Chariton Valley Resource Conservation and Development, Inc.

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Private Lands, Public Benefits John Glenn
Southern Iowa Farmer and Executive Director,
Rathbun Regional Water Association
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Lake Rathbun The most important water resource in
south central Iowa
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Farming and Water Quality Issues

• Rathbun Lake - 11,000 surface acres of water and
  21,000 acres of public land
• Uses Water supply, recreation, fish and
  wildlife habitat, flood control, down stream
  navigation
• 354,000 acre watershed
• Silting in 3 times faster than planned
• Reallocation of sediment storage impacts uses
• Watershed currently has 52,000 acres of CRP

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Farming and Water Quality Issues

• Changes needed in CRP
• 1) Ease regulations to emphasize management on
  CRP such as grazing or harvest for biomass
• 2) More emphasis on critical placement of CRP
  acres with aid of buffer strips, riparian areas,
  and grassed waterways
• 3) Eliminate restrictions on small drainage areas
  and intermittent streams
• 4) Change eligibility requirements such as
  cropping history

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Gully erosion in CRP field
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Riparian buffer example
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Farming and Water Quality Issues

• EQIP practices well received by field staff and
  farm operators
• Practice components are very diverse and address
  many conservation issues
• Program resources very limited and restrict whole
  farm applications
• Need to create flexibility to work with other
  potential partners on joint projects

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On-road structures replace expensive bridges and
stop sediment, nutrients, and pesticides from
entering the lake Other benefits include wildlife
habitat, fisheries, and a source of water for
livestock
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