Why study the South Fork Iowa River watershed?
The South Fork Iowa River and the other watersheds represent nationally important agricultural settings (chemical use, crops, and AMPs) and natural settings (climate, soils, topography, and geology). South Fork Iowa River, which is part of the Iowa River watershed, is representative of corn and soybean row cropping in the Midwest. Other features of the watershed that are relevant to this study: • Use of agricultural chemicals: Commonly used chemicals include herbicides such as atrazine, acetochlor, metolachlor, and glyphosate; and fertilizers, both manure and chemical. • Distinct natural setting: Low relief topography with common depressions that formerly formed ponds and wetlands and that are now drained by an extensive network of drainage tiles and ditches. • Variety of agricultural management practices: AMPs include both tillage and no-tillage of fields used for corn and soybean production; production of large numbers of hogs in concentrated animal feeding facilities; small grassy r
