Hallett's Quarry Watershed Project
Watershed Protection Accomplishments
Hallett's Quarry Watershed Project Cooperators
- Story SWCD
- USDA-NRCS, FSA, RC&D
- Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship
- Iowa Department of Natural Resources
- Iowa State University
- Squaw Creek Watershed Coalition
- City of Ames
- Story County
- Story County Conservation Board
- US-EPA Section 319
Land use prior to the Ada Hayden Watershed Project
Watershed Characteristics
- Encompasses 1467 acres of intensively farmed Ag land
- 538 acres of urban influence drained by storm sewer infrastructure
- 191 acres of golf courses
- Continuous urban sprawl
Project Objectives
- Implement BMPs throughout the watershed to aid in the reduction of erosion, sedimentation, and nutrient transport
- Implement an Information & Education effort to educate Ames and Gilbert about reducing non-point source pollution
- Create a GIS based project tracking BMP implementation for soil loss reduction documentation
- Complete a sociological assessment of residents within the watershed
STRUCTURAL PRACTICES
Practices offered by the Hallett's Quarry Watershed Project FY04
- Sediment basins
- Grade stabilizations structures
- Grassed waterways
- Nutrient Management ($5/$3/$0, 3 year contract) up to 500 acres
Two grassed waterways constructed in April of 2004.
Graphed comparison of soil loss before and after waterways were
installed.
Waterway Breakdown
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Breakdown of waterways between the two properties within the watershed.
Geotextile Grassed Chute
Practice used to eliminate a head cut due to high flows and to stabilize the outlet into a county culvert.
- Watershed of 26.5 acres
- Reduced soil loss by 3.2 tons/acre/year
- Approximate savings of 84.8 tons/year
Non-Structural Activities
- Conservation Planning is used to implement minimum tillage, nutrient management, and to install practices.
- Nutrient Management is the application of nutrients per soil levels. Nutrients are applied according to ISU recommendations.
- Low Impact Development
Nutrient Management
| Producer | Funding | Acres | Contract Amount |
| Producer #1 | 319 | 179.5 | $1436 |
| Producer #2 | EQIP | 79.8 | $632.80 |
| Producer #3 | EQIP | 67.4 | $539.20 |
| Producer #4 | EQIP | 116.6 | $932.80 | Producer #5 | 319 | 77.6 | $620.80 |
| Producer #6 | 319 | 242.9 | $1943.20 |
| Producer #7 | EQIP | 70.3 | $1696.80 |
| Producer #8 | None | 71.3 | 0 |
| Producer #9 | None | 125 | 0 |
| TOTAL | 1030.4 | $7801.60 | |
Overview of Nutrient Management
- 1030 Acres reviewed for nutrient management incentives
- 4 EQIP contracts
- 3 319 contracts
- 2 producers receiving no funding within the watershed
| Owner | Acres | Practices | NHEL/HEL |
| Owner #1 | 252.1 | No-till, Residue Mgt, Nutrient Mgt, Conservation Crop Rotation | HEL |
| Owner #2 | 148.5 | Residue Mgt, Nutrient Mgt, Conservation Crop Rotation | NHEL |
| Owner #3 | 77.6 | No-till, Residue Mgt, Nutrient Mgt, Conservation Crop Rotation, Waterway | NHEL |
| Owner #4 | 242.9 | Residue Mgt, Nutrient Mgt, Conservation Crop Rotation, Waterway, Pasture Mgt | NHEL |
| Owner #5 | 123.2 | Prairie Restoration, Wetland Restoration | NHEL |
| Owner #6 | 259.1 | Residue Mtg, Nutrient Mgt, Conservation Crop Rotation, Waterway, Grade Stabilization Structure | NHEL |
| Owner #7 | 127.9 | Residue Mtg, Nutrient Mgt, Conservation Crop Rotation | NHEL |
| Owner #8 | 116.6 | Residue Mtg, Nutrient Mgt, Conservation Crop Rotation | NHEL |
| Owner #9 | 79.8 | Residue Mtg, Nutrient Mgt, Conservation Crop Rotation, Continuous CRP | NHEL |
| Owner #10 | 70.7 | Residue Mtg, Nutrient Mgt, Conservation Crop Rotation, Pasture Mgt | NHEL |
| Owner #11 | 71.3 | Residue Mtg, Nutrient Mgt, Conservation Crop Rotation | NHEL |
| Total Acres | 1684.7 | ||
Overview of Conservation Planning
- Planned 1684 acres to reduced tillage systems and nutrient management
- The most critical 250 acres within the watershed were converted to a No-till system
- Soil erosion was reduced by approximately 820 tons by implementing No-till
- Approximately 1440 acres are planned to systems with a maximum soil loss of 5 t/a/y
Low Impact Development Concept
This is a true-life concept of a potential constuction development within the Ada Hayden Watershed.
Low Impact Development Benefits
- Reduce runoff from site
- Improve onsite and downstream water quality
- Enhance infiltration and groundwater recharge
- Reduce non-point pollution by using infiltration instead of storm sewer infrastructure
- Reduced site grading which results in less soil loss from construction
- Create and restores natural ecosystems within the development
CRP Farmable Wetlands
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Information and Education Goals
- Create awareness of non-point pollution in the project area
- Provide specific opportunities for individual actions that positively effect Hallett's Quarry
- Complete a sociological assessment of stakeholders within the watershed
- Educate citizens about Urban Storm water Pollution
Watershed Boundary Signage
These signs are placed at the boundaries of the Ada Hayden Watershed to educate citizens about watersheds and their locations on the landscape.
Urban Storm Sewer Education
Volunteer efforts to stencil the urban watershed involved approximately 20 - 25 participants at different events.
Urban Storm Sewer Education-Farmer's Market
- Great outlet for educating all portions of Story counties population
- Spoke with approximately 150 different persons about non-point source pollution and the urban influence contained in storm water
- Gave out 600 I & E sponges as well as hundreds of publications about Urban Watershed Management
Low Impact Development Workshop
- Hands on charette held in cooperation with two development firms in Ames
- 35 attendees- Including city council members, city and county P & Z personnel, Ames Mayor, and many more
- Involved in a short program explaining Low Impact Development
- Onsite visit to the Cochrane property
- Hands-on development of a LID concept on the 250 acre farm
Speaking Engagements
Installed Practices - Hallett's Quarry
Conclusion
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Thank you from the Story SWCD and the Hallett's Quarry Watershed Project