National Water Quality Initiative

Through the National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI​), NRCS​ is offering financial and technical assistance to farmers interested in improving water quality and aquatic habitats in priority watersheds with impaired streams. NRCS will help producers implement conservation and management practices through a systems approach to control and trap nutrient and manure runoff. Qualified producers will receive assistance for installing conservation practices such as cover crops, filter strips and terraces.

Sign-up Cutoff Dates

Although EQIP and NWQI are continuous signup programs, Iowa NRCS occasionally establishes cutoff dates for applicants. For fiscal year 2018, the first application cutoff date was Oct. 20, 2017. A second application cutoff deadline was established for March 16, 2018.

News

• USDA Announces Water Quality Funding for Southern Iowa Watershed - Feb. 26, 2016
• NRCS Improves Impaired Watersheds in Iowa - April 29, 2013
• NRCS Announces National Water Quality Initiative in Iowa - May 8, 2012

Iowa's NWQI Successes

• James Baur - Badger Creek
• Frederick Martens - Badger Creek

Iowa Priority Watershed Maps and Management Plans

• Statewide Maps of Iowa's NWQI Watersheds
  • PDF (291 KB)
• Headwaters Wolf Creek (JPEG, 433 KB)
• Badger Creek (JPEG, 5.2 MB) | Badger Creek Lake Watershed Management Plan (PDF)
• Lost Branch-Chariton River (JPEG, 3.8 MB) | Rathbun Watershed Management Plan (PDF)
• Lower South Fork Chariton River (JPEG, 5.3 MB) | Rathbun Watershed Management Plan (PDF)
• Upper South Fork Chariton River (PDF) | Rathbun Watershed Management Plan (PDF)
• Wall Lake Inlet (Black Hawk Lake) (JPEG, 1 MB) | Black Hawk Lake Watershed Management Plan (PDF)

Additional Resources

• NWQI Iowa Fact Sheet (PDF)
• Badger Creek NWQI Fact Sheet (PDF)
• 2018 Badger Creek Application Ranking Tool (PDF)
• 2018 Headwaters Wolf Creek Application Ranking Tool (PDF)
• 2018 Lost Branch-Chariton River Application Ranking Tool (PDF)
• 2018 Lower South Fork Chariton River Application Ranking Tool (PDF)
• 2018 Upper South Fork Chariton River Application Ranking Tool (PDF)
• 2018 Wall Lake Inlet Application Ranking Tool (PDF)

Contact:
Paul Goldsmith, 515-284-4262