Soil & Water officials describe watershed grants, urban conservation pilot

Representatives of the Black Hawk Soil & Water Conservation District told the board Jan. 27 that a living snow fence pilot and a suite of watershed projects aim to reduce road drifting and improve water quality across multiple watersheds.

The district said it paid two farmers approximately $1,800 to leave about 12 rows of standing crop along an Old Highway 20 corridor and related roads, creating roughly 3,500 feet of living snow fence. Presenters showed photos of 8-foot drifts the fences are blocking and said the approach saved loader use and staff time during recent snow events.

The commission also described urban watershed work, including Miller Creek and Dry Run (Bridal Cedar) projects, partnerships with neighboring counties and agencies (NRCS, DNR), internship and education programming with Hawkeye Community College, and an ongoing re-application for an EPA $1,000,000 Bridal Cedar Watershed grant. Officials noted the district receives a $3,000 stipend from the state for administrative costs and emphasized limited local funding, reliance on grants and partnership approaches, and challenges reaching out-of-state landowners for conservation practices.

Supervisors thanked the presenters and asked for follow-up; staff suggested the county could help connect partners and explore other watershed-wide funding opportunities.