Polk Soil and water conservation district
Learn About Rural Conservation
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Rural
Rural areas, like residential acreages and crop fields, make up a little over half of the landscape in Polk County. This has drastically changed from the past landscape of prairie and woodlands. Because of this, most of the rainfall does not infiltrate into the ground and instead quickly runs off into nearby water bodies. Fertilizers, chemicals, and other pollutants are often carried with this water causing degraded water quality. In some cases, exposed soil is also carried with the water leading to erosion. Current management practices are also leading to decreased amounts of organic matter, causing less productive soils.
There are many conservation practices that can help solve some of these issues. Farmers and landowners are currently working with one another as well as local agencies to try and implement these solutions.
Rural Conservation
Connecting Iowa’s agricultural and natural resources needs.
Watershed 101
What is a watershed? How are you connected to water, flooding, and water quality?
The Problem
The vast changes that have occurred across Iowa’s landscape have led to major negative environmental impacts. These impacts have lead to poor water quality, erosion of topsoil, and decreased soil health as well as many other concerns. These problems just don’t negatively affect our environment; they can be detrimental to crop production and impact human health.
The Solution
There are many changes landowners and producers can make on the landscape to solve some of the environmental problems seen today. These changes can range from building a small wetland to complete management changes like extended crop rotations.
Get Involved
The first steps towards solving many of our environmental issues are figuring out what problems you are having and what potential solutions are out there. Luckily, we can potentially cover some of the cost associated with implementing these solutions. To learn more about the potential cost share opportunities see below or contact us today!
Rural Resources
Additional Practice Information
Contractor List
Financial Assistance
Partners
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
Polk County Water Resources
Rural Resources
It takes 500 - 1,000 years for nature to build 1" of topsoil in Iowa
To provide leadership that helps people improve, conserve, and sustain our natural resources while educating them on the importance and practicality of maintaining our environment and quality of life.
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Office Hours
- Monday-Friday: 8:00am - 4:30pm
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Saturday-Sunday: Closed
Closed on federal holidays
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