Last of Iowa’s remaining ag drainage wells now closed
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig (left), department engineer Mike Bourland (second-left), wetlands mitigation bank representative Kevin Griggs (second-right) and landowner David Telford look over a map of the completed agricultural drainage wells closing and related wetlands creation project in a gathering at Telford’s farm on Nov. 19 east of Gilmore City. Independent photo.
By PHIL MONSON
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig was in Humboldt County last week (Nov. 19) to celebrate the closing of the state’s last remaining agricultural drainage wells.
Naig met with local officials at the David Telford acreage east of Gilmore City to laud the effort of a process that has more than 30 years, the closing of 195 drainage structures.
Naig visited the final project completed earlier this month which involved eight different properties with 13 different landowners who all had to agree for the project to proceed. The project, which has been in the planning or construction phase for six years, resulted in the closing of seven drainage wells with the drainage re-directed into a water quality wetland spanning 137 acres.
Ag drainage wells were drilled into fractured limest0ne and connected to farm field drainage tiles by private landowners and farmers in the early to mid 1900s. It allowed tile drainage into underground aquifers. This produced a direct conduit for storm water to enter groundwater while the landowner or neighbors also used the same aquifers for their well drinking water.
“The closing of Iowa’s ag drainage wells represents a significant milestone in our efforts to improve Iowa’s water quality. Improving water quality takes time, commitment and dedicated funding. This demonstrates that when there is a strategy and funding in place, this impactful work can get done successfully,” Naig said.
“I want to thank everyone who has played a role throughout this ongoing effort – farmers, landowners, engineers, conservation professionals, legislators and many other engaged public and private partners, including the Soil and Water Conservation Districts and county boards of supervisors. I’m pleased that we can now close this chapter even as we continue to push forward with our many other water quality and conservation initiatives across the state,” Naig said.
Read the full story in this week's issue of the Humboldt Independent.
