i Watershed Resiliency Plan A 20 Year Strategic Plan to Increase the Hydrologic Function & Resiliency of the Turkey River Watershed Developed for the TRWMA by Northeast Iowa RC&D Inc. with funding provided by HUD/CDBG and the Iowa Departmemt of Natural Resources 2 Table OF CONTENTS Section ONE: Goals, Vision Statement & Objectives ....................................................................... 1 Section FIVE: Proposed Strategies ............................................................................................................. 61 1.A Goals ....................................................................................................................................................... 2 5.A Summary of Strategies ................................................................................................................ 62 1.B Vision statement .............................................................................................................................. 3 5.B Objective 1: Technical assistanc .............................................................................................. 63 1.C Objectives ............................................................................................................................................ 3 5.C Objective 2: Increase Infiltration ............................................................................................. 65 5.D Objective 3: Reduce rainwater runoff & flash floods ................................................ 69 Section TWO: Water Resources ................................................................................................................... 5 5.E Objective 4: Restore & protect stream ecosystems .................................................. 71 2.A Water resources ............................................................................................................................... 6 5.F Objective 5: Protect properties near streams & rivers ............................................. 74 2.B History of flooding & nutrient transport ............................................................................ 8 5.G Objective 6: Implement SMART planning practices .................................................... 75 2.C Land ownership, use & major features ............................................................................... 11 5.H Objective 7: Bacteria Management ...................................................................................... 85 2.D Water resource concerns ........................................................................................................... 19 5.I Objective 8: Management of applied nutrients .............................................................. 89 2.E Soils ........................................................................................................................................................... 25 5.J Objective 9: Subsurface Drainage ......................................................................................... 91 2.F Climate & hydrology ..................................................................................................................... 30 5.K Objective 10: Technological opportunities ....................................................................... 93 2.G Geology of the watershed ......................................................................................................... 31 5.L Objective 11: Minimize water quality impacts from PPCPs ................................... 95 2.H Demographics ................................................................................................................................... 36 5.M Objective 12: Education & outreach .................................................................................... 99 2.I Storm water runoff & smart planning ................................................................................. 37 5.N Objective 13: Implement Policy .............................................................................................. 103 2.J Public & private outreach ............................................................................................................ 41 5.O Objective 14: Document Results ............................................................................................ 104 5.P Objective 15: Identify & address changes & trends ................................................... 111 Section THREE: Community Based Planning ....................................................................................... 45 3.A Local leadership; TRWMA ........................................................................................................... 46 Section SIX: Turkey River Watershed Budget ....................................................................................... 113 3.B Public engagement ......................................................................................................................... 49 3.C Survey of residents ......................................................................................................................... 55 Reference APPENDICES Appendix 1 Additional Maps & Figures Section FOUR: Watershed Research, Analysis & Monitoring ...................................................... 57 Appendix 2 NRCS Rapid Watershed Assessment 4.A Rapid watershed assessment ................................................................................................... 58 Appendix 3 Hydrologic Assessment of the Turkey River Watershed 4.B GIS analysis ......................................................................................................................................... 59 Appendix 4 Introduction to Big Springs 4.C IIHR/Iowa flood center hydrologic analysis & modeling .......................................... 59 Appendix 5 Outreach, Partnership & Engagement Plan Appendix 6 TRW Survey of Residents Appendix 7 County Flood Management Structure Policy ii iii Definitions AND ACRONYMS Turkey River CDBG: Community Development Block Grant Program IDALS: Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship PFI: Practical Farmers of Iowa CDI: Conservation Districts of Iowa IEDA: Iowa Economic Development Authority PF: Pheasants Forever CRP: Conservation Reserve Program IFC/IIHR: Iowa Flood Center RCPP: Regional Conservation Partnership Program DC: District Conservationist Iowa DNR: Iowa Department of Natural Resources SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely EPA: Environmental Protection Agency IRVM: Integrated Roadside Vegetation Management SWCD: Soil and Water Conservation District EWP: Emergency Watershed Protection ISA: Iowa Soybean Association TRWMA: Turkey River Watershed Management Authority EWRP: Emergency Wetland Reserve Program MLRA: Major Land Resource Area TRW: Turkey River Watershed FEMA: Federal Emergency Management Agency NASS: National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA: United States Department of Agriculture GIS: Geographic Information System Northeast Iowa RC&D: Northeast Iowa Resource USGS: United States Geological Survey HUC: Hydrologic Unit Code Conservation and Development WRP: Wetlands Reserve Program HUD: Housing & Urban Development NRCS: Natural Resource Conservation Service IACAN: Iowa Conservation Action Network NRCS RWA: Rapid Watershed Assessment 2 Partners AND RECOGNITION Partner 1: TRWMA Member Cities, Counties, and SWCDs. TRWMA members each appointed one representative who served on the 35 member Turkey River WMA Board of Directors, meeting quarterly as a full Board and more frequently in committees to review information, develop recommendations, and finalize plan components. Partner 2: TRWMA Committees. Dozens of public and private partners served on TRWMA committees considering research, best management practices, economics, social factors and discussing local lessons learned. This plan is a direct reflection of their input and recommendations and would not have been possible without them. A full description of the committees is included in the Local Leadership section of this plan. The committees included: Executive, Techical, Community, Commissioners, County Infrastructure, Producer Groups, Education, Emergency Management, Fisheries, and RCPP. Partner 3: Iowa Economic Development Authority. Administered HUD CDBG funding for the Turkey River WMA to develop this plan, including funding to contract professional facilitators, researchers and planners to help with development of this plan. They also administered HUD CDBG funding for the Iowa Flood Center and IIHR to model and test their models in the Turkey River Watershed and Otter Creek Watershed. Partner 4: Clayton County. Clayton County Board of Supervisors served as the applicant for the IEDA funds. They and the Clayton County Auditor provided fiscal leadership and accounting for the IEDA and other grants on behalf of the TRWMA. Partner 5: Iowa Flood Center. Provided state-of-the-art, in-depth analysis, research, and modeling that helped all the partners better understand the TRW and how specific actions could reduce flooding. They also provided equipment and monitoring throughout the TRW, and funding for specific projects in Otter Creek Watershed including five rain gauge/soil moisture probes, two stream gauging stations, and 3 real time nitrate monitors in Otter Creek Watershed. They have two additional nitrate monitors in the Turkey River and are partners in the placement and use of over 23 rain gauge/soil moisture