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. The first cutoff deadline for batching and ranking applications for Fiscal Year 2023 is Oct. 7, 2022.

Iowa's NWQI Successes

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

Iowa Priority Watershed Maps and Management Plans

• Statewide Maps of Iowa's FY2021 NWQI Watersheds:
  • PDF
• Headwaters Wolf Creek (PDF)
• Lost Branch-Chariton River (PDF) | Rathbun Watershed Management Plan (PDF)
• Lower South Fork Chariton River (PDF) | Rathbun Watershed Management Plan (PDF)
• Upper South Fork Chariton River (PDF) | Rathbun Watershed Management Plan (PDF)
• Wall Lake Inlet (Black Hawk Lake) (PDF) | Black Hawk Lake Watershed Management Plan (PDF)
• Chariton Creek (PDF)
• Middle South Fork Chariton River (PDF)
• Silver Creek (PDF)
• Cedar Lake Watershed (PDF) | Winterset Municipal Waterworks Source Water Protection Plan (PDF)
• Big Spirit Lake Watershed (PDF) | Spirit Lake Source Water Protection Plan (PDF)

Additional Resources

• NWQI Iowa Fact Sheet (PDF)
• Badger Creek NWQI Fact Sheet (PDF)
• Big Spirit Lake Watershed NWQI Fact Sheet (PDF)
• Cedar Lake NWQI Fact Sheet (PDF)

Contact:
Rubyana Neely
EQIP Coordinator, 515-284-4262