Voluntary Incentives to Improve Water Quality, Prevent Soil Erosion, Restore Wetlands to help Prevent Future Flooding
Nothing is more important than having safe water to drink, and clean water in our lakes, rivers and streams. Unfortunately, over 500 bodies of water in all 99 counties are polluted - some with dangerously high levels of heavy arsenic and mercury.
In 2008, Iowa suffered record flooding, with loss of life and hundreds of millions of dollars in cleanup and repair costs.
The Iowa Water & Land Legacy Amendment, that passed in November 2010, will protect Iowa's valuable soils,
preserve our farming heritage, restore wetlands, and protect against future flood damage.
The mechanism created by the amendment will dedicate
significant funds
for
wetlands restoration, water quality programs and other projects that
would help reduce, prevent, and mitigate the impacts from future
flooding.
Stories like this one are occurring on an increasingly frequent basis and it's time to support
"non-structural" solutions to flooding - solutions that slow & retain water before it ends up in our basements, sewers, streets and businesses.
Over 500 of Iowa’s waterways are impaired – lakes, streams, and rivers
where our children swim, fish, and get their drinking water. With
71,665 miles of streams and rivers and more than 161,000 acres of lakes,
ponds and wetlands, it may seem as if Iowa has a wealth of water
resources. Yet, less than one percent of the state's land area is
covered with water. It is vital that this limited resource, both above
and below ground, be protected and available for Iowans to use for
drinking water, recreation and industries.
Iowa’s Water and Land Legacy is an Iowa based committee organized in all 99 counties working to support sustainable funding for voluntary natural resources and conservation programs in Iowa. The campaign represents a coalition of over 130 organizations with more than 300,00 members in Iowa – a grassroots coalition of conservationists, members of prominent farm organizations, sportsmen, farmers, community leaders, and businesses committed to creating an accountable and sustainable source of funding for natural resources and outdoor recreation.
The Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund will provide a permanent, dedicated and accountable funding mechanism for protection of water quality, conservation of agricultural soils and improvement of natural areas in Iowa, including fish and wildlife habitat.