Cynthia Farmer, policy associate, cynthiaf@cfra.org, 402.687.2100, ext. 1034 or Teresa Hoffman, senior communications associate, teresah@cfra.org, 402.687.2100, ext. 1012
After forming the Boone River Watershed Management Authority (WMA) in 2019 and developing a plan to guide their work, local leaders are ready to take the next step to improve their shared watershed.
Residents living in Hamilton, Hancock, Humboldt, Kossuth, and Wright counties are invited to share their ideas, thoughts, and suggestions for projects to address water quality challenges, decrease flooding, incentivize on-farm conservation, improve recreational opportunities, and increase wildlife habitat and biodiversity.
“We want the community to be involved with this decision-making,” said Dean Kluss, the group’s president and a Wright County supervisor. “Whether you are a resident, landowner, or farmer in the watershed, we want to hear from you.”
Example suggestions may include voluntary conservation practices such as edge-of-field practices like bioreactors or saturated buffers, wetland restoration, cover crops, or other solutions to address water concerns. With opportunities for funding at hand, all ideas are welcome.
TC Loving, who represents the Humboldt County Soil and Water Conservation District, said the group has a unique charge. A WMA is a cooperative agreement among cities, counties, and soil and water conservation districts that enables them to work collaboratively on watershed planning and management. Instead of working within political boundaries, they will be working within natural ones.
“Addressing these matters at the watershed level is particularly appealing because the issues bleed over municipal and county boundaries,” Loving said. “In the Boone River Watershed, we can approach water quality, flooding, and erosion by looking at the natural boundaries that encompass these problems.”
Residents are encouraged to share their ideas, thoughts, and suggestions via email at BooneRiverWatershed@gmail.com by Thursday, Aug. 31.
To learn more about the Boone River WMA, visit booneriver.org/boone-river-wma
