What's the problem with Brushy Creek Lake?
Although the water quality in Brushy Creek Lake is adequate, a number of factors in the watershed hold the future for the lake that is one of Webster County's largest draws. Sediment from the 57,000-acre watershed runs off the fields, into the lake, delivering an estimated 16,194 tons of sediment from sheet and rill erosion annually. Eventually, sediment ends up in the streams and is delivered to Brushy Creek Lake.

Those looking to preserve the water quality at Brushy Creek Lake are also battling nutrients. Nitrogen and phosphorus are two of the most common nutrients found in Iowa and come from manure and chemical fertilizers used for agriculture and in urban areas. Nutrients can cloud the water, create low oxygen and high ammonia levels, lead to poor aquatic life diversity and even speed up the natural aging process of the Badger Creek Lake.
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What's being done to help Brushy Creek Lake?
Preserving the lake's water quality is critical in maintaining economic vitality and with more than 520,000 people visiting Brushy Creek Lake Recreation Area each year, many projects are underway. The Brushy Creek Lake Watershed Project, along with private property owners, has set up five water control basins in the past five years. The basins are embankments, located in areas with concentrated runoff and are built across erosion ditches.

The project, along with the help of local landowners, plans to install filter strips (or riparian buffers) along 75 percent of stream segments in the watershed, covering an estimated 1,500 acres. Filter strips are strips of grass or other vegetation used to trap sediment (and pollutants attached to it) from runoff.

Approximately 2,000 acres of cropland will be controlled in the watershed with 21 planned wetlands. Wetlands filter runoff before it can reach the lake. They are also a hotspot for wildlife to gather and can add beauty to the land.

The other conservation practice being used is streambank stabilization. This method uses structures such as rocks or vegetation to counter soil erosion. The project plans to install 1,000 feet of structures to help prevent 19 tons of sediment from entering Brushy Creek Lake.
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What can I do to help?
Landowners in the Brushy Creek watershed can also improve the lake by partnering with the Brushy Creek Lake Watershed Project.

T.J. Lynn, watershed project coordinator, can work with you to evaluate your property and identify practices that can help both the lake and your property. Lynn can also help find financial assistance to install those practices. Landowners participating in the watershed project can generally get improved financial assistance opportunities.

Approximately every two months, residents of Brushy Creek Lake watershed take part in IOWATER monitoring. Residents are equipped with a test kit and venture throughout the watershed to test water quality. Information is collected on levels of nitrates, nitrites, dissolved oxygen, pH, chloride and phosphate in Brushy Creek Lake. Monitors report their data to online database, where the public can view water monitoring results from across the state at IOWATER.

Volunteers can also join Friends of Brushy Creek to improve the Brushy Creek State Recreation Area.
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What is the future of Brushy Creek Lake?
The overall goals for those trying to preserve the water quality at Brushy Creek Lake are to increase the lifespan of the lake and to reduce nitrate to the watershed in the years to come.
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Meet the project coordinator
T.J. Lynn grew up in Vincent, Iowa and attended Iowa State University in Ames. He majored in animal ecology and graduated in December 2003.

Lynn began working for the Conservative Reserve Program (CRP), until he eventually worked his way up to becoming project coordinator. Lynn enjoys partaking in many of the conservation practices and enjoys working with the variety of farmers.

For other ways you can get involved with the Brushy Creek Lake Watershed Project, contact T.J. Lynn, watershed coordinator, at (515) 573-4411 or Thomas.Lynn@ia.nacdnet.net
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Project partners

• Iowa DNR
• Iowa Department of Agriculture - Division of Soil Conservation
• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

For More Information
Local:
T.J. Lynn
Brushy Creek Lake Watershed Project Coordinator
(515) 573-4411
Thomas.Lynn@ia.nacdnet.net
Webster County NRCS

Statewide:
Steve Hopkins
DNR Watershed Improvement Program Grants Coordinator
(515) 281-6402
Stephen.Hopkins@dnr.iowa.gov