Calhoun County has been selected by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship to participate in an innovative “batch-and-build” project to improve water quality in the area. Calhoun County will act as the fiscal agent for the effort, while the Calhoun County Soil and Water Conservation District will be responsible for providing technical assistance and securing maintenance agreements with landowners. The batch-and-build model functions by implementing conservation practices, such as buffer strips and bioreactors, at multiple farms simultaneously. The Calhoun County Board of Supervisors and Brian Blomme, a drainage engineer for the district, said in a joint statement, “Water is one of our most important natural resources, and finding ways to protect and improve its quality remains essential to modern agricultural practices.” Under the program, the Iowa Department of Agriculture will reimburse Calhoun County for eligible project construction costs. The first-phase agreement will be available through June 30, 2026. This water quality project aims to install more than 25 edge-of-field conservation practices in the North Raccoon River watershed. Landowners interested in participating in the initiative are encouraged to contact the Calhoun County USDA Service Center by calling 712-297-7824 or via the email address included below.
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Thomas.Lynn@Iowaagriculture.gov
