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Lucas 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 Lucas County resource concerns to be addressed by EQIP:

  • Air Quality – Excessive Greenhouse Gas – CO2
  • Air Quality – Undesirable Air Movement
  • Domestic Animals–Inadequate Quantities/Quality of Feed/Forage
  • Domestic Animals – Inadequate Stock Water
  • Fish and Wildlife – Inadequate Cover/Shelter
  • Fish and Wildlife – Inadequate Space
  • Fish and Wildlife – Inadequate Water
  • Plant Condition – Forage Quality and Palatability
  • Plant Condition – Noxious and Invasive Plants
  • Plant Condition – Productivity, Health, and Vigor
  • Soil Condition – Organic Matter Depletion
  • Soil Erosion – Classic Gully
  • Soil Erosion – Ephemeral Gully
  • Soil Erosion – Sheet and Rill
  • Soil Erosion – Streambank
  • Water Quality–Excessive Nutrients and Organics in Groundwater
  • Water Quality – Excessive Suspended Sediment and Turbidity in Surface Waters
  • Water Quality – Harmful Levels of Pathogens in Surface Water
  • Water Quality – Harmful Levels of Pesticides in Surface Water

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 watershed consistent with Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), where available, as well as the reduction of groundwater contamination and the conservation of ground and surface water resources.       
  2. Reduction of emissions, such as particulate matter, nitrogen oxides (N0x), volatile organic compounds and ozone precursors and depleters that contribute to air quality impairment violations of National Ambient Air Quality Standards.
  3. Reduction in soil erosion and sedimentation from unacceptable high levels on agriculture 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.  Due to local water quality issues, the following watersheds were selected to receive additional ranking criteria.  From the Rathbun Lake Special Project the following watershed will qualify:  Lower Chariton Creek, Chariton River #3, Chariton River #4, Chariton River #7,Chariton River #8, Brush Creek, and Upper Five-mile Creek.  The Upper Whitebreast Creek Watershed Project and Williamson Pond Watershed are also considered to be local priority watersheds for ranking purposes.  Local funding will be split among the following priority resource concern subpots:  Soil Erosion, Water Quality, Plant Condition, and County Wide. 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 Lucas County USDA Service Center located at 21792 490th Street, Chariton, IA  50049. Phone (641) 774-2512. Fax (641) 774-2700.

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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