Title XI, NATURAL RESOURCES (Ch. 455 - 485)

To achieve the purposes of this chapter , the state department of transportation, other state agencies, political subdivisions of the state, and private organizations may use funds from the following sources: 1. Funds appropriated by the general assembly. 2. Private grants and gi…

As used in this chapter : 1. “Area” means an area of land or water or both land and water. 2. “Commission” means the natural resource commission. 3. “Dedication” means the allocation of an area as a preserve by a public agency or by a private owner by written stipulation in a for…

An area shall become a preserve when it has been approved by the department for dedication as a preserve, whether in public or private ownership, formally dedicated as a preserve within the system by a public agency or private owner and designated by the governor as a preserve. […

1. An area designated as a preserve within the system is hereby declared put to its highest, best, and most important use for public benefit. It shall be held in trust and shall not be alienated except to another public use upon a finding by the department of imperative and unavo…

All departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the state, including counties, municipalities, public corporations, boards, commissions, and universities shall be urged to dedicate as nature preserves within the system under the procedures outlined in this chapter , suitable …

1. Nothing contained in this chapter shall be construed as interfering with the purposes stated in the establishment of or pertaining to any state or local park, preserve, wildlife refuge, or other area or the proper management and development thereof except that any agency admin…

The director of the department of natural resources and the state ecologist shall comply with the requirements of section 22.7, subsection 21 , regarding information pertaining to the nature and location of ecologically sensitive resources or sites. The director of the department…

There is hereby created a state system of preserves. [C66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §111B.2 ] C93, §465C.2 2024 Acts, ch 1170, §336

The department shall have the following powers and duties with respect to this chapter : 1. To approve an area as a preserve. 2. To make and publish all rules necessary to carrying out the purposes of this chapter . 3. To recommend dedication as preserves, of areas owned by the s…

1. The public agency or private owner shall complete articles of dedication on forms approved by the department. When the articles of dedication have been approved by the governor, the department shall record them with the county recorder for the county or counties in which the a…

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as “Initiative on Improving Our Watershed Attributes (I on IOWA)” . 2000 Acts, ch 1068, §1

The goal of this chapter is to develop a comprehensive water quality program that will result in water quality improvements while reducing proposed regulatory impacts. The program shall use information, education, monitoring, technical assistance, data gathering and evaluation, i…

An Iowa clean water award is created. The governor and the general assembly shall give the award annually to a city or other political subdivision which has met criteria established by the department of natural resources and the department of agriculture and land stewardship iden…

1. As used in this section , “conservation buffer strip” means a riparian buffer, filter strip, waterway, contour buffer strip, shallow water area for wildlife, field border, or any vegetative barrier on private land that meets the criteria established by the United States depart…

1. A conservation reserve enhancement program is established within the department of agriculture and land stewardship to restore or construct wetlands for the purposes of intercepting tile line runoff, reducing nutrient loss, improving water quality, and enhancing agricultural p…

The department of natural resources shall operate water quality monitoring stations for the purpose of gathering information and data to establish benchmarks for water quality in this state. 2000 Acts, ch 1068, §6

1. The department of agriculture and land stewardship shall implement, in conjunction with the federal government and other entities, a program that provides multiobjective resource protections for flood control, water quality, erosion control, and natural resource conservation. …

1. The department of natural resources shall establish an on-site wastewater systems assistance program for the purpose of providing low-interest loans to homeowners for improving on-site wastewater disposal systems. 2. The environmental protection commission shall adopt rules fo…

1. An on-site wastewater systems assistance fund is established as a separate fund in the state treasury under the control of the department of natural resources. Moneys in the fund are appropriated to the department of natural resources for the exclusive purpose of supporting an…

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Surface Water Protection and Flood Mitigation Act” . 2008 Acts, ch 1034, §1 ; 2009 Acts, ch 146, §7

The council shall encourage and support the formation of a chapter of the association of state floodplain managers in Iowa that would provide a vehicle for local floodplain managers and floodplain planners to further pursue professional educational opportunities. 2010 Acts, ch 11…

The Iowa state university agricultural extension service, the council, and agency members of the council shall, to the extent feasible, work with floodplain and hydrology experts to educate the general public about floodplains, flood risks, and basic floodplain management princip…

For the purposes of this chapter , unless the context otherwise requires: 1. “Council” means the water resources coordinating council created in section 466B.3 . 2. “Iowa nutrient reduction strategy” means the same as defined in section 455B.171 . 3. “Political subdivision” means…

As used in this subchapter , unless the context otherwise requires: 1. “Authority” means a watershed management authority created pursuant to a chapter 28E agreement as provided in this subchapter . 2. “Board” means a board of directors of a watershed management authority. 2010 A…

1. Two or more political subdivisions may create, by chapter 28E agreement, a watershed management authority pursuant to this subchapter . The participating political subdivisions must be located in the same United States geological survey hydrologic unit code 8 watershed. All po…

A watershed management authority may perform all of the following duties: 1. Assess the flood risks in the watershed. 2. Assess the water quality in the watershed. 3. Assess options for reducing flood risk and improving water quality in the watershed. 4. Monitor federal flood ris…

1. An authority shall be governed by a board of directors. Members of a board of directors of an authority shall be divided among the political subdivisions comprising the authority and shall be appointed by the respective political subdivision’s elected legislative body. 2. A bo…

In all activities of a watershed management authority, the authority may coordinate its activities with the department of natural resources, the department of agriculture and land stewardship, councils of governments, public drinking water utilities, and soil and water conservati…

1. Council established. A water resources coordinating council is established within the department of agriculture and land stewardship. 2. Purpose. The purpose of the council shall be to preserve and protect Iowa’s water resources, and to coordinate the management of those resou…

1. Findings. The general assembly finds all of the following: a. Most Iowans desire to have improved water quality throughout the state, but many Iowans do not understand the problems with local water quality. b. Most Iowans believe that the protection of fish and wildlife benefi…

As used in this subchapter, unless the context otherwise requires: 1. “Center” means the Iowa nutrient research center established pursuant to section 466B.47 . 2. “Council” means the Iowa nutrient research center advisory council established pursuant to section 466B.48 . 3. “Div…

The division shall establish a water quality initiative in order to assess and reduce nutrients in this state’s watersheds, including subwatersheds and regional watersheds, and for implementing its responsibilities under the Iowa nutrient reduction strategy. The division shall es…

1. As part of the water quality initiative established pursuant to section 466B.42 , the division shall administer water quality agriculture infrastructure programs created in this section . 2. The purpose of the programs is to support projects for the installation of infrastruct…

1. As part of the water quality initiative established pursuant to section 466B.42 , the division shall administer a water quality urban infrastructure program. 2. The purpose of the program is to support watershed projects and advance implementation of the Iowa nutrient reductio…

1. A water quality initiative fund is created in the state treasury under the management and control of the division. 2. The fund shall include moneys appropriated by the general assembly. The fund may include other moneys available to and obtained or accepted by the division, in…

1. An Iowa nutrient research fund is created in the state treasury under the management and control of the center. 2. The fund shall include all of the following: a. Moneys appropriated by the general assembly. b. Moneys appropriated from the agriculture management account of the…

1. The state board of regents shall establish and maintain in Ames as part of Iowa state university of science and technology an Iowa nutrient research center. 2. The purpose of the center shall be to pursue a science-based approach to nutrient management research that may includ…

1. The state board of regents shall establish and maintain in Ames as part of Iowa state university of science and technology an Iowa nutrient research center advisory council. 2. The council shall consist of the following members: a. The dean of the college of agriculture and li…

Any information received, collected, or held under this subchapter is a confidential record, and is exempted from public access as provided in section 22.7 , if all of the following apply: 1. The information is received, collected, or held by a nonprofit organization that conduct…

1. Regional watershed assessment program. The department of natural resources shall create a regional watershed assessment program. The program shall assess all the regional watersheds in the state. a. The statewide assessment shall be conducted at the rate of approximately one-f…

1. Facilitation of community-based subwatershed plans. After the department of natural resources’ completion of the initial regional watershed assessment, and after the council’s prioritization of the regional watersheds, the council shall designate one or more of the agencies re…

1. Monitoring assistance. After completion of the statewide regional watershed assessment and prioritization, and throughout the implementation of local community-based subwatershed improvement plans, the department of natural resources shall assist communities with the monitorin…

The department of natural resources shall assess and prioritize communities within a watershed presenting the greatest level of risk to water quality and the health of residents. This prioritization shall include both sewered and unsewered communities. 2008 Acts, ch 1034, §8 ; 20…

The department of natural resources and the department of agriculture and land stewardship shall have the power and authority reasonably necessary to carry out the duties imposed by this chapter . As to the department of natural resources, this includes rulemaking authority to ca…

1. The state board of regents shall establish and maintain in Iowa City as a part of the state university of Iowa an Iowa flood center. In conducting the activities of this chapter , the center shall work cooperatively with the department of natural resources, the department of a…

The board of supervisors of any county shall have jurisdiction, power, and authority at any regular, special, or adjourned session, to establish a drainage district or districts, and to locate and establish levees, and cause to be constructed as hereinafter provided any levee, di…