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Lower Cedar Watershed Management Authority

Request for Proposals

Watershed Planning Services

Procurement Timeline

RFP Publish Date March 9, 2020 RFP Pre-Bid Meeting April 1, 2020 Proposal Due Date April 24, 2020 Board Approval May 12, 2020 Project Initiation May 15, 2020

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Lower Cedar River Watershed Planning Services

The Lower Cedar Watershed Management Authority (LCWMA) requests proposals from qualified contractors for watershed planning services to develop a comprehensive watershed management plan for the Lower Cedar Watershed.

The Lower Cedar Watershed Management Authority (WMA) has been awarded a $100,000 watershed planning grant from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (Iowa DNR) through the Comprehensive Water Quality Management Planning Grant solicitation. The funding will be used to develop a comprehensive watershed management plan for the Lower Cedar Watershed, which will address stakeholder concerns with water quality, flooding, and degrading habitat quality. The Lower Cedar is an 8-digit Hydrologic Unite Code watershed (07080205) in eastern Iowa encompassing seven counties and twenty-five cities, spanning 703,060 acres. In 2017, concerned stakeholders came together to begin the process of forming a Watershed Management Authority, pursuant to Iowa Code Chapter 466B.22. The Lower Cedar Watershed Management Authority (WMA) was officially formed as a separate legal entity in January 2018, and since then has begun laying the groundwork for watershed plan development.

Contractors interested in submitting proposals are required to attend a Pre-Bid meeting scheduled for April 1, 2020 from 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm. Proposals will only be accepted from contractor(s) that attend the Pre-Bid meeting (in-person or via conference call). The meeting will be held at the following location:

City of Cedar Rapids City Services Center – Five Seasons Conference Room

500 15th Ave SW Cedar Rapids, IA 52404

Teleconference Option: Dial 1-319-286-5098

Participant Code 056-7365

Responses to this RFP should be single spaced, font size of at least 11, margins no less than 0.75 inch, and are limited to ten double-sided pages between covers, not including blank dividers. Number all pages consecutively. Proposals exceeding these limits will not be accepted. Inclusion of promotional literature of a general nature is not solicited, but if submitted, will count toward the overall length restriction.

Electronic copies should be submitted as a PDF with the subject line, “Lower Cedar Watershed Management Plan Development Proposal”. Submissions should be sent to Mary Beth Stevenson, Lower Cedar WMA Board Member, at the following email address: mb.stevenson@cedar-rapids.org

Questions that arise after the Pre-Bid meeting should be submitted in writing to Mary Beth Stevenson by 3:00 pm April 10, 2020. All questions and answers will be distributed to contractors who attend the Pre-Bid meeting. All contractors will be notified in writing regarding results of the selection process.

A summary of the procurement process for this project is as follows:

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- March 9, 2020 RFP published - April 1, 2020 RFP pre-bid meeting - April 10, 2020 Questions submitting in writing - April 15, 2020 Submitted questions answered - April 24, 2020 Proposal Due Date - April 27, 2020 week Proposals ranked by selection committee - May 4, 2020 week Interviews and draft contract review - May 12, 2020 Board approval and notice to proceed - May 15, 2020 Project Initiation

All dates are subject to change.

Each proposal will be reviewed by an evaluation team, composed of LCWMA representatives. Each proposal will be scored relative to all other proposals on the basis of the evaluation criteria listed below. Consultants may be contacted during this process to clarify items in their proposals.

Experience: 40 %

Methodology: 40%

Capacity 10%

Cost and Leveraged Resources: 10%

The Lower Cedar Watershed Management Authority reserves the right to reject any and all proposals or to waive any irregularities in any proposal if judged to be in the best interest of the LCWMA and the planning process. This RFP does not obligate the LCWMA to offer a contract to any firm, nor pay any cost incurred in the preparation of proposals submitted in response to this request. All information and material submitted in this request will become property of the LCWMA Board of Directors.

The checklist of items required for proposal submission:

1. Company contact information 2. Statement of Qualifications 3. Proposed Methodology to Complete Scope of Work 4. Plan Development Milestones and Timeline 5. Proposed Cost of Services and Leveraged Resources 6. A list of watershed management plans previously completed by the lead planning contractor

The following outlines expectations for the development of a watershed management plan for the Lower Cedar River Watershed. Proposals should follow the outline presented here and respond to each of the items listed in Sections I - IV. I. Statement of Qualifications

1. Demonstration of past watershed management planning services including a description of previous projects and experience. Links to completed watershed management plans should be provided.

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2. Description of organizational capacity (and sub-consulting staff) to complete all necessary planning service. Partnerships among consultants are highly encouraged.

3. Qualifications and experience of staff anticipated to be assigned work for this project, including total hours and percent of time committed to the project.

4. References, including contact information from previous clients of related work within the past five years.

5. Evidence of ability to work within tight time constraints and the earliest date available to assume these duties.

II. Proposed Methodology & Scope of Work: The Lower Cedar WMA Comprehensive Water

Quality Management Planning Grant Application laid out the following planning process, which the consultant must be prepared and qualified to lead. Appendix A lists the required elements for the watershed management plan. The full proposal is provided as Attachment B for further details and information. 1. Establish Technical Advisory Committee (TAC): The TAC will include key agencies, academic

institutions, emergency management personnel, conservation staff, and WMA board members. The TAC will meet on a quarterly basis during the 18-month planning timeframe. Support from the WMA and watershed project coordinator (to be hired Spring 2020) will be provided to recruit members and convene meetings.

2. Compile and review existing information and studies. 3. Watershed Resource Inventory: A GIS-based inventory of the watershed will be performed

to compile relevant environmental data and describe overall watershed characteristics. 4. Assessment of Issues: Detailed watershed assessments will be conducted in three high-

priority HUC-12 watersheds to be determined at the beginning of the planning process. An additional detailed watershed assessment and HUC-level watershed plan is currently being developed by Iowa Soybean Association for the Mill Creek subwatershed. Support for watershed assessments will be provided from a water monitoring contractor, the Lower Cedar project coordinator, WMA member entities, and WMA partners. Assessment areas will include:

a. Windshield assessment of tillage and cover crops b. Urban assessment c. Water quality d. Hazard mitigation e. Pollutant source and load assessment – consultant should identify the modeling

approach that will be used to complete this task f. Social assessment

5. Critical Areas Identification and Subwatershed Prioritization 6. Stakeholder Engagement 7. Watershed Resiliency – Implementation Strategies & Action Plan

The consultant may suggest adjustments or alternative approaches to the watershed plan outline, as long as a clear justification is provided.

The planning services Scope of Work tasks and deliverables are outlined below:

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1. Serve as a central point of contact for partners contributing to the watershed management plan. Assemble, organize, and compile technical watershed assessments from partners as they are developed. Assist with developing narrative and identifying key recommendations from each assessment as needed.

2. Develop and finalize watershed management plan goals, objectives, actions, and priorities with input from WMA Board Members and stakeholders.

3. Provide opportunities for feedback from the public and the LCWMA on individual draft watershed management plan chapters and incorporate that feedback into the final watershed management plan.

4. Develop watershed management plan final review process, formal adoption strategy, and subsequent action plan for the LCWMA Board to consider.

5. Hold one public open house to deliver the draft watershed management plan with WMA Board members and relevant stakeholders and incorporate feedback into final WMP.

6. Prepare and deliver final watershed management plan document, an executive summary booklet, and summary PowerPoint presentation. The final watershed management plan and executive summary should be professionally designed.

7. Present the final watershed management plan document to each Board of Supervisors in Linn, Cedar, Muscatine, and Johnson Counties.

8. Attend quarterly LCWMA Board meetings and provide progress updates to the LCWMA. 9. Provide status and expenditure reports to Johnson County and the LCWMA as follows:

a. Written quarterly status updates. b. Information on expenditures as necessary.

10. Optional Scope of Work Items: a. Design and implement a comprehensive website describing the Lower Cedar Watershed

and the findings/research compiled throughout the watershed planning process (example: upperiowariver.org). Consultants should provide a cost estimate for this task if they choose to include it in their proposal.

b. Optional Scope Item: BMP suitability analysis of the three high priority HUC-12 watersheds using the ACPF (Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework) developed by United States Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS). Consultants should provide a cost estimate for this task if they choose to include it in their proposal. If the work is not performed by the consultant, member assistance will be sought for this component.

III. Plan Development Milestones and Timeline. The development of this watershed management

plan is expected to take 18 months. Anticipated plan development milestones are as follows: • Draft watershed plan is expected to be completed on or before September 30, 2021 • Final watershed plan is expected to be completed on or before December 31, 2021.

IV. Proposed Cost of Services and Leveraged Resources. Proposals to Lower Cedar WMA Board

should include the proposed cost to accomplish all scope of work for activities outlined above not to exceed $90,000.

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Appendix A Watershed Management Plan Required Elements

1. Executive Summary 2. Watershed Characteristics 3. Lower Cedar Watershed Assessment of Current Conditions

a. Pollutant Source & Load Assessment: The consultant should identify the methodology that will be used for estimating pollutant loads and targeted load reductions for the following constituents:

i. Nitrogen ii. Phosphorus iii. Sediment iv. Bacteria

c. Subwatershed Prioritization: Consultant should develop maps showing prioritization of all Lower Cedar 12-digit Hydrologic Unit Code subwatersheds based on nitrogen, phosphorus, bacteria, and sediment load estimates. The consultant should also produce one comprehensive map showing HUC-12 prioritization that integrates all resource concerns.

d. Best Management Practice (BMP) suitability analysis using the Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework (ACPF) developed by USDA-Agricultural Research Service for three HUC-12 watersheds.

e. Hazard Mitigation Plan Integration: The planning consultant will work with the Lower Cedar WMA, Iowa HSEMD, and county emergency managers and develop a strategy for integrating hazard mitigation plans into the Lower Cedar Watershed Management plan.

4. Goals & Objectives: Should be quantifiable, and based on existing water quality conditions with a target for improvement. Consultant should draw on the watershed assessments to develop recommendations and action steps, involving the LCWMA and watershed stakeholders in the goal setting process.

5. Implementation Strategies – Watershed Resiliency Action Plan: This should include a BMP Scenario Analysis to identify the necessary practices (type, quantity, acres treated, and cost) to achieve targeted watershed improvements.

a. Case Study HUC-12 watersheds: These case studies should provide a detailed analysis and BMP recommendations for watershed improvement.

6. Stakeholder Engagement and Education Plan: This should include a detailed plan for engaging stakeholders from different audiences, with metrics for evaluating success and tracking progress.

8. Implementation Plan & Schedule a. Prioritization b. Cost c. Roles & responsibilities d. Milestones for reaching HUC-8 watershed goals

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9. Evaluation/Monitoring

a. Framework for annual watershed plan evaluation and review of accomplishments b. Water monitoring plan (based on existing water monitoring efforts) c. BMP tracking plan d. Outreach & education plan (based on existing resources)

11. Funding Opportunities/Needs

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Appendix B – Original Proposal to Iowa DNR

The Lower Cedar WMA Watershed Management Plan

Lower Cedar WMA Comprehensive Water Quality Management

Planning Grant Application

Submitted to: Steve Konrady, Issuing officer Iowa Department of Natural Resources Wallace State Office Building 502 E. 9th St. Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0034 Submitted by: Lower Cedar Watershed Management Authority Attention: Holly Howard Lower Cedar Watershed Coordinator Muscatine SWCD 3500 Oakview Dr. Ste. A Muscatine, Iowa 52761 563-263-7944, ext. 3 Holly.howard@usda.gov August 20, 2019

The Lower Cedar WMA Watershed Management Plan

Table of Contents Page #

Executive Summary 1

Financial Assistance Request 2

Watershed Description & Issues of Concern 2

Watershed Overview

Watershed Management Authority- (Eligibility)

Area of Ecological Importance

Recreation

Flooding

Water Quality

Source Water Protection

Current & Historic Watershed Efforts 7

Indian Creek Watershed Management Authority

Mill Creek Watershed Project

Mud Creek Watershed Project

Pike Run Creek Watershed Project

City of West Branch

City of Muscatine

Partners 8

Watershed Plan Development Process 11

Goals, Outputs, & Measures of Success 14

Connection to the Nonpoint Source Management Plan 15

Connection to Smart Planning Principles 17

Budget Narrative 20

Implementation Schedule & Milestones 22

Appendix: 23

Maps

Lower Cedar Watershed Maps – Appendix A

Lower Cedar WMA Eligible Entities- Appendix B

Indian Creek WMA map- Appendix C

Mill Creek-Cedar River HUC 12 map- Appendix D

Attachments: 26

Application documents

Certification Letter- Attachment 1

Risk Assessment questionnaire- Attachment 2

Budget template- Attachment 3

Applicant information from RFP- Attachment 4

Implementation Schedule & Milestones- Attachment 5

Letters of Support from Lower Cedar Watershed Partners

Executive Summary The Lower Cedar Watershed Management Authority (WMA) requests $100,000 from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (Iowa DNR) through the Comprehensive Water Quality Management Planning Grant solicitation. The funding would be used to develop a comprehensive watershed management plan for the Lower Cedar Watershed, which will address stakeholder concerns with water quality, flooding, and degrading habitat quality. The Lower Cedar is a HUC-8 watershed in eastern Iowa encompassing seven counties and twenty-five cities, with a total of 39 eligible entities and spanning 703,060 acres. In 2017, concerned stakeholders came together to begin the process of forming a Watershed Management Authority, pursuant to Iowa Code Chapter 466B.22. The Lower Cedar Watershed Management Authority (WMA) was officially formed as a separate legal entity in January 2018, and has begun laying the groundwork for watershed plan development since then. With the hiring of the Lower Cedar Watershed Coordinator on January 8, 2018 the WMA is in a strong position to facilitate communication and partnership across the 30 entities that have signed on as members of the WMA, building a bridge for true urban-rural collaboration.

The overarching goal of this proposed project is to develop a Lower Cedar Watershed Management Plan, which aligns with the integrated hazard mitigation and community resilience planning frameworks currently being piloted in the Iowa Watershed Approach project. Specific objectives to achieve this goal include:

1. Raise awareness about the Lower Cedar Watershed through a series of educationalworkshops targeting specific stakeholder groups

2. Gather community input to better inform the watershed planning process3. Inventory existing water resource data for the Lower Cedar Watershed to assess

baseline conditions4. Conduct additional desktop and field analyses5. Identify high priority subwatersheds for detailed planning and implementation6. Develop the Lower Cedar Watershed Management Plan, in alignment with each of the

existing multi-jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plans, which is sustainable for 20 years

Much of the focus of the WMA watershed plan will be devoted to engagement with rural stakeholders given that 70% of the land is in agricultural production. The remaining 30% of the watershed is situated in urban and natural areas. Regardless of the disparity in land use percentages the WMA will strive to establish a collaborative and amicable relationship between urban and rural interests, across political boundaries and between the alternative interests throughout the watershed. The Lower Cedar WMA will build on relationships and partnerships that have been cultivated over many years in the region, such as the Indian Creek Watershed Management Authority, the Great Rivers Alliance, the Cedar River Watershed Coalition, and the newly-initiated Mill Creek Watershed project. The Upper and Middle subbasins of the Cedar River Watershed have benefited greatly from WMA formation and consequent funding resources, and this effort will expand these successes into the Lower Cedar, in order to make significant watershed improvements across the Cedar River Watershed.

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Financial Assistance Request The Lower Cedar WMA, with Johnson County serving as the fiscal agent, requests $100,000 for developing the Lower Cedar Watershed Management Plan. The majority of the requested funds ($90,000) will be utilized to contract with a planning consultant to facilitate a community-based watershed planning process, conduct desktop analyses, review and summarize various datasets, and develop the final watershed management plan that identifies priority HUC-12 watersheds based. Funding will also be utilized to conduct one year of baseline water monitoring, which is expected to include a minimum of three synoptic sampling events at key locations throughout the watershed ($10,000). A competitive bid process will be utilized for any contracts entered into with project funds.

The total project cost is $195,723.70. The $100,000 DNR request will be supplemented with $95,723.70 in local match funds. $82,923.70 will be in-kind contributions from LCWMA partners. $12,800 will be a cash match, collected from the WMA Board Member entities, Iowa Corn Growers, and donations from private individuals.The match funds will be utilized to develop and host a website, finalize a logo, develop and purchase outreach materials, administer and analyze the social assessment, host events, and cover fiscal agent’s expenses of $1,800.

Additional details on the planning budget can be found in the budget narrative section on pages 20-22 and in Attachment 3.

The proposed project will provide the greatest amount of benefit because a plan will be created for a HUC-8 that will maximize dollars through in-kind contributions and partner resources to assist with watershed assessments. The WMA’s strongest asset is the Lower Cedar Project Coordinator, who will be able to accomplish much of the education and outreach efforts, and coordination of overall WMA efforts.

Watershed Description & Issues of Concern Watershed Overview The Lower Cedar Watershed (HUC-8 code #07080206) spans 703,060 acres primarily in Linn, Cedar, and Muscatine Counties, with smaller portions in Johnson, Scott, Jones, and Louisa Counties. The majority of the watershed is used for agricultural purposes, with 62% in row crop production and 16% in pasture / hayland. Another 10% of the watershed is woodland / natural areas, and 10% is urban. The remaining 2% of the watershed is water / wetland or other land uses. The Lower Cedar comprises 33 HUC-12 watersheds. A map of the watershed is provided as Appendix A.

The population of the Lower Cedar Watershed is estimated to be 134,500. While the majority of the population lives within and around the urban areas of Cedar Rapids and Marion, there are numerous small communities downstream with limited resources with which to address water quality issues. Many of the Lower Cedar communities, both large and small, face significant water quality issues such as source water protection, a need for updated stormwater infrastructure, flood mitigation, and wastewater treatment plant upgrades mandated by the State

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of Iowa. At the same time, the WMA members place a high value on the Cedar River, its tributaries, and the recreational opportunities and ecosystem services the watershed provides. The Lower Cedar members acknowledge that adopting a watershed approach could help alleviate some of their concerns with water quality and flooding, by enhancing ecosystem services and promoting cooperation.

Given that the majority of the Lower Cedar Watershed is devoted to agricultural uses, much of the focus on the watershed plan will be on engaging rural landowners and emphasizing that the burdens of flooding and water quality are not just urban issues. By engaging rural landowners throughout the planning process, the WMA hopes to increase their buy-in to the watershed project, in order to scale up adoption of critical agricultural conservation practices.

Watershed Management Authority Lower Cedar WMA was officially established in January 2018 (filing number M510633) and has 39 eligible entities including 7 counties, 7 Soil & Water Conservation Districts (SWCD), and 25 cities. A list of the eligible and member entities is provided as Appendix B. While the official paperwork was filed in January of 2018, the group held its inaugural meeting in November 2017 and has since continued to meet on a quarterly basis. An important milestone for the WMA was the hiring of a project coordinator in January 2018. Lower Cedar WMA’s vision is: Cultivating a shared responsibility to sustain a healthy watershed now and into the future. Within 1.5 years of forming, LCWMA member entities have demonstrated their commitment to the effort by providing financial support, and have collectively raised over $12,800. Discussions regarding equitable, long-term financial support of the WMA will begin in the fall of 2019. The fact that small communities with limited resources as well as SWCDs have contributed provides evidence that the members of the Lower Cedar WMA stand behind the project with both their time and their financial resources.The WMA hopes that pooling their resources to develop a baseline characterization of watershed issues, the Lower Cedar may be elevated to a higher priority status for future state funding and resources.

In early 2019, the Lower Cedar watershed coordinator sent surveys to all the members of Lower Cedar WMA to inventory high priority projects within each community / county related to flood resiliency and water quality. These priority projects / resource concerns include:

● 10 bridge replacements and five road projects● Buyouts of properties that experience repetitive flooding● Installation of structures to store and infiltrate water● Water and sewer improvements, particularly in small unincorporated communities● Stormwater enhancements to reduce flooding● Enhancement of stream channel / corridor, to reduce streambank erosion and reconnect

floodplain areas● Floodplain ordinance development / enforcement● Source water protection

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Area of Ecological Importance The Lower Cedar is situated at the bottom of the Cedar River Watershed, and as a result the watershed issues typical of the Upper Mississippi Basin are compounded in this region. These watershed issues affect both people and nature. The Lower Cedar floodplain is home to two

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extremely rare ecological communities: floodplain oak savannas and the channel fens. This segment of the Cedar River along with its associated alluvial streams and wetlands also provides habitat for rare aquatic species from large-river fish like shovelnose sturgeon and paddlefish to smaller backwater fish like grass pickerel and pirate perch as well as mussels like yellow sandshell and pistol grip. The Nature Conservancy has helped conserve and restore these communities on their Land of the Swamp White Oak Preserve totaling nearly 4,000 acres. These communities are threatened by unnatural flooding and poor water quality. On a larger scale, this region of southeast Iowa contains the confluences of 3 large river systems: the Cedar River, the Iowa River, and the Mississippi River. Conservation organizations in Iowa generally agree this is the most biologically diverse landscape in Iowa. It is home to nearly 85% of all amphibian and reptile species in Iowa, including many Species of Greatest Conservation Need identified in the Iowa Wildlife Action Plan, leading this region to be designated as the very first Amphibian & Reptile Conservation Area in the nation. Within this 300,000-acre floodplain landscape, more than 50,000 acres have been voluntarily protected and remain in a combination of private and public ownership. This is the greatest concentration of protected land in Iowa creating a relatively intact corridor of habitat. A group of private, federal, state, and local conservation organizations are collaborating as the Great Rivers Alliance of Southeast Iowa. The Alliance meets regularly to identify new conservation targets, threats, and opportunities and works to improve the ability of people to care for the lands and waters in this important place.

Recreation The Cedar River Watershed contains many recreation areas, primarily managed by County Conservation Boards and Iowa DNR. These areas include boat accesses, fishing spots, and hiking trails. The Cedar River is one of the most popular fishing rivers in the state of Iowa and a popular kayaking area. Each of the County Conservation Boards in the Lower Cedar manages high quality natural areas that feature fishing, boating, hiking, and wildlife preserve areas. Ecological restoration is a high priority for the counties, and many areas have been restored to native prairie, savannah, or wetland. This demonstrates the partners’ commitment to rebuilding the land’s capacity to fulfill its natural ecosystem service functions that greatly benefit water quality and reduce flood risks.

Flooding In 2008 the Cedar River rose to unprecedented levels and inflicted damage beyond any other local flooding event in recent history. In Cedar Rapids alone 14% of the city was inundated, displacing 18,000 residents, and contributed to the sixth largest FEMA declaration of $848 million. Transportation in the Lower Cedar Watershed was compromised as the ability to cross the Cedar River was removed, all of the Cedar River bridges in the Lower Cedar Watershed were closed. This flooding event caused great hardship for stakeholders in the watershed, local economies, and national transportation issues due to closure of Interstate 80.

An objective of the Lower Cedar WMP is to align with each county’s multi-jurisdictional hazard mitigation plan (HMP), each of which identifies flooding (riverine and flash flooding) as a high

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priority for mitigation activities. The counties’ HMP goals share several common themes including protection of human health and safety, reduction of property losses and impacts to critical infrastructure, enhanced education, and improved intergovernmental communication. Each HMP has also identified key mitigation strategies/actions. Common themes include hydrologic / floodplain studies and monitoring, education of citizens, and construction of mitigation projects to reduce flood risk. Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management has agreed to help facilitate the integration of hazard mitigation plans with the Lower Cedar Watershed Management Plan. They will share risk assessment data relevant to Lower Cedar, and will provide technical assistance for identifying mitigation actions and future funding opportunities.

While the requested DNR funds will be used specifically for watershed-based water quality planning, integration with the county HMPs will help to elevate local buy-in and increase opportunities for future funding availability. Since many water quality practices can have benefits for runoff reduction and flood mitigation project can also have secondary water quality benefits, it is important to find opportunities for alignment.

Additional funds are currently being sought to complete a hydrologic study of the Lower Cedar watershed through anticipated FEMA (Hazard Mitigation Grant Program) funds. The hydrologic study and resulting implementation scenarios will be integrated in the Lower Cedar WMP, or the plan will be amended at a later date to incorporate the information. Linn County has recently amended its Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan mitigation strategies to include mention of the critical need for hydrologic studies for any its applicable watersheds. This plan amendment enabled Linn County, on behalf of the WMA, to submit a Notice of Interest (NOI) on August 20, 2019 to Iowa Homeland Security to potentially receive FEMA disaster funding made available to the State of Iowa under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program and Presidential Disaster Declaration DR-4421-IA.

Water Quality Board members have expressed significant concerns about water quality conditions in the Lower Cedar. The Lower Cedar has a total of 16 impairments on 12 individual stream / river segments. Seven impairments are due to elevated bacteria, and six are due to declining diversity of fish, mussels and / or other aquatic macroinvertebrates. One impairment is due to a fish kill (animal waste) and two are related to elevated pH. A TMDL was developed in 2003 for a biologic impairment on Mud Creek, due to organic enrichment from wastewater treatment plant effluent and agricultural land uses.

Several water resource data sources exist in the Lower Cedar: ● Iowa DNR Ambient Stream Monitoring:

○ Cedar River downstream of Cedar Rapids at Palisades-Kepler Park○ Cedar River near Conesville

● USGS:○ Water quality monitoring in the City of West Branch

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○ Numerous river gages● University of Iowa - IIHR

○ Continuous stream water quality monitoring device upstream near ConesvilleNumerous bridge water level sensors

● Iowa DNR Biologic Monitoring

An objective of the proposed watershed management plan is to analyze and summarize the existing data sources for a better understanding of baseline water quality conditions.

Source Water Protection One of the intended outcomes of the watershed planning process is to raise awareness of the importance of source water protection and encourage the development of Phase 2 Source Water Protection Plans in communities with susceptible water supplies. A source water protection workshop will be held to educate and connect communities with the resources available to assist them in developing source water protection plans. Seven communities have been deemed highly susceptible by Iowa DNR: Lisbon, Hiawatha, Springville, Marion, Muscatine, Cedar Rapids, and Mount Vernon. An additional seven other communities are at risk.

Current & Historic Watershed Efforts

Indian Creek WMA - In 2012 the Indian Creek Watershed Management Authority (ICWMA) was formed, spanning a HUC-10 watershed in the northern reach of the Lower Cedar subbasin. A map of the watershed is provided as Appendix C. ICWMA is a very active and successful WMA, and completed one of the first WMA comprehensive plans in 2015. The ICWMA watershed plan was an in-depth physical assessment of the Indian Creek Watershed that identified priority projects and was the foundation of engaging the local community to develop local solutions for their watershed and plan for 20 years. ICWMA plan is a valuable tool and will contribute to the baseline information available to inform the Lower Cedar watershed management plan.

In 2018, the ICWMA submitted a successful proposal to the Iowa NRCS Iowa Partners for Conservation grant program, and was awarded a grant to fund the Indian Creek Soil Health Coordinator position. The coordinator works with farmers and landowners to improve soil health on cropland within the Indian Creek Watershed by promoting best management practice adoption. The Lower Cedar WMA will leverage this farmer engagement to identify conservation leaders who could serve as mentors for producers across the watershed.

Mill Creek - In 2018, the Lower Cedar WMA submitted a request to the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) to complete an in-depth watershed development project in the Mill Creek-Cedar River HUC 12 watershed. A map of the watershed is provided as Appendix D. ISA granted the request and has initiated a farmer-led watershed planning effort, utilizing the Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework tool, conservation assessment, watershed tillage assessment, and assessing stream conditions across the watershed. This project will lead to

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implementing best management practices to reduce nutrient loading in local waters within Mill Creek HUC 12 as well as developing a watershed plan. The planning project is expected to be completed in the spring of 2020, and the associated assessments will be used to inform the overall Lower Cedar watershed management plan.

Mud Creek - During the time period from 2002 to 2007 the Muscatine SWCD led a watershed project on Mud Creek to increase riparian buffers, block cattle from having direct access to the stream, and increase the number of rotational grazing operations to improve soil health of pastures along Mud Creek, helping to decrease sedimentation into Mud Creek. This project was funded through a 319 grant and employed a coordinator.

Pike Run Creek - Pike Run Creek watershed project in western Muscatine County was a 2 year long Muscatine County SWCD project in 2005-2007 that involved extensive water monitoring and outreach events.This project was funded through a 319 grant and employed a coordinator. Outreach events targeted farmers in the Pike Run Creek Watershed and were focused on educating farmers on practices to decrease nutrient loads of Pike Run Creek. In addition, Pike Run Creek is a biological reference stream.

City of West Branch - The City of West Branch has had a long history of engaging in watershed improvement, beginning with the Hoover Creek Watershed Project that wrapped up in 2012. That city has a Stream Team that meets periodically to discuss watershed improvements. In 2015, the city began working with USGS to complete a hydrologic study to identify solutions to chronic flooding issues in the downtown area. The study identified several projects that could alleviate flooding concerns.

The City of Muscatine - The City of Muscatine lies just outside the border of the Lower Cedar Watershed and has a strong interest in the watershed approach. Following the Legislature’s recent amendment to Iowa Code Chapter 466B.22, which allows cities whose watersheds lie partially outside the State of Iowa to join a WMA within the same county, efforts are underway to add Muscatine to the Lower Cedar WMA. Water quality improvement is important to the City of Muscatine as can be evidenced in the work the city has done over the past few years. City projects have included planting an urban 55 acre pollinator habitat, restoring wetlands, constructing biocells, installing areas of permeable pavers, rebuilding the riverfront road to decrease the impact flooding has on the community, and collaborating with Muscatine Soil and Water Conservation District and NRCS to establish a nutrient trading program. The nutrient trading plan could potentially create funding opportunities to install best management practices within Muscatine County, with most of the agricultural land being within the Lower Cedar Watershed.

Partners

The Lower Cedar WMA will leverage the strong relationships within the watershed that have been built over the years to conduct a collaborative planning process. To create a well rounded

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watershed plan that reflects issues WMA member entities face, stakeholders will be convened to participate in advisory groups and public engagement. Partner roles and responsibilities are outlined below.

Lower Cedar WMA - As the planning grant applicant and convener of the watershed management plan, the WMA will play a lead role in engaging the public, assisting with data collection, and overseeing the watershed planning process. Much of this will be facilitated by the Lower Cedar project coordinator, Holly Howard. The member entities themselves will support the effort by participating in specific workshops, providing input to the planning process, and recruiting participation from their peers. Specific roles include: project reporting, consultant procurement, project oversight, assistance with field data collection, coordinating education events and public outreach.

Soil & Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) - As members of the WMA, the SWCDs will be actively engaged in the specific activities described above. The SWCDs are integral members of the Lower Cedar WMA. Muscatine County SWCD worked in partnership with The Nature Conservancy were awarded on the Iowa NRCS Partners in Conservation grant to support the Lower Cedar Watershed Coordinator’s position, which is housed at the Muscatine SWCD office. Several SWCD partners have agreed to financially support the WMA effort (Scott SWCD has contributed $1,500; Muscatine each Cedar have contributed $500). Working through the SWCD offices will enable the WMA to recruit farmer conservation leaders to host field days or to connect additional producers to the planning effort. For example, Mark Heckman is an influential West Liberty farmer who has supported the Lower Cedar WMA from the beginning. He understands the importance of water quality issues and will support the planning effort. Mr. Heckman has committed to hosting a field day on his farm to educate and raise awareness about the Lower Cedar Watershed and what farmers can do to improve water quality.

Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) - ISA has proven to be a great partner within the Lower Cedar WMA through the Mill Creek Watershed project. This project includes a farmer led watershed planning effort, utilizing the Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework tool, and desktop and field assessments. This project will lead to implementing best management practices to reduce nutrient loading in local waters within Mill Creek watershed as well as developing a watershed plan. Mill Creek is one of the 4 HUC-12s that will receive a detailed watershed assessment, with ISA as the lead.

Emergency Management Agencies (EMA) - Lower Cedar WMA will collaborate with the EMA coordinators of the member entities in order to fully integrate hazard mitigation and community resilience planning into the watershed plan. As evidenced by the HUD-funded Iowa Watershed Approach project, building community resilience is key to mitigating flood risk. A specific role of the EMA coordinators will be to provide assistance in identifying opportunities to protect infrastructure from flooding.

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Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEMD) - HSEMD has agreed to help facilitate the integration of hazard mitigation plans with the Lower Cedar Watershed management plan. They also agreed to share risk assessment data relevant to Lower Cedar. They will also support the LCWMA effort by providing technical assistance for identifying mitigation actions and alerting of funding opportunities.

The Great Rivers Alliance of Southeast Iowa (Alliance) - The Alliance is a collaboration between area USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Johnson County Conservation Board, Louisa County Conservation Board, Muscatine County Conservation Board, Muscatine County Soil & Water Conservation District, Trees Forever, Bur Oak Land Trust and The Nature Conservancy in Iowa. The mission of the Alliance is to improve the ability of people to care for the lands and waters in the Great Rivers Region of Southeast Iowa (the lower sections of the Cedar and Iowa Rivers as well as the confluence with the Mississippi River). It was formed in 2008. The Great Rivers Alliance will support the Lower Cedar WMA planning grant by helping identify conservation priorities, with individual member organizations assisting as they are able to accomplish the goals laid out in the LCWMA proposal.

IIHR—Hydroscience & Engineering - IIHR / IFC will provide analysis of real-time water quality and quantity data collected by monitoring equipment deployed throughout the watershed. They will continue to maintain their existing online platforms used for communicating data in real-time via the Iowa Flood Information System and Iowa Water Quality Information System. An IIHR/IFC representative will serve on the technical advisory committee team to provide expertise and consultation on planning activities and will commit to providing updates as requested at WMA meetings.

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) - TNC has been a strong partner since the conception of the Lower Cedar WMA, since they helped facilitate the WMA’s formation to bring together both urban and rural stakeholders from across the region to address watershed resource concerns. The Nature Conservancy also manages the grant that supports the Lower Cedar Watershed Coordinator who coordinates WMA activities and provides technical assistance to landowners in the watershed for 3 years. TNC will provide support to the project by serving on the technical advisory committee, collaborating on outreach events, and sharing project information through newsletters and other methods. Because TNC resources are already leveraged to support the Iowa Partners for Conservation grant, they are unable to quantify a cash or in-kind match to the grant, but have committed to provide on-going support to the effort.

Johnson County - Johnson County will serve as the fiscal agent for the grant. The Board of Supervisors is strongly supportive of the effort, and has experience in watershed grant management through their involvement with the Iowa Watershed Approach / Clear Creek project. The cash match portion of the grant budget will be used to compensate Johnson County for their administrative support.

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Iowa DNR - Iowa DNR’s eastern Iowa basin coordinator will provide technical support to the effort by serving on the Technical Advisory Committee and by coordinating a Cedar River Watershed Coalition meeting in the Lower Cedar to highlight the completed watershed management plan. The basin coordinator will also help connect the Lower Cedar WMA with DNR resources for Phase 2 source water protection plan development, and for the source water protection workshop.

Watershed Plan Development Process The overarching goal of this proposed project is to develop a Lower Cedar Watershed Management Plan, which aligns with the integrated hazard mitigation and community resilience planning frameworks currently being piloted in the Iowa Watershed Approach project. Specific objectives to achieve this goal include:

● Raise awareness about the Lower Cedar Watershed through a series of educationalworkshops targeting specific stakeholder groups

● Gather community input to better inform the watershed planning process● Inventory existing water resource data for the Lower Cedar Watershed to assess

baseline conditions● Conduct additional desktop and field analyses● Identify high priority subwatersheds for detailed planning and implementation● Develop the Lower Cedar Watershed Management Plan, in alignment with each of the

existing multi-jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plans, which is sustainable for 20 years

The following planning process will be utilized:

Establish Technical Advisory Committee: The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) will include key agencies, academic institutions, and emergency management personnel from the watershed. The TAC will meet on a quarterly basis during the 18-month planning timeframe. The WMA will invite key agencies (DNR, IDALS, USGS, HSEMD), educational institutions (University of Iowa, Coe College), and partner groups (TNC, Great Rivers Alliance, ISA) to participate. The TAC will tackle issues such as consultant procurement, developing a watershed quality monitoring plan, reviewing plan drafts, and advising on data review / analysis.

Several TAC sub-groups will also be formed, with varying representation from the main TAC. ● Ag Advisory TAC: This group will be convened at least once during the planning project

to advise on the agricultural issues that arise during plan development. SWCDcommissioners, local farmers, Iowa Corn Growers, ISA, IDALS, and county farm bureaurepresentatives will be invited to serve.

● Hazard Mitigation TAC: EMA coordinators and Iowa HSEMD will be invited to aworkshop to help develop a process for integrating hazard mitigation components intothe planning process.

● Urban Advisory TAC: This This group will be convened at least once during the planningproject to advise on the urban issues that arise during plan development. Lower Cedar

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watershed community representatives and IDALS Urban Conservationist will be invited to serve on the TAC.

Compile and review existing information and studies: Due to the comprehensive nature of this WMP, a variety of reports and plans will be reviewed to establish baseline conditions. These information sources will include:

● Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plans● City / County Comprehensive Plans● Existing water quality data sets / reports● Existing hydrologic reports (City of West Branch, Indian Creek WMA)

Watershed Resource Inventory: A GIS-based inventory of the watershed will be performed to compile relevant environmental data, including:

● Water features● Soils● Topography● Communities / Vulnerable Populations● Natural Areas● Water quality impairments

Assessment of Issues: A combination of desktop and field based watershed assessments will be conducted in order to determine the key issues.

● Watershed Assessment:○ Detailed watershed assessments will be conducted in 4 high priority HUC-12

watersheds. One HUC-12 has already been identified and work is underway (Mill Creek). It is anticipated that the other HUC-12s will be identified through further analysis. The detailed watershed assessments would include land cover(RUSLE), stream condition (RASCAL), water quality monitoring, and surveys mailed to landowners. ACPF modeling will also be completed for these 4 watersheds. The lead entities for watershed assessment will include DNR, ISA, a water monitoring contractor, the planning consultant, Lower Cedar project coordinator, and member SWCDs.

○ Urban assessments will be completed in at least three municipalities including the cities of Walcott, Bertram and Cedar Rapids. A Green Infrastructure workshop will be held in conjunction with a WMA meeting, and representatives will be invited to speak from IDALS urban conservation, DNR SRF, and Iowa Stormwater Education Partnership. The City of Coralville will also present on their experiences in green stormwater management. Through this process, community concerns with stormwater management will be assessed, and used as the basis for developing WMA priorities for incorporating green infrastructure. The urban assessments will be led by the consultant.

○ Water quality monitoring will be conducted during the 2020 field season. It is anticipated that 3 synoptic monitoring events would occur, with the number of

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sampling sites / locations dependent upon the available budget. A contractor will be procured to conduct the water monitoring.

● A hazard mitigation analysis will be conducted in partnership with the EMAs and IowaHSEMD

● Quantify pollutants of concern, through watershed modeling and field data collection(focus on sediment / soil loss, nutrients, and E. coli)

● Identify flood hazards and threats to infrastructure● Hydrologic modeling: Linn County, on behalf of the WMA, submitted a Notice of Interest

(NOI) on August 20, 2019 to Iowa Homeland Security to potentially receive FEMAdisaster funding made available to the State of Iowa under the Hazard Mitigation GrantProgram and Presidential Disaster Declaration DR-4421-IA. This funding would be usedto conduct a hydrologic assessment for the Lower Cedar Watershed. If awarded funding,a contractor would be procured and the assessment would be incorporated into the planduring the project timeframe, or at a later date through a plan update.

● Assessment of impacts to vulnerable populations will be conducted by the consultant.● Social assessment to characterize general awareness and knowledge of WMA

stakeholders. A pre- and post-survey of WMA board members will be conducted to helpassess changes in knowledge and attitudes. A producer survey will be mailed to farmersin the 4 priority HUC-12 watersheds. The Lower Cedar coordinator will be the lead onthis process.

● Future funding strategies for the WMA will be developed by the Executive Board andintegrated into the funding section of the watershed plan.

Critical Areas Identification and Subwatershed Prioritization Ultimately, full watershed implementation at the HUC-8 level is not feasible. Regional HUC-8 plans are most effective when they identify priority subwatersheds where resources can be targeted through a phased approach, to concentrate efforts and maximize tangible results. In order to identify critical areas and prioritize subwatersheds, the consultant will be asked to use an approach that will consider varied resource concerns such as impaired waters, nutrient loads, source water, social assessment results, and sensitive ecological areas. This is expected to be an iterative process, with input from the board and TAC groups. Four high priority watersheds will be identified early on in the planning process, based on an initial review of data. The remaining 29 HUC-12 watersheds will be ranked according to resource concerns identified in the planning process.

Stakeholder engagement Educating the public and stakeholders about the Lower Cedar watershed, and the WMA, is an important objective of the planning process. The WMA desires to create a plan that represents the needs of varying groups in the watershed, and will target specific outreach efforts to both agricultural and community audiences. As part of the planning process, several educational events are planned to address concerns that WMA members have identified.

● Source Water Protection workshop, geared toward communities that have vulnerablecommunity water systems

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● Green Infrastructure workshop, geared toward communities that have expressedconcerns about stormwater management

● Agricultural Field Day, at the Heckman farm, to highlight conservation practices,cost-share opportunities, and introduce producers to the WMA

These events will be a way not only to deliver educational content, but will also serve as a method for gathering community input. Representatives from the planning process will be present at each event.

Another way of engaging with stakeholders will be through social assessments. These assessments will identify knowledge shortfalls or attitudes about conservation that could affect the delivery of conservation messages. Several approaches will be utilized.

● Paper survey mailed to producers (both owners and non-owner operators) in the fourpriority watersheds, from SWCD lists

● Online survey posted in relevant locations in communities● Surveys filled out at community events or public input meetings● WMA board pre- and post survey

Other avenues of engagement will be: ● Public input meetings - One kickoff meeting will be held early in the planning process, in

conjunction with a WMA board meeting. An open house will also be held to roll out thedraft watershed plan.

● Attendance at community events - the Lower Cedar coordinator will develop severaloutreach materials (logo, banner, brochures) and will attend at least 4 community eventsto promote the plan and collect surveys

Watershed Resiliency Implementation) Strategies The watershed resiliency strategies will identify a path forward for achieving watershed plan goals for water quality, flood risk reduction, habitat improvement, and other local goals identified in the planning process. Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework (ACPF) modeling will be completed for 4 high priority watersheds. The strategies will include both urban and agricultural approaches, and others as identified by the TAC and consultant.

Goals, Outputs, & Measures of Success As stated above, the goals of the planning process are:

● Raise awareness about the Lower Cedar Watershed through a series of educationalworkshops targeting specific stakeholder groups

● Gather community input to better inform the watershed planning process● Inventory existing water resource data for the Lower Cedar Watershed to assess

baseline conditions● Conduct additional desktop and field analyses● Identify high priority subwatersheds for detailed planning and implementation

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● Develop the Lower Cedar Watershed Management Plan, in alignment with each of theexisting multi-jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plans, which is sustainable for 20 years

The following outputs / work products are anticipated as a result of this project:

● Two community events / open houses, one at the beginning of the planning project and one to roll out the draft plan

● One field day at a local farm to raise awareness about the Lower Cedar Watershed and what farmers can do to improve water quality

● One source water protection workshop to connect communities to resources for developing Phase 2 Source Water Protection Plans

● One community stormwater workshop to discuss green infrastructure options, funding opportunities, and assessment methods

● Attend at least 4 community events such as farmer’s markets, county fairs, or local festivals to raise awareness about the Lower Cedar watershed

● Technical Advisory Committee and subgroups established, and quarterly meetings held● Outreach materials will be developed (website, logo, banner display, brochures, social

media)● Compilation of relevant existing plans / reports● GIS-based watershed resource inventory● Water monitoring report● Social assessment of community concerns● Development of scenarios for long-term, stable self-funding mechanisms for LCWMA● Watershed model to identify high priority watersheds for implementation (such as SWAT

or similar model)● ACPF modeling for 4 HUC-12 watersheds● Final watershed management plan● Plan adoption by LCWMA and member entities

The projected environmental improvement (outcome) is improved water quality in the Lower Cedar and its tributaries, as a result of watershed plan development that targets high priority subwatersheds for practice implementation.

Water monitoring results will provide a baseline for measuring the success of watershed plan implementation over time. The results of social assessment will provide a baseline for measuring changes in public attitudes about water quality. In addition, a pre- and post-survey of WMA board members will be conducted to assess board members knowledge and attitudes about water quality and watershed management.

Connection to the Nonpoint Source Management Plan

Goal 1: Build partnerships to enhance a collaborative watershed approach to nonpoint source water pollution.

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Objective 1.2: Organize Soil and Water Conservation Districts to cooperate within watershed boundaries.

● Action Step 3: Develop a watershed map on display in every SWCD office, and for use in public meetings and in publications.

○ Maps created by the Lower Cedar WMA will be provided to each of the available to SWCDs in the watershed.

● Action Step 4: Communicate available science and needed information to make informed decisions.

○ Seek input from SWCD stakeholders in the watershed plan development process, and assist with interpreting data / results to aid in local decision making

○ Share ACPF results with SWCDs so they can help facilitate implementation of BMP’s.

● Action Step 5: Host legislative / elected official tours, field days. ○ The Lower Cedar WMA will partner with local SWCDs to host field days / tours to

highlight innovative practices during the planning process. The WMA will help to publicize these events within the watershed in order to facilitate knowledge transfer among SWCDs and support local capacity building.

● Action Step 6: Involve media by inviting local media to watershed events. ○ Develop a list of media contacts within the watershed and will distribute

announcements of all watershed-related events to all contacts. ○ Use social media (website, Twitter, Facebook) to garner interest in upcoming

events. ● Action Step 8: Develop local watershed websites.

○ The Lower Cedar WMA will develop a watershed website with announcements of upcoming events, watershed resources, and recent news headlines, and provide access to information and data about the watershed.

Objective 1.4: Implement Smart Planning principles, as provided by Code of Iowa at watershed level.

● Action Step 3: Take steps to promote the implementation of Smart Planning Principles. ○ The Lower Cedar WMA will identify community priorities for stormwater

management, and will highlight opportunities for implementing green infrastructure.

● Action Step 4: Encourage rural-urban collaborative to address agricultural and natural resource preservation, with an emphasis on NPS pollution reduction.

○ Seek to identify appropriate BMPs and other solutions to address both urban and agricultural sources of NPS using the ACPF tool. Conduct a social assessment to obtain baseline data on attitudes, knowledge, and willingness to implement BMPs of different types; the data will be used to develop an outreach plan to better reach urban and rural audiences.

○ Encourage participation of rural stakeholders by networking with local Farm Bureau representatives, inviting the Iowa Soybean Association to play an active

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role on the Technical Advisory Committee, and promoting field days with agricultural partners.

Objective 1.5: Increase coordination between public and private entities to better leverage existing funding.

● Action Step 2: Regional Basin Coordinators identify partners and develop a plan to initiate communication.

○ The IDALS and DNR basin coordinators have been invited to participate on the Technical Advisory committee and assist with the overall planning process.

● Action Step 4: Regional Basin Coordinators and Project Coordinators refine message to applicability of local watershed.

○ The Regional Basin Coordinators and any relevant Project Coordinators will serve on the Technical Advisory committee, will assist with assessment and analysis efforts, will guide the HUC-12 prioritization process, will provide input on BMP prioritization, and will assist with public outreach efforts as needed.

● Action Step 6: Plans are prepared, reviewed and presented. Include a section to address all potential funding sources, including but not limited to public and private.

○ Include a section of the plan on potential funding opportunities, including a rough estimate of deadlines so that the WMA can stay ahead of upcoming opportunities.

GOAL 2: Improve technical assistance, outreach, and education to facilitate NPS assessment, planning, and implementation. Objective 2.3: Develop a consistent, understandable message about conservation set for delivery by multiple groups.

● Action Step 2: Get environmental groups, agencies, municipalities, and agricultural interests to endorse the above statement and action steps.

○ Stay abreast in developments of the statewide messaging efforts and will take advantage of materials and outreach opportunities that are made available through Iowa Learning Farms, Iowa DNR, County SWCD and NRCS and others.

Connection to Smart Planning Principles The Lower Cedar Watershed Management Authority is committed to incorporating the Iowa Smart Planning Principles into our watershed planning efforts. We will primarily focus on four of the ten principles while also considering several of the thirteen Smart Planning Elements. The four principles the LCWMA watershed plan will focus on include include Collaboration, Efficiency Transparency and Consistency, Natural Resources and Agricultural Protection, and Sustainable Design. Principle 1: Collaboration

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Successful watershed planning efforts require collaboration across vast geographic areas and diverse political jurisdictions. The LCWMA will utilize the Smart Planning principle of Collaboration to establish consensus around the complex issues within the watershed, a common vision about solving water quality and quantity problems and a unified sense of ownership about sustaining and caring for our watershed. The Lower Cedar WMA is already successfully collaborating across political jurisdictions and over a vast area. Currently there are 30 board member entities in LCWMA including- 18 cities of varying sizes, 6 counties, and 6 SWCDs. The Lower Cedar watershed is over 700,000 acres covering 7 counties. Garnering public support, public participation and intergovernmental collaboration, while accurately and tactfully identifying the issues and opportunities within the watershed is critical. It will require the LCWMA to develop trust by building on our collective successes while also being honest and upfront about setbacks. Collaboration Strategies:

● Encourage public participation in the watershed planning process ● Provide outreach and education on the condition of the watershed and watershed

planning efforts or projects ● Develop LCWMA website for communicating and collaborating watershed information

and updates Principle 2: Efficiency, Transparency & Consistency The LCWMA will be required to operate as efficiently as possible due to limited capacity and available resources. It will continually strive for a high degree of transparency and consistency due to the sometimes sensitive nature of watershed collaboration across rural and urban boundaries, political divides and alternative viewpoints. The LCWMA understands that fostering trust across the diverse populations of a watershed is essential if the LCWMA goals are to be successful. Utilizing Smart Planning Principle 2, Efficiency, Transparency and Consistency in crafting watershed goals, reporting on results, and implementing projects will be vital to success. Efficiency, Transparency & Consistency Strategies

● Provide easy access to watershed planning documents, research findings, data and project results via website and watershed publications

● Encourage consistency in land use decisions, project recommendations and floodplain regulations across watershed jurisdictions

● Report out our successes via public outreach events, and website. Principle 8: Natural Resources and Agricultural Protection The LCWMA is committed to the rehabilitation, preservation, and enhancement of our vital natural and agricultural resources detailed in Smart Planning Principle 8. We understand the importance of these resources in providing economic, social and environmental benefits to the communities within the watershed. We are also sensitive to the sometimes tenuous financial situation of our farmers and will always consider the economic impact of decision of

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conservation goals and recommendations. We will work to promote and implement projects that protect our water resources, decrease flood potential while also driving economic development for the communities and landowners involved. The support and trust of each of our communities is essential to the success of our projects and the preservation and protection of high value farmland. Natural Resources and Agricultural Protection Strategies:

● Complete baseline watershed environmental assessment in order to set goals and objectives for the protection and restoration of natural resources within the watershed

● Provide educational opportunities related to current watershed conditions and conservation practices available to both urban and agricultural areas.

● Promote the development of source water protection plans ● Promote land use practices that discourage urban sprawl and encourage protection of

natural and agricultural land ● Promote community connectivity to natural and agricultural resources ● Coordinate land use practices across watershed governmental jurisdictions.

Principle 9: Sustainable Design. The LCWMA goals and objectives will implement urban and agricultural protection plans that promote Smart Planning Principle 9, Sustainable Design, across the watershed. Sustainable design advocates for efficient use of energy and construction practices. While typically associated with urban development sustainable design practices can be implemented throughout agricultural areas via the use of agricultural conservation projects. The Lower Cedar is defined by both urban and rural environments that require individualized attention and tailored design elements. The LCWMA will aim to incorporate sustainable design and construction standards that conserve natural resources, reduce pollution through efficient use of limited resources and are fiscally sound for the project partners involved. Sustainable Design Strategies:

● Develop sustainable design goals in watershed planning process and incorporate design goals into urban and rural watershed projects

● Highlight success stories from both urban and rural watershed protection projects that have incorporated existing or innovative Sustainable Design practices.

● Coordinate land use policies throughout the watershed to achieve Sustainable Design goals.

Hazard Mitigation: The LCWMA Watershed plan will incorporate the smart planning principle of Hazard mitigation by working with EMA’s and incorporating HMP discussions into our planning efforts. An objective of the Lower Cedar WMP is to align with each county’s multi-jurisdictional hazard

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mitigation plan (HMP), each of which identifies flooding (riverine and flash flooding) as a high priority for mitigation activities. Multi-Jurisdictional planning: The nature of WMA’s at the HUC-8 scale requires multijurisdictional planning. The LCWMA encompasses land in 7 counties and entities from different organizations are LCWMA board members: city, county, and SWCD. Crossing these jurisdiction boundaries necessitates joint planning and decision making as the board votes on all action items. Budget Narrative The Lower Cedar WMA requests $100,000 from Iowa DNR to complete the comprehensive water quality management plan over the 18-month time period. The $100,000 request will be supplemented with $95,723.70 in local match funds for a total project budget of $195,723.70. $12,800 will be a cash match, which has been collected from the WMA Board Member entities, Iowa Corn Growers, and donations from private individuals. $82,923.70 will be in-kind contributions from LCWMA partners. Johnson county serves as LCWMA fiscal agent and holds a line item account for the Lower Cedar WMA. Held within that account is our cash match, $12,800. During the grant time period Johnson County, as fiscal agent, will use county funds to cover invoices until reimbursement is received. Budget Summary DNR Request - $100,000

● WMP plan development, using contractual services - $90,000 ● Water monitoring, using contractual services - $10,000

Cash Match - $12,800

● Outreach materials and printings (logo, banner, brochures) - $3,400 ● Website - $1500 ● Mailed survey and supplies - $5,100 ● Food for outreach events - $1,000 ● Johnson County administration - $1,800

In-kind Match - $82,923.70

● Iowa Soybean Association, Mill Creek watershed plan - $34,678.70 ● WMA Board Member time - $38,145 ● Cedar County stream gage support - $8,600 ● Mark Heckman field day- $1,500

DNR Request The majority of the funds requested from DNR ($90,000) will be utilized to contract with a planning consultant to facilitate a community-based watershed planning process, and develop the final watershed management plan that includes appropriate watershed models and public input. Funding will also be utilized to conduct one year of baseline water monitoring, which is

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expected to include a minimum of three synoptic sampling events at key locations throughout the watershed ($10,000). A competitive bid process will be utilized for any contracts entered into with project funds. Cash Match - Sources

● Scott County SWCD-$1,500 ● Muscatine SCWD $500 ● Cedar SWCD $500 ● Linn County-$1500 ● Cedar County- $1500 ● Johnson County- $1,500 ● Muscatine County-$500 ● Scott County-$500 ● Mt. Vernon- $500 ● Walcott-$500 ● City of Bertram-$150 ● City of Atalissa- $100 ● City of Nichols $200 ● City of Lisbon- $250 ● Indian Creek WMA (representing contributions from the cities of Cedar Rapids, Marion,

Hiawatha, and Robins) - $1,500. ● Private individuals - $1000 ● Iowa Corn Growers Association - $500

It is expected that many of the cash matches will be renewed in the next fiscal year (FY21). In-kind Contributions - Sources The Lower Cedar WMA will hold at least 6 board meetings, 6 executive board meetings, 6 events or workshops, and at least 7 technical team or advisory board meetings during the grant time period. Utilizing the federal volunteer rate of $25.43/ hr and estimating at least 15 members and partners present at each meeting, the value of in-kind time that will be contributed to the LCWMA planning grant project is $38,145. Meeting attendance to WMA meetings will be documented. Iowa Soybean Association is doing Mill Creek watershed project that can be included as in-kind match. The Mill Creek Watershed project is valued at $34,678.70. A final product of the project will be a watershed plan for Mill Creek. Cedar County in partnership with Cedar County Emergency Management Agency funds a river gauge at Cedar Bluff on the Cedar River which aides in planning for flood events and future projects. Future and past data collected from this gauge will be shared with Lower Cedar WMA. The value of this gauge is $8,600 and can be used as in-kind match.

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The Lower Cedar Watershed Coordinator will spend 10 hours/week with a rate of $18/ hr on the project throughout its duration for a total of $13,500 and it can be counted as federal non-match. Mark Heckman, a sustainable farmer within the Lower Cedar Watershed, is contributing hosting a field day at his farm as an in-kind match for the grant that is valued at $1500. Implementation Schedule & Milestones Please refer to Attachment 5 for a detailed implementation schedule and milestones.

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APPENDIX Appendix A:

Lower Cedar Watershed Map

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Appendix B:

Lower Cedar WMA Eligible Members

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Appendix C:

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Appendix D:

Mill Creek-Cedar River HUC 12 of LCWMA

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Attachment 5 - Implementation Schedule & MilestonesObligation Deliverable (Lead Entity) Milestone Date

Task 1. Establish Technical Advisory Committee

1a. List of committee members provided to DNR (PC) 1/1/2020

1b. Meeting agenda, summary, and attendance lists (PC) Quarterly

Task 2. Procure consulting services for plan development

2a. RFP developed and published (WMA) 12/1/20192b. Technical Advisory Committee reviews proposals and selects consultant. (PC) 2/1/2020

2c. Contract developed and executed (WMA) 2/15/2020

Task 3. Conduct outreach and engagement activities.

3a. Kick-off event for watershed planning process (WMA, consultant) 7/1/2020

3b. Field day at local cooperator farm (PC, SWCD) 12/31/2020

3c. Source water protection workshop for communities (PC, WMA) 12/31/2020

3d. Attend at least 4 community-based events (PC) 12/31/2020

3e. Community stormwater workshop (PC, WMA, w/ partner support) 12/31/2020

3f. Public open house, to deliver the draft WMP (consultant) 3/1/2021

Task 4. Develop branding and outreach materials

4a. Finalize WMA logo (PC) 1/1/2020

4b. Create and launch website (PC) 4/1/2020

4c. Develop outreach banner and tabletop display materials (PC) 4/1/2020Task 5. Develop watershed resource inventory 5a. GIS-based compilation watershed data (consultant) 7/1/2020

Task 6. Watershed assessment

6a. Water monitoring (contractor) 10/1/2020

6b. Community stormwater assessment (PC, w/ partner support) 10/1/2020

6c. Social assessment / mailed survey (PC) 10/1/20206d. Land cover assessment (RUSLE) in 4 HUC-12 watersheds to be identified through planning process (PC, DNR, ISA) 7/1/2020

6e. Subwatershed prioritization, to identify critical HUC-12s for implementation (consultant) 12/31/2020

6f. ACPF modeling in 4 HUC-12 watersheds (consultant) 12/31/2020

Task 7. WMA funding scenario development

7a. Establish sub-committee of WMA Board members (PC) 7/1/20207b. Conduct a workshop to develop contribution formulas for stable funding (PC) 10/1/2020

Task 8. Watershed plan development

8a. Physical Environment Inventory draft (consultant) 4/1/2020

8b. Assessment of Issues draft (consultant) 10/1/2020

8c. Goals, objectives, actions draft (consultant) 11/1/2020

8d. Draft watershed plan (consultant) 12/31/2020

8e. Final watershed plan (consultant) 3/1/2021

Task 9. Reports & Invoices9a. Quarterly reports & invoices (PC, Johnson County)

1/15/20204/15/20207/15/2020

10/15/20201/15/2021

9b. Final report & invoice (PC, Johnson County) 3/15/2021