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Lower Cedar Watershed officials report rising cover‑crop adoption, local cooperation on water‑quality projects
Summary
East Central Iowa Council of Governments and Heartland Co‑op updated the Linn County Board on the Lower Cedar Watershed Management Authority, reporting growing cover‑crop adoption (about 25,000 acres in 2023 and roughly 35,000 in 2024), roughly 40 edge‑of‑field practices installed last year, and ongoing efforts to secure funding to retain the watershed coordinator through 2026.
Alyssa Comer of the East Central Iowa Council of Governments told the Linn County Board of Supervisors on Nov. 3 that the Lower Cedar Watershed Management Authority (WMA) — formed in 2018 and operating under a 28E agreement with about 30 members — is focused on water quality and flood mitigation across roughly 700,000 acres and seven counties.
Comer said the WMA received a planning grant from the DNR in 2019 that funded the watershed planning process and led to the creation of a dedicated watershed coordinator position. "ARPA funding started this effort out," she said, and the county-contracted agreement with Heartland Co‑op to provide the coordinator was extended through June 2026 while staff pursue additional funding opportunities.
Emery Davis, Eastern Iowa conservation agronomist for Heartland Co‑op and the WMA’s watershed coordinator, described on‑the‑ground conservation work in the Lower Cedar, emphasizing cover crops and edge‑of‑field structures. "About 25,000 acres in 2023 and about '35 in 2024," Davis said, describing high adoption of cover crops among roughly 200 farmers in the watershed. He noted saturated buffers and bioreactors — edge‑of‑field installations that intercept tile flow and remove nitrates — as key practices; Davis said the program installed about 40 such practices last year.
Davis described outreach efforts including field days, equipment demonstrations and cost‑share guidance. He said Heartland Co‑op helps farmers stack funding from Practical Farmers of Iowa on top of state and federal programs to make conservation investments more affordable.
During questions, Supervisor Sheets asked whether federal and state conservation funds were affected by the federal government shutdown. Davis replied, "state funding is still available right now," and that federal programs were paused until agencies resume operations.
The board thanked the presenters and staff noted the WMA’s watershed plan is available online for public review. Chair moved on to subsequent business after the presentation.
