Bear Creek Success Story

The DNR is helping Iowans across the state improve our lakes and streams by supporting and working with watershed projects. By making changes in how we manage both private and public land, we can reduce the amount of pollution like sediment, nutrients and bacteria, reaching our water. The story featured below is just one of the many successes we've seen so far, and there's more work underway.

Bear Creek One of the many successes in the Bear Creek watershed includes the recent completion of a floodwater retarding/sediment retention structure on the Harold Stoen property. This is one of 11 structures built in the watershed to date. Before one of these structures can be built, the watershed above them must be treated to provide as low fifty year sediment accumulation as possible. The Stoen's operation is a first-rate example of good upland treatment. Harold and Celia Stoen, along with their son Ed, began their operation back in 1963 and were recipients of Winneshiek County's Conservation Farm in 2004. Their operation is a diversified one, with 60 percent of acres cropped, 30 percent in pastures and 10 percent in managed woodland.

Conservation tillage is also performed on all fields following corn production. Harold started building terraces in 1971 and today more than 60 percent of the cropland acres are protected with terraces. Another 10 percent of the cropland is protected with contour strips. In addition to row crops, the Stoen's run a 45-cow dairy operation. To better utilize the fertilizer value of the dairy manure, while also controlling the pollution potential from manure washed off site, a solids settling basin is used on the dairy lot. Along with the dairy operation, the Stoen's also maintain a 60-head beef operation utilizing their pasture land. Harold recently fenced off 40 acres of woodland to protect from grazing, and has been doing some culling and interseeding to further improve the timber stand. The floodwater retarding/sediment retention structure recently completed on the Stoen's property is one of 52 planned structures in the Bear Creek Watershed Project. The Stoen's are strong supporters of the Bear Creek Watershed Project. If all landowners were such good stewards, the Bear Creek Watershed Project would be success.