Dubuque Times

The level of nitrogen and phosphorus from Iowa flowing down the Mississippi River into the Gulf of Mexico needs to be cut by 45%, according to the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy, and local leaders in Dubuque have come up with a cost effective way to make that happen, according to the Des Moines Register.

The plan includes a collaborative effort with farmers that live upstream.

Dubuque needs to "cut nitrogen levels by 66% and phosphorus levels by 75% at their waste water treatment plants" to meet the state's water quality goals, according to the Des Moines Register.

This will take an investment of approximately $11 million, but when factoring in assistance from local farmers, the number of costly upgrades needed at the treatment plants could be drastically reduced, according to the Des Moines Register.

Dubuque's agreement with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources has never been done before.

The agreement is a blueprint, showing how an investment in "cover crops, wetlands, and other conservation practices" between cities and farmers can impact water quality, according to the Des Moines Register.

The farmer's conservation practices will be factored in when measuring wastewater treatment goals.  

Farmers living upstream in the Dubuque area will not be forced to be involved in this agreement between the city and the state, according to the Des Moines Register. Participation by farmers is voluntary.

Four other cities and towns have seen the agreement and plan on making similar agreements in their communities.  

The Sand County Foundation, a Wisconsin-based nonprofit conservation group, helped broker this deal.

There are as many as 100 other large communities within the state of Iowa that also need to cut their nitrogen and phosphorus levels at the same percentage as Dubuque, according to the Des Moines Register.  

An engineering company based out of North Dakota will determine where conservation investments should be made.

For every $1 the City of Dubuque spends on conservation practices, there's a possibility they may receive up to $10 in public and private grants, according to the Des Moines Register.

Iowa water conservation efforts are to help reduce the state's contribution to the "dead zone" from the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico.