Dubuque County EQIP

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary conservation program of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) that promotes agricultural production and environmental quality. This program is available to farmers and offers financial and technical assistance to install or implement structural and management practices on eligible agricultural land.

The following are Dubuque County Resource Concerns to be addressed by EQIP:

1. Water Quality - Excessive Nutrients and Organics in Groundwater and Surface Water, Excessive Sediment & Turbidity in Surface Water.

2. Soil Erosion - Sheet and rill; Ephemeral gully; Classic gully

3. Plant Condition - Productivity, Health, and Vigor

4. Domestic Animals - Inadequate Stock Water, Inadequate Quantities and Quality of Feed and Forage

5. Air Quality – Objectionable Odors, Particulate matter less than 10 micrometers in diameter (PM 10)       

These resource concerns address the following National EQIP priorities:

1. Reduction of non-point source pollution, such as nutrients, sediment, pesticides, or excess salinity in impaired watersheds consistent with Total Daily Maximum Loads (TMDL’s) where available as well as the reduction of groundwater contamination and the conservation of ground and surface water resources.

2. Reduction in soil erosion and sedimentation from unacceptable high levels on agricultural land.

The goal of the locally led group was to recommend a ranking system that rewarded and gave priority to those producers that address the above resource concerns that reduce soil erosion on cropland and improve water quality through livestock manure storage systems. The ranking will be completed for the specific practices to be applied through the EQIP contract. Sign-up is continuous at the NRCS field office. Application ranking will be done periodically as funding allocations become available, will be announced through the NRCS State Office, and will be publicized by all levels of NRCS. The NRCS may establish local, minimum ranking cut-off levels for funding selection.

The local work group also recommended a list of conservation practices that are the most cost-effective, longest duration, and address these priority resource concerns in the district. Upper Catfish Creek Watershed was determined to be a local priority watershed for ranking purposes.

For more information on EQIP and other NRCS administrated programs contact the Dubuque County USDA Service Center located at 210 Bierman Rd., Epworth, Iowa. Phone (563) 876-3418 ext. #3. Fax (563) 876-3653.

The following files require Acrobat Reader.

EQIP Practice List - 2009
EQIP Application Ranking - 2009
EQIP Nutrient Management Intensity Options - 2009   

EQIP Practice List - 2008    For Archival Purposes Only
EQIP Application Ranking - 2008    For Archival Purposes Only
EQIP Nutrient Management Intensity Options - 2008    For Archival Purposes Only

EQIP Practice List - 2007    For Archival Purposes Only
EQIP Application Ranking - 2007    For Archival Purposes Only
EQIP Nutrient Management Intensity Options - 2007    For Archival Purposes Only

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