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Hamilton 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 Hamilton County resource concerns to be addressed by EQIP:

Water Quality

  • Excessive Nutrients and Organics in Groundwater
  • Excessive Nutrients and Organics in Surface Water
  • Excessive Suspended Sediment and Turbidity in Surface Water
  • Harmful Levels of Pathogens in Surface Water 
  • Harmful Levels of Pesticides in Surface Water
  • Harmful Temperatures of Surface Water

Water Quantity

  • Excessive Runoff, Flooding, or Ponding
  • Excessive Seepage
  • Excessive Subsurface Water
  • Inadequate Outlets
  • Reduced Capacity of Conveyances by Sediment Deposition
  • Reduced Storage of Water Bodies - Sediment Accumulation

Soil Erosion

  • Classic Gully
  • Ephemeral Gully
  • Sheet and Rill
  • Streambank
  • Wind

Soil Condition

  • Compaction
  • Contaminants - Residual Pesticides 
  • Damage from Sediment Deposition
  • Organic Matter Depletion
  • Contaminants-Animal Waste and Other Organics – N
  • Contaminants-Animal Waste and Other Organics – P
  • Contaminants-Commercial Fertilizer - N
  • Contaminants-Commercial Fertilizer - P

Domestic Animals

  • Inadequate Stock Water
  • Inadequate Quantities and Quality of Feed and Forage
  • Inadequate Shelter
  • Stress and Mortality

Plant Condition

  • Forage Quality and Palatability
  • Noxious and Invasive Plants
  • Plants not Adapted or Suited
  • Productivity, Health and Vigor
  • Threatened or Endangered Plant Species
  • Wildfire Hazard

Fish and Wildlife

  • Inadequate Cover/Shelter
  • Inadequate Food
  • Inadequate Space
  • T & E Species: Declining Species, Species of Concern

Air Quality

  • Adverse Air Temperature
  • Ammonia (NH3)
  • Chemical Drift
  • Objectionable Odors
  • Excessive Greenhouse Gas-CO2
  • Particulate Matter < 10 micrometers in diameter  
  • Particulate Matter < 2.5 micrometers in diameter
  • Undesirable Air Movement

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 reduction of point sources such as contamination from confined animal feeding operations;
  2. The conservation of ground and surface water resources;
  3. Reduction of emissions, such as particulate matter, nitrogen oxides (NOX), volatile organic compounds, and ozone precursors and depleters that contribute to air quality impairment violations of National Ambient Air Quality Standards;
  4. Reduction in soil erosion and sedimentation from unacceptable high levels on agricultural land;
  5. Promotion of at-risk species habitat conservation

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 and prioritize impaired watersheds, and watersheds with locally led work groups. 

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.

For more information on EQIP and other NRCS administrated programs contact the Hamilton County USDA Service Center located at 1921 Superior Street, Webster City, IA 50595-3145.

Phone (515) 832-2916. Fax (515) 832-1113.

The following files require Acrobat Reader.

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