Hickory Hills Park
3338 Hickory Hills Rd, La Porte City, IA 50651
USA
Celebrating Farmer-led Efforts Toward Improved Water Quality and Soil Health
The Benton/Tama and Miller Creek Water Quality Initiative Projects plan to hold a celebration of the 2017 harvest and farmer-led efforts towards improved water quality and soil health on Thursday, November 16, 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm, at Lakeview Lodge, Hickory Hills Park, 3338 Hickory Hills Rd, La Porte City, IA 50651.
Benton/Tama and Miller Creek are two of the initial eight projects funded through the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s (IDALS) Water Quality Initiative program in January 2014. After demonstrating three years of successful outreach programming and conservation practice implementation, IDALS awarded the projects with three year extensions through December 2019. The projects are in support of the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy goal. This goal is a 45% reduction in Nitrogen and Phosphorus leaving Iowa’s waterways.
Encouragement and Financial Support
The five watersheds included in the Miller Creek and Benton/Tama projects also make up the Middle Cedar Partnership Project. This project is led by the City of Cedar Rapids. This federally-funded Regional Conservation Partnership Program project encourages and financially supports the implementation of conservation practices to reduce nutrient runoff and mitigate flooding.
This banquet will feature informal presentations from conservation staff with updates on the Miller Creek and Benton/Tama projects. A free meal will be available thanks to sponsorship from DuPont Pioneer – Dysart. The event requires RSVPs. Please call Shelby Williams at (319) 472-2161 x4045 or Shane Wulf at (319) 296-3262 x3868 to RSVP.
About the Middle Cedar Watershed
The Middle Cedar River Watershed (MCWMA) is a 1.5M-acre watershed that spans parts of 10 counties in Eastern Iowa. It encompasses primarily the Iowan Surface landform, characterized by long, gently rolling hills and well-developed stream networks. The MCRW is part of the Cedar River Basin that stretches from Minnesota to Southeast Iowa, where it meets the Iowa River. The MCRW includes some of the richest farmland in the nation. Seventy-three percent of the land is dedicated to row crop agriculture and seed corn production. The MCRW also supports a substantial portion of Iowa’s urban areas, including Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, and Cedar Falls.