A watershed project that spans three counties in the KJAN listening area has received a grant amounting to $354,000 toward the total project cost of $713,000. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today (Thursday) announced the Elk Run Watershed Quality Initiative Project in Sac, Carroll and Calhoun Counties, headed up by Agriculture’s Clean Water Alliance, is one of three such projects across the state selected to receive a total of $1.4-million in funding through the Iowa water quality initiative, over the next three years.

In addition to the state funds, the three projects, including those in Buena Vista, Pocahontas, Story, Boone and Hamilton Counties, will provide an additional $1.4-million in matching funds to support qater quality improvement  efforts, as well as other, in-kind contributions. The selected projects will join 13 targeted Water Quality Initiative demonstration watershed projects that were previously funded to help implement and demonstrate water quality practices.

The demonstration watersheds selected cover 274,596 acres. More than 30 partners from agricultural organizations, institutions of higher education, private industry, local, state and federal government and others, are working together on the projects.