Team’s collaboration, expertise fuels surge in restored oxbows statewide
ANKENY, Iowa (IAWA) – A statewide team of water quality and habitat experts is breathing new life into old, cut off river segments – known as oxbows – and their work is being recognized with the 2024 IAWA Team Impact Award.
Oxbows form when a stream segment is separated from the main channel. Oxbows occur in flood plains across Iowa, and each presents a wealth of water quality and habitat potential – that’s where Iowa’s Oxbow Stewards come into play.
“Even though each of us gets a lot done individually, our collective and collaborative efforts to restore oxbows in many of Iowa’s watersheds for more than two decades have had watershed-scale impact on water quality, and have improved fish and wildlife habitat restoration,” said team member and award nominator Darrick Weissenfluh, a private lands biologist at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
The Iowa Oxbow Stewards being recognized with the 2024 Team Impact Award include:
- Kraig McPeek (USFWS)
- Aleshia Kenney (USFWS)
- Andrew DiAllesandro (USFWS)
- Darrick Weissenfluh (USFWS)
- Brandon Iddings (Iowa Soybean Association)
- Todd Sutphin (Iowa Soybean Association)
- Corey McKinney (AgOutcomes, Inc.| formerly Iowa Soybean Association)
- Brad Woodson (Practical Farmers of Iowa)
- Grace Yi (Practical Farmers of Iowa)
- Karen Wilke (The Nature Conservancy)
- Andrew Rust (The Nature Conservancy)
- Andy Craig (Ecosystem Services Exchange)
- Erin Van Waus (Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation)
- Joe McGovern (Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation)
The IOS team’s effectiveness stems from members’ collaboration skills, whether among teammates, across partner organizations, or with the private landowners who volunteer to have oxbows on their land assessed and restored.
“This partnership is truly remarkable,” said Karen Wilke, Associate Director of Freshwater at The Nature Conservancy in Iowa. “I feel so lucky to work alongside each and every one of my teammates.”
Brandon Iddings, Conservation Services Manager at the Iowa Soybean Association’s Research Center for Farming Innovation (RCFI), said the staying power of the IOS team – which started in 2001 – is one of its biggest advantages.
“It’s been great to work with and learn from the people who started building the momentum for these oxbow restorations,” Iddings said.
Since 2001, the IOS team has worked with more than 100 landowners to restore more than 140 oxbows on private land.
The team’s recent accomplishments are as impressive as ever – in 2023-24, 10 multi-purpose oxbow restorations were completed with support from the Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship’s Water Quality Initiative (WQI). Between 2022-2024, the team restored more than 30 oxbows in partnership with the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service.
“The team has also partnered with County Conservation Boards to restore 8 oxbows, the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation to restore more than 20 oxbows, and Iowa DNR to restore 8 oxbows,” Weissenfluh said.
Regardless of each project’s specifics, all are currently hard at work improving water quality and enhancing local habitat.
“All types of oxbow restorations –those that receive water directly from field drainage tile and those that don’t – reduce nitrate concentrations in the water, which has improved water quality for people and wildlife throughout Iowa and beyond,” Weissenfluh said.
The fish and wildlife benefits of restored oxbows are also impressive – 81 bird species and 56 fish species have been documented in or near restored oxbow sites in Iowa.
One of those fish species, the state- and federally listed Topeka Shiner, has benefited greatly from the IOS team’s work – so much so, in fact, that officials are now considering downlisting the species.
The team’s work has also increased floodplain water storage by an estimated 48 million gallons – that means reduced flood risks to downstream communities. Recharged groundwater, more off-channel water for cattle, enhanced recreational opportunities, and aesthetic beauty are other common benefits of oxbow restorations.
Along with the on-the-ground projects, Weissenfluh also highlighted the Oxbow Restoration Toolkit, a free step-by-step oxbow restoration guide created by members of the IOS team.
“All the team members have contributed substantially to our work through direct involvement in the oxbow restoration process,” Weissenfluh said. “Most importantly, as a team, we have ensured oxbow restorations are implemented effectively and efficiently to provide a multitude of benefits to the people of Iowa. We’re also excited to continue growing the team with folks like Alex Buseman at ISA, as well as Jerren Sears and Annie Pohlen at USFWS.”
The Team Impact Award is organized by the Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance in collaboration with Iowa DNR, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Conservation Districts of Iowa, and Iowa State University.
The Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance (IAWA) is increasing the pace and scale of farmer-led efforts to improve water quality in Iowa. Founded in 2014 by Iowa Corn, the Iowa Soybean Association, and the Iowa Pork Producers Association, IAWA is building public-private partnerships focused on implementing water quality solutions. Learn more at www.iaagwater.org.
Published on Sept. 10, 2024