for controlling feedlot runoff and regulating agencies need to know these alternatives will protect the environment.

05007-003 Hewitt Creek Watershed Final Report

The goal of this project is to help residents of the Hewitt Creek watershed identify themselves as a watershed community and use cost-effective approaches to control non-point source nutrient and sediment contaminants according to collective science-based environmental goals. The project will tap the low-cost, high-return human resources of local knowledge and resident leadership for economical and sustainable solutions. A watershed council will implement an incentive program to engage their watershed community in locally-acceptable practices and performance (outcome) measures for environmental stewardship that have reasonable cost and are linked with accountable crop and livestock management decisions. The Iowa and Dubuque County Farm Bureau have supported one year of management practice incentives. The performance incentive program will take this effort to the next level, to focus on outcomes.

1204-003 North Fork Maquoketa Watershed Final Report

The Headwaters North Fork Maquoketa River Project encompasses the Hewitt Creek, Bear Creek, and the Coffee Creek-North Fork Maquoketa subwatersheds. These three.sub-watersheds have intensive livestock agriculture production with manures applied generously on the landscape. Approximately 85% of the watershed area is cropland. Although livestock operations are not permitted to discharge waste directly into surface waters, the mishandling and over-application of animal waste and fertilizer have impacted water quality. Each of the subwatersheds has a strong locally led effort, concentrating significant efforts on monitoring, education, and conservation practice adoption. The original MRBI application was accepted by USDA with funding being extended to producers through FY14. A large component of this effort was the IJOBS funds awarded by IDALS to support the Project Coordinator for the first two years of this project. As previous funding for the support of the Project Coordinator has been exhausted, the local partners identified WIRB as a potential replacement funding source. The goal of the existing MRBI effort, in being consistent with this WIRB application, will help landowners and operators in the three selected watersheds voluntarily implement conservation systems that reduce nutrient loss; protect, restore, and enhance wetlands; maintain agricultural productivity; improve wildlife habitat; and achieve other objectives, such as flood reduction.