The Upper Wapsipinicon River Watershed Management Authority received $3 million through the Iowa Watershed Approach project, which it will use to help fund the installation of 50 to 60 practices in the watershed.

Practices include wetlands, farm ponds, grassed waterways, oxbow restorations and on-road detention ponds, most of which will help with detention of runoff in order to reduce flash and river flooding. The practices will also reduce erosion and improve water quality.  

Project coordinators Tori Nimrod and Ross Evelsizer say they’ve had good success in signing people up to complete practices. Landowners have been primarily interested in wetlands and farm ponds but are also looking to use grassed waterways and oxbow restorations. Buchanan County will also be implementing on-road structures for flood detention. 

Flood reduction, water quality 

The Upper Wapsipinicon River Watershed is one of nine watersheds participating in the IWA project, a statewide $96.9 million flood reduction and water quality improvement project funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development that began in 2016. 

Public meetings and a mail campaign targeted to eligible landowners helped raise awareness of the project. Project coordinators have followed up with interested landowners, as well as the adjacent landowners, family and friends of participants. “We are excited about the level of participation from landowners in the Upper Wapsipinicon River Watershed. It shows their willingness to invest in their watershed,” Nimrod says. “We hope this will continue with future projects after the IWA project concludes.” 

Partnership approach working 

The first bid packet for IWA-funded projects went out and was let for three ponds. Two more bid packets will be coming out soon and will feature an additional eight to 10 projects. The coordinators also report they have made headway with the Buchanan County on-road detention projects with plans for two to four structures to be implemented. To learn more about the watershed’s plan for the future, visit upperwapsi.org to view the recently completed Upper Wapsipinicon River Resiliency plan. 

Partners in the Iowa Watershed Approach project include the Iowa Economic Development Authority; Homeland Security and Emergency Management; University of Iowa; Iowa State University; University of Northern Iowa; Iowa Department of Natural Resources; Iowa Department of Ag and Land Stewardship; the cities of Coralville, Dubuque and Storm Lake; and Benton, Buena Vista, Fremont, Iowa, Johnson, Mills, Winneshiek and Howard counties. 

For more information about the Upper Wapsipinicon River Watershed project, contact Nimrod at [email protected] or Evelsizer at [email protected].

Pierce is an ISU Extension program specialist with Iowa Learning Farms.