State Expands Streamside Buffer Program; Turkey River Watershed Remains Eligible

Our newsroom runs on more than coffee and craft beer — it runs on you. Support Decorah News' local reporting today. DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today announced the expansion of the Streamside Buffer Pilot Project to include farmers and landowners in all 22 counties of the Greater Des Moines watershed. The expansion is part of the Greater Des Moines Watershed Program, an initiative to increase the use of conservation practices in counties upstream from the Des Moines metropolitan area to improve water quality. Funding for the expansion is provided by the Farm to Faucet water quality package signed into law June 1. The Streamside Buffer Pilot Project was launched in August 2025 to help farmers and landowners establish perennial buffers along streams, rivers, creeks and drainage ditches to reduce nutrient runoff and soil erosion and improve water quality. The pilot initially focused on the North Raccoon, Boone, Middle Cedar and Turkey River watersheds, along with all of Dubuque County. Under the expansion, farmers and landowners in the Greater Des Moines watershed may now enroll. The 22 counties are Audubon, Boone, Buena Vista, Calhoun, Carroll, Clay, Dallas, Dickinson, Emmet, Greene, Guthrie, Hamilton, Hancock, Humboldt, Kossuth, Palo Alto, Pocahontas, Polk, Sac, Webster, Winnebago and Wright. Farmers and landowners in the Middle Cedar and Turkey River watersheds and Dubuque County also remain eligible. Streamside buffers help filter nutrients from runoff before they enter streams and rivers, reduce soil erosion, improve wildlife habitat and support broader water quality goals. They also complement other conservation practices, including bioreactors and saturated buffers. In many cases, qualifying buffers also may be harvested for forage, creating an additional benefit for livestock producers while helping reduce nutrient losses. "Clean water is non-negotiable, and improving water quality requires action both upstream and downstream," Naig said. "Farmers continue to step up by implementing proven conservation practices on their farms, and streamside buffers are another way to keep soil and nutrients on the land and out of our waterways. Layering vegetative streamside buffers with practices like bioreactors and saturated buffers can significantly reduce nitrates in runoff before it reaches the stream, improving water quality while also creating forage opportunities for livestock producers and habitat for wildlife. That's the kind of working lands conservation approach that benefits both agriculture and water quality, and one that we will continue to build on as we scale up conservation efforts across Iowa." About the Streamside Buffer PilotThis state-funded cost-share initiative is intended to provide more flexibility than existing federal cost-share programs. Farmers and landowners in the Greater Des Moines watershed, the Middle Cedar and Turkey River watersheds, and all of Dubuque County are eligible. Enrolled buffers must average 30 to 100 feet wide on at least one side of a stream. Payments are available only for new buffers established on land currently in row crop production.Streamside buffers must be maintained for at least 10 years. Harvested buffers receive a one-time payment of $250 per acre for establishment costs and $1,500 per acre for foregone income, for a total of $1,750 per acre. Nonharvested buffers receive a one-time payment of $500 per acre for establishment costs and $3,000 per acre for foregone income, for a total of $3,500 per acre. Farmers and landowners are encouraged to incorporate complementary conservation practices, including saturated buffers and bioreactors, when feasible. The Greater Des Moines Watershed Program is intended to support water quality improvements by pairing upstream conservation efforts with downstream investments in water treatment and wastewater infrastructure through the Farm to Faucet legislation. Farmers and landowners interested in learning more about the Streamside Buffer Pilot or other conservation opportunities may visit CleanWaterIowa.org. Fresh stories, delivered! Sign up for the free DecorahNews.com newsletter and stay informed, inspired, and ahead of the curve.