Iowa’s nutrient rich soils have made the state a leader in agricultural production. Problems are created, however, when erosion puts those nutrients into our lakes, rivers and streams.
High levels of nutrients in Iowa’s waterways increase water treatment costs. They also help create large algae blooms that deplete oxygen and kill off aquatic life and coastline habitat as far away as the Gulf of Mexico. High nutrient loads make our waterways less attractive for recreation and hurt commercial fishing.
We need to do a better job of keeping nutrients in the soil and out of our lakes, rivers and streams. The Iowa Department of Agriculture, Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Iowa State University have developed a “soil nutrient reduction strategy.” This strategy lays out a number of initiatives that farmers and landowners can use to better manage nutrients in the soil on their land.
In the Senate’s Natural Resources Budget, we fund this initiative with an additional $10 million for water quality. We will also push for accountability and transparency in how the program is carried out. We’ll focus our efforts on getting the greatest improvement in water quality with the practices put into place.
In addition, we are proposing $20 million to the Resource Enhancement and Protection program, better known as REAP. Twenty percent of REAP funding is set aside for soil conservation, and other funding can be used for habitat restoration and management.
Improving our water and soil is an investment in Iowa’s economy and quality of life. Clean water means more opportunities for outdoor recreation and economic activity, as well as healthy, low-cost drinking water. All Iowans will benefit when we reduce the nutrients making their way into our waters.