1304-003 Honey-Lindsey-Allison Creeks Watershed Final Report

This project area is 65,125 acres and includes three watersheds within the Maquoketa River basin: Honey Creek, Lindsey Creek, and Allison Creek. Historically these watersheds have been intensively farmed areas, including row crop and·extensive livestock agriculture. The water quality concerns in these watersheds are nitrogen, phosphorus, bacteria, and sediment. Water quality sampling has been conducted beginning in 2009 to the present. Nutrients and bacteria are elevated in the surface water. This project area is currently being managed under the Mississippi River Basin Initiative (MRBI) for upland treatment. Staff has seen a need and demand for streambank stabilization in these watersheds as well; however, the MRBI does not include funding these projects. Stabilizing eroding banks in conjunction with the MRBI upland treatment would improve the water quality and reduce soil erosion in the project area. This focused management should have a positive impact on the water quality and be a cost effective partnership