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A Guide to Conservation Programs for Iowa Landowners
Your quick reference to financial and technical assistance for conservation
on private lands.
Abandoned Mined Land Reclamation
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Purpose: Work with private landowners to reclaim eligible
abandoned mined land sites selected from a ranked inventory of over 200 Iowa
sites based on environmental problems as well as potential hazards to public
health, safety, and general welfare.
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Practices: Elimination of dangerous highwalls, acid mine
drainage, clogged streams, and hazardous water bodies; ridges of acid-forming
shale are also graded and vegetated. Priority is given to eliminating health
and safety hazards, restoring impacted land and water resources, and
eliminating off-site environmental impacts.
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Eligibility: Landowners on inventory of abandoned coal
sites that were mined prior to 1977.
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Contract: Contract with landowner for reclamation and DSC
enters contract with private company for construction work.
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Contact: DSC,
U.S. Office of Surface Mining
Ag Drainage Well Closure
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Purpose: Provide cost-share to protect groundwater
aquifers by closing high priority ag drainage wells and developing alternative
drainage outlets to surface streams.
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·Practices:
Well closure and development of alternative outlets.
-
·Eligibility:
Private landowners or drainage districts.
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·Contract:
Contract with landowner for reclamation and DSC enters contract with private
company for construction work.
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Contact: DSC
Coal Mining
- Purpose: Regulate coal-mining activities in Iowa and insure that proper
reclamation is completed for restoration of the site and achievement of the
intended post-mining land use.
- Practices: Elimination of dangerous highwalls, acid mine drainage, clogged
streams, and hazardous water bodies; ridges of acid-forming shale are also
graded and vegetated. Priority is given to eliminating health and safety
hazards, restoring impacted land and water resources, and eliminating off-site
environmental impacts.
- Eligibility: Licensed coal mine operator.
- Contract: If bond forfeiture is necessary, the DSC will contract with
private construction company to perform reclamation.
- Contact: DSC
Conservation Practices No-Interest Loans
- Purpose: Make loans available to eligible landowners at no interest for
the construction of permanent soil conservation practices.
- Practices: SWCDs set priorities for practices to fund including terraces,
waterways, erosion control structures and other conservation practice
applications.
- Eligibility: Producers on agricultural land who are able to secure the
loan and capable of repaying the loan.
- Contract: Loans up to $10,000 for a 10-year period with repayment in 10
annual payments equal to 10% of the initial loan amount.
- Contact: DSC,
SWCDs, NRCS, Private Lenders
Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)
Constructed Wetlands
- Purpose: Work with landowners to develop and install wetlands which are
strategically located and designed to remove nitrate from tile-drainage water
from cropland areas.
- Practices: Wetland restoration and adjacent buffer establishment.
- Eligibility: Enrollment on a continuous basis to landowners within the
37-county prairie pothole region of north central Iowa; eligible sites must be
in landscape position to intercept significant tile flow while not obstructing
normal drainage.
- Contract: Landowners will enter a 15-year contract with USDA-FSA as under
the Continuous CRP. DSC funds are used for additional, one-time, up-front
incentive payment to encourage participating landowners to enter into a
required additional 15-year agreement or permanent easement; FSA and DSC funds
will provide for 100% cost-share.
- Contact: DSC,
SWCDs, FSA, NRCS
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)
- Purpose: To reduce erosion, increase wildlife habitat, and improve water
quality through the application of conservation plans (landowner sets aside
cropland with annual rental payments).
- Practices: Tree planting, grass cover, small wetland restoration, prairie
restoration, and others.
- Eligibility: Varies by soil type and crop history. For general signups, land
is accepted into the program if the offer qualifies. Continuous signup is open
for buffers, waterways, and environmental practices at all times. The living
snow fence practice is now paying for 100-foot wide snow catch area with a match
for areas near state highways, non-floodplain wetlands restoration initiative,
and northern bobwhite quail habitat initiative.
- Contract: 10-15 years depending on the type of practice. Transferable with
change in ownership.
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Contact: FSA, SWCDs
Conservation Security Program (CSP)
- Purpose: To reward farmers and landowners for past conservation work and
provide technical and financial assistance to help develop conservation plans
that address specific natural resource concerns and complete more conservation
work.
- Practices: Existing and new stewardship practices and enhancement activities.
- Eligibility: Most agricultural land in Iowa will be eligible, except for land
in WRP, CRP and GRP. Signup is open on a watershed-by-watershed basis.
- Contract: 5-10 year contracts in three different tiers of participation. The
maximum annual payment ranges from $20,000 to $45,000 per year.
- Contact: NRCS, SWCDs
Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA)
- Purpose: To assist land users to plan and install resource management systems
that will improve and protect natural resources on their land.
- Systems: Includes many different practices to reduce soil erosion; improve soil,
water, and air quality; improve and restore wetlands; enhance fish and wildlife
habitat; improve pasture and rangeland; reduce upstream flooding; and improve
woodlands.
- Eligibility: All land users may receive technical assistance from the NRCS.
Land users are encouraged to work through their local Soil and Water
Conservation District (SWCD) to become district cooperators.
- Contract: Contracts vary by programs and practices.
- Contact: NRCS, SWCDs
Cooperative Soil Survey
Debt Cancellation Conservation Contract
(Debt for Nature)
- Purpose: To provide opportunity to cancel a portion of indebtedness in
exchange for a conservation contract.
- Eligibility: Landowner must owe the FSA and have marginal croplands or other
environmentally sensitive lands for conservation, recreation, and wildlife
purposes.
- Contract: 10, 30 or 50 years.
- Contacts: FSA, FWS
District Initiatives
- Purpose: Develop and implement locally-led initiatives which prioritize
and target sensitive areas by providing funds and resources where they do the
most good, to accelerate the implementation of federal programs to protect
water quality and fragile land. The statewide Buffer Initiative is one very
successful example.
- Practices: All of the practices available through EQIP, WHIP, WRP, and
continuous CRP, including buffer strips, waterways, riparian buffers, contour
buffer strips, shallow water areas for wildlife, wellhead protection, etc.
- Eligibility: Landowners with land that qualifies for federal conservation
programs.
- Contract: Voluntary agreement with SWCD to install practices with up to
75% cost-share and up to a 20-year maintenance agreement.
- Contact:
DSC, SWCDs, NRCS
EPA Section 319 Program
- Purpose: To provide funding for watershed-based water quality projects that
demonstrate and implement conservation practices to protect priority water
bodies from agricultural and other nonpoint pollution sources.
- Practices: Funds can be used for a variety of traditional and innovative
conservation practices that provide water quality benefits.
- Eligibility: Individual landowners and legal entities such as non-profit
organizations and communities participating in U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) Section 319 water quality projects.
- Contract: Funding for conservation practices is typically administered
through contracts with local SWCDs.
- Contacts: Iowa DNR, SWCD, EPA
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
- Purpose: To provide technical and financial assistance to landowners to
develop and implement conservation plans that address specific natural resource
concerns.
- Practices: Livestock manure management, grazing land management, soil erosion
control, and water quality improvement practices are eligible for financial
assistance
statewide.
- Eligibility: Agricultural producers on agricultural land are eligible.
Projects are selected based on environmental benefits.
- Contract: Up to 10 year contracts. Agricultural producers may be eligible for
payments up to $300,000 for all contracts for the length of the
2008 Farm Bill.
- Contact: NRCS, SWCDs, FSA
Farm Pond Program
- Purpose: To provide quality fishing opportunities for licensed anglers.
- Eligibility: DNR will provide fish free of charge if ponds meet the following
criteria: new or renovated and free of fish; surface area of at least 1/2 acre;
maximum depth of at least 8 feet; fenced to exclude livestock with a 60 foot
minimum buffer between pond edge and fence.
- Contract: Landowner signs agreement to follow recommendations regarding
management of the pond and adjacent wildlife area.
- Contacts: DNR
Financial and Reports Management System (FARMS)
- Purpose: To provide internet access to obtain the most up-to-date IDALS/DSC
program information, to locate local soil and water conservation district
contact information for technical assistance, to apply online for cost-share
assistance, and to review your private account information at your
convenience.
- Details: FARMS allows you to apply online for cost-share assistance,
follow your practice application from sign-up to payment, review
maintenance/performance agreements relevant to your soil and water
conservation practices, and manage your individual account at your
convenience.
- Contacts: DSC or SWCDs
Fishkill Restitution
- Purpose: Restore streams and make improvements in watersheds where
fishkills resulted from pollution releases.
- Practices: SWCDs set priorities for practices to fund including terraces,
waterways, erosion control structures and other conservation practice
applications.
- Eligibility: Producers on agricultural land within the boundaries of SWCD
where fishkill occurred who are also SWCD cooperators.
- Contract: Voluntary agreement with SWCD to install practices with up to
75% cost-share and up to a 20-year maintenance agreement.
- Contact: DSC, SWCDs, NRCS, DNR
FWS Programs
- The FWS offers two types of programs to Iowa landowners, including land
acquisition and technical assistance. For more specifics contact the Iowa
Private Lands Coordinator, P.O. Box 399, Prairie City, IA 50228, phone,
515.994.3400.
Forest Land Enhancement Program (FLEP)
- Purpose: Assist landowners to develop and implement a forest management plan.
- Practices: Forest stand improvement, tree planting, site preparations for
natural regeneration, agro forage, watershed protection, wildlife habitat
improvement, invasive species control, savanna restoration and forest
stewardship planning.
- Eligibility: Landowners with two or more acres.
- Contract: Agree to maintain practices for estimated life span. A management
plan is required. Up to 75 percent.
- Contact: DNR
General Non-Point Source Program (Low-Interest Loans)
- Eligible Projects (not limited to): restoration of wildlife habitat, stream
bank stabilization, urban stormwater management, remediation of storage tanks,
water conservation and reuse, and wetland flood prevention areas.
- More Details
through the Iowa DNR
Integrated Farm and Livestock Management
- Purpose: Demonstrate statewide the effectiveness and adaptability of
proper agricultural inputs of tillage, fertility, and pest management to
optimize production and minimize potential impacts of sediment, nutrients and
pesticides on the state’s soil and water resources; Iowa Learning Farm is an
example.
- Practices: Practices that result in water quality benefits and/or other
environmental benefits.
- Eligibility: Producers on agricultural land.
- Contract: Agreement with DSC for project administration.
- Contact: DSC
Iowa Financial Incentives Cost Share
- Purpose: Provide cost-share or financial incentives to private landowners
for the implementation of permanent and management soil and water conservation
practices in Iowa to control erosion and reduce sediment.
- Practices: SWCDs set priorities for practices to fund including terraces,
waterways, erosion control structures and other conservation practice
applications.
- Eligibility: Agricultural producers on agricultural land who are SWCD
cooperators are eligible.
- Contract: Voluntary agreement with SWCD to install practices with up to
75% cost-share and up to a 20-year maintenance agreement.
- Contact:
DSC, SWCDs, NRCS
Livestock Water Quality Facilities Program (Low-Interest Loans)
- Eligible Projects (not limited to): lagoons, manure management structures and
equipment, processing equipment, vegetative filters, and the development of
manure management plans.
- More Details through
the Iowa DNR
Local Water Protection Loan Program (Low Interest
Loans)
- Purpose: Provide loans for permanent soil conservation practices that are
designed to improve water quality and to prevent surface water runoff from open
feedlots. Loans can fund 100% of the practice costs or they can be used in
conjunction with state and federal programs. Loans range from $5,000-$50,000,
with terms up to 10 years.
- Eligibility: Under federal guidelines, loan funds cannot be used for projects
in concentrated animal feed operations (CAFOs).
- Contacts: SWCDs, DSC, NRCS, Private Lenders
Minerals Mining
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Purpose: License limestone, sand, gravel, gypsum and clay
mine operators; and bond and register mining sites in Iowa.
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Practices: Observation certain setbacks from buildings,
dwellings, property line and public right-of-ways; stabilization and
vegetation of overburden piles and prevent damage from occurring offsite as a
result of mining activity; removal of debris, grading and vegetation of
disturbed overburden; prohibition of practices that bury or destroy topsoil.
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Eligibility: Limestone, sand, gravel, gypsum and clay
mining activities.
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Contract: Licensure and registration with DSC.
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Contact: DSC
On-site Wastewater Assistance Fund
- Purpose: To provide low interest loans to repair or replace on-site septic
systems.
- Eligibility: Landowners must be able to secure the loan, be capable of
repaying the loan and be approved by the county.
- Contracts: Landowners may borrow from $2,000 to $10,000 for up to 10 years.
- Contacts: County, DNR
REAP Water Quality Protection Practices
- Purpose: Provide cost-share to landowners for practices to protect water
quality in Iowa by targeting and preventing off-site sediment, nutrient and
livestock waste pollution problems.
- Practices: SWCDs set priorities for practices including traditional
erosion control practices, tree planting, forestry and native grasses,
buffers, streambank stabilization, urban stormwater management, livestock
waste management, individual ag drainage well closure.
- Eligibility: Producers on agricultural land who are SWCD cooperators are
eligible.
- Contract: Voluntary agreement with SWCD to install practices with up to
75% cost-share and up to a 20-year maintenance agreement.
- Contact:
DSC, SWCDs, NRCS
REAP Water Quality Protection Projects
- Purpose: Bring landowners and other partners together within a watershed
to protect the state’s water resources from point and non-point sources of
contamination by targeting and preventing off-site sediment, nutrient and
livestock waste pollution problems.
- Practices: SWCDs set priorities for practices to fund including terraces,
waterways, erosion control structures and other conservation practice
applications.
- Eligibility: SWCDs
- Contract: Funding for conservation practices is administered through
contracts with local SWCDs.
- Contact: DSC,
SWCDs, NRCS
Shelterbelt Program
- Purpose: To provide funding for tree and shrub planting for energy
conservation and wildlife habitat.
- Practices: Funding to establish new or expand existing tree and shrub
shelterbelts around farmsteads or feedlots for energy conservation benefits.
- Eligibility: Statewide. Plantings must be around occupied farmsteads and
feedlots.
- Contract: Iowa DNR provides up to 75% of total cost, not to exceed $200 per
row, for 8- to 14-row shelterbelts. Trees and shrubs must be planted around
farmsteads or feedlots for energy conservation benefits.
- Contacts: DNR
State Cost-Share
- Purpose: To provide cost-share or incentives on permanent and management
conservation practices to control erosion and reduce sediment.
- Practices: SWCDs set priorities for practices to fund. Examples include
terraces, waterways, and structures.
- Eligibility: Any landowner who is a district cooperator and enters into a
voluntary agreement with the district to install and maintain an approved
conservation practice.
- Contracts: Up to 50% cost-share and up to a 20-year maintenance agreement.
- Contacts: DSC, SWCDs, NRCS
Note: DSC funds are administered through local SWCDs.
State Revolving Fund (SRF) Low-Interest Loan Program
- Purpose: Make available low-interest loans for a variety of water quality
projects in an effort to reduce the amount of sediment, nutrients, and
pesticides negatively impacting Iowa streams and lakes.
- Practices: Terraces, grade stabilization structures, water and sediment
control basins, waterways, filter strips, buffers, field borders, windbreaks,
erosion control structures, pasture and hay land planting or prescribed
grazing, waste storage facilities, deep bedded building or other roofed
manure control structures, urban storm water management, and other
conservation practices.
- Eligibility: Landowners who are able to secure the loan and capable of
repaying the loan; federal guidelines stipulate that loan funds cannot be used
for projects in concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFOs).
- Contract: Loans with private lenders for agricultural land BMPs from
$5,000-$50,000 with terms up to 10 years, and improvements to animal feeding
operations and for storm water management from $10,000 and up with terms up to
20 years.
- Contact: DSC,
SWCDs, DNR, NRCS, Private Lenders
State Loan Program
- Purpose: To provide no interest loans to eligible landowners for the
construction of permanent soil conservation practices contained in a
conservation plan.
- Practices: SWCDs set priorities for practices to fund. Examples include
terraces, waterways, and structures.
- Eligibility: Landowners must be able to secure the loan, be capable of
repaying the loan, and be a cooperator with the SWCD.
- Contracts for conservation practices: Cooperators may borrow up to $10,000
for a 10-year period and sign a 20-year maintenance agreement.
- Contracts for livestock program: Minimum loan of $10,000; Lifespan not to
exceed 20 years and plans must be approved by the DNR.
- Contacts: SWCDs, DSC, NRCS
Note: DSC funds are administered through local SWCDs.
State Watershed Protection Practices
- Purpose: Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) funds and Iowa Watershed
Protection Program (WSPF) provide cost-share or incentives to address local
water quality protection needs.
- Practices: Each SWCD sets priorities for practices. Examples include tree
plantings, windbreaks, land use conversion practices, and traditional erosion
control practices.
- Eligibility: Landowners who are SWCD cooperators and enter into voluntary
agreements with the district to install and maintain approved conservation
practices contained in a conservation plan.
- Contracts: Up to 75% cost-share and up to a 20-year maintenance agreement.
- Contacts: DSC, SWCDs, NRCS
Note: DSC funds are administered through local SWCDs.
Watershed Improvement Review Board (WIRB)
- Purpose: Award grants to improve water quality in Iowa which may include
agricultural runoff and drainage, streambank erosion, municipal discharge,
storm water runoff, unsewered communities, industrial discharge and livestock
runoff.
- Practices: A wide array of water quality improvement practices and
activities.
- Eligibility: SWCDs, local watershed improvement committees, counties,
county conservation boards public water supply utilities and cities.
- Contract: Agreement with WIRB
- Contact: DSC
Watershed Protection Program
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Purpose: Award “Development Grants” to SWCDs to
inventory, assess, and develop implementation strategies for watershed
management resulting in efficient and productive expenditure of program funds;
award “Implementation Grants” to SWCDs to provide technical and financial
assistance for the implementation of local watershed initiatives to reduce
soil erosion, protect municipal drinking water supplies, provide flood
control, restore wildlife habitat, and protect water, soil and other natural
resources.
- Practices: Variety of traditional and innovative conservation practices
that provide erosion control, water quality and flood reduction benefits.
-
Eligibility: SWCDs
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Contract: Funding for conservation practices is
administered through contracts with local SWCDs.
-
Contact: DSC,
SWCDs, NRCS
Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP)
- Purpose: To develop and implement a conservation plan for restoration of
wetlands previously altered for agricultural use.
- Practices: Wetland restoration and wildlife habitat establishment.
- Eligibility: Land that has been owned for one year and that could be restored
to wetland conditions.
- Contract: Landowners may restore wetlands with permanent easements, 30-year
easements or 10-year contracts. Permanent easements pay 100% of the agricultural
value of the land and 100% cost-share for restoration; 30-year easements pay 75%
of the agricultural value and 75% cost-share for restoration; 10-year contracts
pay 75% cost-share of restoration only. Permanent or 30-year easements are
recorded with property deeds. Ten-year contracts are not recorded with deeds.
- Contact: NRCS, SWCDs
Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP)
- Purpose: To develop or improve fish and wildlife habitat on privately owned
land through the application of a conservation plan.
- Practices: Seeding, tree and shrub plantings, fencing, instream structures,
and prairie restoration.
- Eligibility: Private agricultural land, non-industrial private forestland
or Indian land.
- Contract: Usually 5-10 years to install and maintain the habitat. Financial
assistance may be available for restoration costs, to a maximum of $30,000.
Other organizations may provide additional financial assistance.
- Contact: NRCS, SWCDs
Where to Go for Assistance
The NRCS, DSC, and local SWCD staff are located at the local USDA Service
Center in every county in Iowa. They provide free technical assistance on a
voluntary basis to landowners to help them conserve and protect the soil, water,
wildlife, and other natural resources on their land.
The Iowa DNR Forestry Bureau has 13 district forestry offices that provide
free technical assistance to landowners in establishing new tree and riparian
buffer strip plantings, and in woodland management planning and timber stand
improvements. Landowners may purchase select seedlings at cost from the State
Forest Nursery at 1-800-865-2477. Iowa DNR biologists also provide conservation
assistance to landowners throughout the state.
Numerous other organizations and agencies provide conservation assistance or
programs, including local Pheasants Forever Chapters, Ducks Unlimited, the
Nature Conservancy, the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, Iowa State University
Extension, and Resource Conservation and Development offices. Contact your local
NRCS office for ideas and local contact information.
Abbreviations of Conservation Agencies
NRCS—USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
www.ia.nrcs.usda.gov
SWCDs— Soil and Water Conservation Districts
(See DSC website)
DSC—Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Division of Soil
Conservation
www.agriculture.state.ia.us/soilconservation.html
FSA—USDA Farm Service Agency
www.fsa.usda.gov/ia
Iowa DNR—Iowa Department of Natural Resources
www.iowadnr.com
FWS—U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
www.fws.gov
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