1. The department of agriculture and land stewardship shall implement and administer a watershed protection program. The department of agriculture and land stewardship, in consultation with the department of natural resources, shall annually establish a prioritized list of watersheds that are of the highest importance to the state‘s water quality. The watershed protection program shall, to the extent practical, target for assistance those watersheds on the prioritized list. A soil and water conservation district, in cooperation with state agencies, local units of government, and private organizations, may submit an application for assistance to the department which provides a strategy for protecting soil, water quality, and other natural resources, and improving flood control in the watershed. Upon approval of an application, the department may provide a grant to the soil and water conservation district for purposes of carrying out the strategy provided in the application.

Terms Used In Iowa Code 161C.7

  • Department: means the department of environmental quality in a reference to a time before July 1, 1983, the department of water, air and waste management in a reference to a time on or after July 1, 1983, and through June 30, 1986, and the department of natural resources on or after July 1, 1986, and includes any officer or agency within that department. See Iowa Code 172D.1
  • Fund: means the grain depositors and sellers indemnity fund created in section 203D. See Iowa Code 203D.1
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" may include the said district and territories. See Iowa Code 4.1
 2. A watershed protection account is created within the water protection fund created in section 161C.4. Moneys credited to the account shall be distributed under the watershed protection program.
 3. Administrative rules used for water quality protection projects under the water protection fund shall be used to administer the watershed protection program.