Rock Creek Watershed Project
History of the Project:
The Rock Creek Watershed Project was created in 2014 as a community-driven watershed effort to address water quality issues and promote a healthy, thriving, and resilient community. The project offers technical assistance, cost share, and hosts events to help and support farmers and landowners in the adoption and implementation of best management practices that are known to promote water quality, soil health, and farm viability.
The Rock Creek watershed a 44,787 acres sub-watershed of the Upper Cedar River. The Rock Creek watershed runs through Worth, Mitchell, and Floyd County and joins the Cedar River just southwest of Osage, Iowa.
The long term goals of the watershed plan are:
1. Reduce in-stream nitrogen by 41% from 2009-2011 average levels.
2. Reduce in-stream phosphorus by 29% from 2009-2011 average levels.
3. Increase soil organic matter by 1%.
4. Maintain or increase agricultural productivity and revenues.
5. Reduce flood risk.
6. Maintain or increase upland wildlife habitats.
7. Maintain or improve aquatic life.
If you are a farmer or landowner within the Rock Creek Watershed looking to take advantage of cost share opportunities or are just interested to learn more, please contact the Rock Creek Project Coordinator:
Devin Stortz
641-732-3154 Ext 3
Devin.Stortz@ia.nacdnet.net
Available Cost Share
Mitchell Soil and Water Conservation District
Mitchell County, Iowa
An Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer
The project offers cost-share and technical support to farmers and landowners within the watershed for implementing conservation practices. Up to 75% cost share rates are available for the following practices through Rock Creek:
Cover Crop - $30/acre up to 200 acres
Crops such as cereal rye, oats and winter wheat are planted to temporarily protect the ground from wind and water erosion and supply living roots to the soil during times when cropland is often not adequately protected.
No Till/ Strip Till - $15/acre up to 200 acres
Performing no full-width tillage from the time of harvest or termination of one cash crop to the time of the harvest or termination of the next cash crop in the rotation, regardless of the depth of the tillage operation.
Nitrification Inhibitor - Fall-applied Anhydrous Ammonia.
Grassed Waterways - Construct and seed waterways to eliminate ephemeral gully erosion.
Grade Stabilization - An earthen embankment built across a watercourse with a drop spillway made of metal pipe, wood, concrete, or other materials.
Streambank & Shoreline Protection - Grass, rip rap, or other treatment used to stabilize and protect stream banks from erosion.
Wetland Creation - Return degraded and former wetlands to their naturally functioning condition.
Waste Storage Facility - Construct stacking pads and storage basins to better manage application of manure.