Hunt Farm Saturated Buffer
Plymouth County, IA | Water
Overview
Working with local landowners and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS), ISG’s water resource team designed the first saturated buffer in Plymouth County.
Opportunity
Funded through IDALS, the Deep Creek Water Quality Initiative Project, which includes Plymouth County, promotes and demonstrates conservation practices that address the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy (NRS), a technology-based framework to assess and reduce nutrients to Iowa waters. To assist Plymouth County in meeting water quality goals outlined in the NRS, ISG partnered with Hunt Farm to implement innovative Edge of Field (EOF) solutions.
Solution
Demonstrating ISG’s commitment to expanding water conservation practices and improving water quality across Iowa, the firm designed its longest buffer to date in Plymouth County, with 930 feet of distribution line. Providing coordination between IDALS, the watershed coordinator, and landowner, the water resource team’s resourceful design accommodated the crossing of an existing drainage tile by including non-perforated segments.
As the first saturated buffer installed in Plymouth County, the Hunt site showcases this nutrient reduction method with the anticipated outcome of accelerating the adoption of the practice across the landscape. Meeting the Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) standards, the final site was completed in the summer of 2019 and treats 22-acres.