Beckfield Farm Saturated Buffer

Buena Vista County, IA | Water

Overview

Partnering with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS), ISG’s water resource professionals utilized their extensive understanding of Iowa’s water quality concerns and oversaw the design and installation of saturated buffers for a large watershed in Buena Vista County.

Opportunity

IDALS prioritized several regions throughout Iowa in need of water conservation practices to improve water quality in the state. Beckfield Farm in Buena Vista County, a heavily row-cropped region, was identified as a partner to introduce saturated buffers as a conservation method. The tenant farmer had concerns about widening the existing buffer and reducing farmable ground.

Solution

Working with the tenant and landowner, the project provided a unique opportunity for the water resource team to treat two drainage tile systems. An iterative design process, ISG designed and constructed two saturated buffers for a large watershed of approximately 100-acres of an existing drainage system. Once installed, the saturated buffers were nearly undetectable and took minimal acres out of production addressing production concerns of the tenant.  

Key Points
  • Improved water quality
  • Two saturated buffers
  • Minimal land production loss
  • Collaboration between IDALS, tenant, and landowner
  • Headwaters of the North Raccoon Water Quality Initiative Project
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