What's the problem with Jordan Creek?
Jordan Creek has fallen below standards set by the state for supporting aquatic life. Located in eastern Pottawattamie County, Jordan Creek is battling the problem of excess sediment, flooding and habitat loss.

When rain falls in the Jordan Creek watershed, it erodes valuable topsoil and washes it into the creek. Excess sediment can result in reduced water clarity, damaged habitat of aquatic life, filled in streambeds, clogged drainageways and phosphorous delivered to the creek.
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What's being done to help Jordan Creek
The Jordan Creek Watershed Project has a number of conservation practices for country and farm living. Landowners in the Jordan Creek watershed can improve the creek by partnering with the Jordan Creek Watershed Project.

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

Countering the sediment delivery to Jordan Creek are structures like terraces, grassed waterways, streambank stabilization and filter strips.

Terraces are an efficient practice in reducing soil erosion and sediment in the Pottawattamie County watershed. Terraces are built around a hillside and either slow runoff and guide it to the bottom of the hill or collect runoff and store it until the runoff can be absorbed by the ground. Terraces must be properly designed and maintained to combat erosion.

Grassed waterways in the Jordan Creek watershed are an effective practice in reducing soil erosion. These natural or constructed channels move surface water across the land without causing soil erosion. The vegetation in the waterway slows the water, protecting the land from rill and gully erosion.

Grade stabilization structures reduce water flow and slow erosion by being built across a grass waterway or other gullies.

Filter strips are strips of grass or other vegetation used to trap sediment (and pollutants attached to it) from runoff.
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What can I do to help?
Landowners can consider installing conservation practices to control the amount of sediment, nutrients and other pollutants reaching Jordan Creek.

Financial assistance is available, and the benefits extend beyond cleaner water - often conservation practices can produce financial benefits, create recreational opportunities and provide habitat for wildlife.

IOWATER monitoring is a great way for residents of Jordan Creek. This volunteer work can help tremendously in cleaning up the water in Jordan Creek. Monitors collect information on the levels of nitrates, nitrites, dissolved oxygen, pH, chloride and phosphate in the creek.

Some monitors also report on the water's temperature and color, and on biological life in the monitoring area, which is often an indicator of water quality.

Monitors report their data to the IOWATER online database, where the public can view water monitoring results from across the state at IOWATER.
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What is the future of Jordan Creek?
"I hope that local residents and visitors will take advantage of the opportunities in the Jordan Creek watershed," said Dan Case, project coordinator. "I believe the future looks promising if people continue to care about the watershed."
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Meet the project coordinator
Dan Case grew up in Villisca, Iowa and attended Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri. Case graduated in 2003 before becoming the Jordan Creek project coordinator in 2006.

Case enjoys working with farmers to continue to improve the land with conservation practices.

For other ways you can get involved with the Jordan Creek Watershed Project, contact Dan Case, watershed coordinator, at (712) 482-6408 or Daniel.Case@ia.nacdnet.net

Project partners

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

For More Information
Local:
Dan Case
Jordan Creek Watershed Project Coordinator
(712) 482-6408
Daniel.Case@ia.nacdnet.net
East Pottawattamie County NRCS Office

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