Dubuque seals state's first pact to partner with farmers on water-quality goals

A new agreement between Dubuque and the state of Iowa could provide a blueprint for how cities can work with upstream farmers to improve the quality of the state's rivers, streams and lakes and limit the need for millions of dollars in utility improvements.

Officials say Dubuque's memorandum of understanding with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources that was approved this week is the first of its kind and provides a path for other cities to partner with farmers to invest in cover crops, wetlands and other conservation practices that can have a big impact on water quality. 

“This is a big deal for Iowa’s cities, big and small,” said Robert Palmer, general counsel for the Iowa League of Cities. Officials say four other Iowa cities and towns are interested in duplicating Dubuque's agreement.

Dubuque leaders say the city faces investing nearly $11 million to meet new state water quality goals at its wastewater treatment facility. They hope working with upstream farmers can help the Mississippi River city spend less.

Bartlett Durand, director of water quality partnerships for the Sand County Foundation, a Wisconsin-based nonprofit conservation group that helped negotiate the agreement, said Dubuque could pay a lot less to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus levels by working with farmers rather than making costly upgrades to its wastewater treatment plant.

The state requires Dubuque and about 100 other large communities to cut nitrogen levels by 66% and phosphorus levels by 75% at their wastewater treatment plants. The timetable varies, depending on the community, officials say. 

The wastewater reduction goals are part of the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy that calls for rural and urban areas to cut by 45% the nitrogen and phosphorus that flows down the Mississippi River and contributes each year to the "dead zone" that extends from the river's mouth into the Gulf of Mexico.

The agreement allows Dubuque to count toward its wastewater treatment goals the nutrient reduction that results from conservation practices. Several state and federal groups have joined to create a Nutrient Reduction Exchange to track Iowa's conservation practices.

William O'Brien, manager of the Dubuque Water & Resource Recovery Center, said the city hired a North Dakota engineering company to model the land within the county to determine the best locations for conservation investments.

He said more work is needed to determine how much upstream investment would be required for the city to meet its nutrient reduction goals. Farmers would be asked to participate in the voluntary program.

At a February work session, O'Brien told city council members the city may need a combination of improvements at the plant, along with conservation practices, to meet the state's nutrient reduction goals.

Also in February, Durand said Dubuque could see a $10 match in public and private grants for every $1 the city invests in conservation practices.

Mike Van Milligen, Dubuque's city manager, said he's not convinced the city would receive that kind of match, but he added that conservation investment could net Dubuque other benefits, such as a reduced flooding threat, increased plant and wildlife diversity and added recreational opportunities.

The agreement allows Dubuque to work with farmers within the Apple-Plum, Grant-Little Maquoketa and Maquoketa river watersheds.

This article has been edited to show that the company Dubuque hired to model the land within the county to determine the best locations for conservation investments is from North Dakota, not Texas.

Donnelle Eller covers agriculture, the environment and energy for the Register. Reach her at deller@registermedia.com or 515-284-8457. 

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