Heartland Co-Op EOF Batch and Build

ISG partnered with Heartland Co-op and landowners across Tama and Grundy Counties to deliver a comprehensive batch-and-build program that installs edge-of-field conservation practices, including saturated buffers and denitrifying bioreactors. The project was designed to treat tile drainage from nine agricultural sites, some on FEMA floodplains, by standardizing construction specifications, mobilizing contractors efficiently, and implementing practices at scale.

Landowners sought cost-effective solutions to manage nutrient runoff while maintaining productive farmland. ISG developed a coordinated design that combined subsurface drainage upgrades, water control structures, and targeted conservation practices. This approach overcame challenges such as variable site conditions, existing tile networks, and landowner operational needs, while implementing saturated buffers and bioreactors to reduce nitrate loads before water enters nearby streams and rivers.

By packaging multiple sites under one contract, the batch-and-build model reduced per-site costs, expedited permitting, and ensured consistent quality. ISG’s design and inspection process gave landowners confidence in system performance, while meeting Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)-based specifications for durability and long-term functionality. Beyond executing the project, ISG helped design and refine the batch-and-build approach itself, creating a standardized framework for delivering multiple conservation projects efficiently at scale.