January 2008 A newsletter for Rathbun Land and Water Alliance Board members Volume 3 Issue 1

Alliance Matters and Partner News 2008 Alliance Member and Partner Support
Request
Contact Marty Braster at 641.647.2416 Each year local Alliance members and partners are asked to
or by email at mbraster@rrwa.net contribute $200 each to the organization. These funds
enable the Alliance to carry out activities which are
essential for an effective volunteer-based, non-profit
organization such as the annual financial audit and annual meeting. Alliance member RRWA matches dollar-for-dollar the
contributions from other local Alliance members and partners. Invoice requests for calendar year 2008 contributions have been sent
to local Alliance members and partners.

Strong Partner Support to Expand Rathbun

Lake Protection Efforts
The Iowa Watershed Improvement Review Board, IDALS
Division of Soil Conservation, and Iowa Department of Natural
Resources have recently committed more than $1 million in
additional financial support for the Rathbun Lake Special
Project. This support will enable the Alliance and its partners to
continue and expand assistance to landowners with the application
of best management practices for priority land in nine targeted
sub-watersheds. As a result of this continued strong support,
Rathbun Lake protection efforts will now be underway in 24
sub-watersheds through the Special Project.

2007 Audit Underway

The Alliance has contracted with TD&T Financial Group P.C. to
perform the organization’s 2007 financial audit. Alliance
members’ staff have started to work with representatives of the
firm on audit related activities.

Susania Ernst, environmental specialist with the Iowa BMP Update

Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
Division of Soil Conservation, Contact Susania Ernst at 641.774.2512
began her duties at the Lucas or by email at Susania.Ernst@ia.nacdnet.net
County field office in mid-
September and will serve as the
Rathbun Lake Special Project Coordinator for Lucas and Clarke Counties.

Ernst is new to Chariton; however, she worked for the USDA NRCS in Fairfield, Iowa from 1994 to 1998 as a
conservation technician. “There have been many changes since that time, added programs of the Rathbun
Watershed, the use of GIS and up-to-date computer software,” says Ernst. Her main focus will be working on
the approved sub-watersheds in Rathbun Lake Watershed counties of Lucas and Clarke.
Left: IDALS-DSC Environmental Specialist and Rathbun Lake Special Project Coordinator, Susania Ernst, stakes the construction
site for the Sponslor large impoundment structure.
 Velvet’s View WIRB Structure update:
The first large sediment basin has been completed in Lucas
Contact Velvet Buckingham at 641.872.1350 county! Staff are working to complete the final paperwork
or by email at Velvet.Buckingham@ia.nacdnet.net and issue payment to the contractor. Four additional
sediment basins have been contracted, and construction is

currently underway on three of the basins. Staff have identified seven other sediment basin locations, and landowners have signed
applications. Currently, one of these basins is a joint SIDCA/WIRB structure, which will be built by Wayne County. Two other basins
are going through the final design process, and the remaining four structures need to be surveyed and designed this winter. It is
anticipated that the designs will be completed this winter, and the remaining basins will be constructed in the spring and summer.

EQIP sign-up:
Field office staff have been working on the 2008 General EQIP sign-up. Staff stopped taking applications on November 30th, and will
be working with landowner to complete estimates and rank their projects in the coming month.
All General EQIP funds must be obligated to landowners by the January 25th deadline.

Project staff are working to complete and submit a Special EQIP request for
cost-share. Landowners whose priority ground is located in the WIRB subwatersheds: Lower
Chariton Creek, Chariton River #3, Upper Dick Creek, Lower Dick Creek,
Chariton River #4 and Chariton River #8; as well as in Lower Ninemile Creek, Upper
Jordan Creek and Lower Jordan Creek will be eligible for any special EQIP funds awarded.

Summary of Completed BMP Practices in Targeted Sub-watersheds

From 10/1/03 – 8/31/07
Gross Sediment Phosphorus
Erosion Delivery Delivery
Units Acres Reduction Reduction Reduction
Practice Installed Benefited Tons/Yr. Tons/ yr. Lbs./Yr.
Terraces 404,037 ft. 4200 ac. 4437 6892 30,781
Water & Sediment Basins 109 no. 354 ac. 448 784 3731
Grade Stabilization Structures 59 no. 1392 ac. 959 2369 9635
Livestock Exclusion 8 ac. 8 ac. 84 32 158
Pasture & Hayland Seeding 599 ac. 599 ac. 2402 798 3595
Grassed Waterways 31.8 ac. 503 ac. 454 431 2197
CRP buffer / filter strips 92.7 ac. 93 ac. 591 192 1079
Fence (for improved livestock
mgt.) 14,809 ft.
Heavy Use Protection Areas 10 no.
Pipeline 3160 ft.
Tanks 7 no.
Brush Management 280 ac.
Nutrient Management 159.7 ac.
TOTALS 7149 ac. 9375 t/y 11,498 t/y 51,176 lbs/y
Helga Offenburger joins Rathbun Lake Special Project effort
Helga Offenburger began employment with the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Dallas
County in 1995 and continued to work in various capacities until 2001 when she was hired by the Iowa
Department of Natural Resources. She transferred to the Lucas County USDA office in 2002 and for the
past five years has worked on the Pheasant Quail Restoration Program.

Helga will now spend 50 percent of her time providing assistance to the Rathbun Lake Special Project.
She will work with landowners in the Rathbun Lake Watershed who are interested in wildlife habitat.
She has extensive experience working with private landowners and the Crop Reserve Program. She says
she looks forward to her work with the Rathbun Lake Watershed landowners.
Helga photo

“For me, wildlife habitat and soil conservation go hand and hand,” she says.

Special Report Forage and Livestock Component

Contact Mike Knox at 641.872.1350 or by
email at Michael.J.Knox@ia.nacdnet.net
We have had a successful project year for the Iowa State
grazing research project. The first year of the three year
study has been completed and Dr. Russell and his staff
have accumulated some quantitative data on the amount
of time that cattle spend in the stream.

Some of the preliminary numbers indicate that cows are only spending 1.4 percent of their time in
the stream compared to 40 percent from earlier observations from scientists. However, the cattle are
spending some additional time in the riparian area approximately 200 feet from the stream since there
is more shade present. Doug Bear, Iowa State University graduate student, is working to wrap up the
analysis of the first year of data information from year one.

The ISU team is also seeking more producers that might be interested in having the GPS tracking
collars on their cows as well as a few more collaborators that would be interested in placing erosion
pins in the banks of their stream. If you know of someone that might be interested in collaborating with this project please let me
know.

Wayne County is taking an initiative to try to promote more forage in the watershed. The SWCD is offering a special incentive to
convert row crop land to hay production. Sixty-five dollars per acre is being offered as a one time payment plus, seventy five dollars
per acre incentive is being offered at the end of the first year if landowners are using the seeded areas for hay. The conversion from
row crop to pasture has a five-year maintenance period. The Wayne District feels that this is an important way to help try to
promote grass and seedings in the county as well as the Rathbun Watershed.

The Iowa Beef Center and Iowa State University held a series of workshops that addressed the following: managing feed costs; the
quality of the 2007 hay crop and what supplements are required for animal health; co-products available to producers; what
products fit your operation; and storing and feed wet distillers grains. The workshops were held in Promise City, Mount Ayr, and
Winterset. (A portion of this information was provided through Iowa State University Extension and the Iowa Beef Center
website.)

The Rathbun Lake Special Project is a partnership of the following individuals, agencies, and organizations: Participating landowners in the Rathbun Lake
Watershed; Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s Division of Soil Conservation; Iowa Department of Natural Resources; Iowa State
University; Iowa Watershed Improvement Review Board; Southern Iowa Development and Conservation Authority; US Army Corps of Engineers; US
Environmental Protection Agency; USDA Farm Service Agency; USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; Appanoose, Clarke, Decatur, Lucas,
Monroe, and Wayne Soil and Water Conservation Districts; Appanoose, Clarke, Decatur, Lucas, Monroe, and Wayne Counties; Iowa Farm Bureau at the state and county levels; and Rathbun
Regional Water Association.
 Watershed Outreach Alliance recognizes 2007 Rathbun Lake
Protectors at Annual Meeting
Contact Kathleen Chester at 641.774.5940
or by email at chester@sirisonline.com Based on nominations by local Soil and Water Conservation
Districts, the Rathbun Land and Water Alliance selected land-
owners who exhibited outstanding stewardship in the protection of Rathbun Lake and recognized them at the 2007 Annual Meeting
held in Chariton on September 13. Those selected as Rathbun Lake Protectors are as follows:

Brad and Cathy Reece – Lucas

County—The Reece’s installed one
grade stabilization structure, 14,000 feet
of terraces, and 4.3 acres of waterway,
which benefited more than 330 acres and
provided sediment reduction by more
than 405 tons per year. Reece's
have been instrumental in the planning of
a Wetlands Reserve Program project and
Watershed Improvement Review Board
structure which was recently constructed
on the farm of an uncle.

Rick and Kathy Schlutz and Marshall and Julie Schlutz—Lucas County—Rick and Kathy Schlutz and Marshal and Julie
Schlutz implemented a rotational grazing system on their farm, installed two grade stabilization structures and are working to
complete a third structure – which will provide a better source of water for their livestock. Plans include 4,300 feet of fence to make
smaller paddocks to rotate livestock to ensure better utilization of their forages. They also plan to re-seed approximately 70 acres.

Joe and Joanie Boggs—Decatur County—The Boggs' installed 1,600 feet of terraces and Joe was instrumental in over-seeing
the installation over 3,500 feet of terraces on his family’s farms. An additional 3,450 feet of terraces will be constructed.

Steve and Dody Osgood—Clarke County—Steve and Dody Osgood installed 12,600 feet of terraces and four acres of
waterways which benefited more than 160 acres and provided sediment delivery reductions of 357 tons per years. Steve was
instrumental in persuading two other landowners in the Rathbun Watershed to install best management practices on their farms.

Paul and Suzanne Turner—Appanoose County—Paul and Suzanne Turner installed more than 8,000 feet of terraces and nu-
merous water and sediment control basins, grassed waterways and conservation tillage.
The Turners plan to install an additional 2,000 feet of terraces and three water and
sediment control basins. Paul Turner became a Soil and Water Conservation District
Cooperator in 1984 and owns more than 500 acres in the Rathbun Watershed. The
Turners have been very proactive in treating both NHEL and HEL fields to reduce
sheet, rill and ephemeral erosion.

Dorothy Conner—Wayne County—Dorothy is a life long conservationist and has

been working for years to plant her farm to trees. Each year she completed additional
tree plantings, which provides water quality benefits as well as provide habitat for
wildlife. Congressman Leonard Boswell, RLWA President, John
Glenn, and WHO Radio Big Show host, Ken Root.
Jim and Marlene Carlisle—Wayne County—The Carlisles installed a
rotational grazing system and plan to seed crop ground to pasture. They follow an
approved conservation system, which includes seeding his farm down for extended periods of time. This land use conversion provides
valuable water quality benefits.

Honorary Protector Award—An honorary Rathbun Lake Protector award was presented to Ubbo Agena, retired non-point source
program manager with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, for his support of the water quality protection efforts in the
Rathbun Lake Watershed.