2023 - promoting stormwater practices
in mahaska co. - OSKALOOSA

BEFORE

AFTER

 

Project Partners

  • Mahaska soil and water conservation

  • GREEN IOWA AMERICORPS

  • WILLIAM PENN UNIVERSITY

  • deBRUIN TRENCHING

  • USDA

  • VANDER LINDEN REAL ESTATE

Grant award: $12,558 - WQI  

Total project: $25,116                       

Applicant/Partner Contributions: $12,558 

Summary
A bioretention cell and rain garden was installed at the Mahaska County USDA Service Center by the Mahaska Soil and Water Conservation District. This site demonstrates these practices to other businesses and homeowners in the City of Oskaloosa and Mahaska County.

Description
Mahaska County SWCD is working with local partners to install urban stormwater demonstration sites throughout Oskaloosa to support watershed efforts in the South Skunk River and Muchakinock Creek.  The purpose of this project was to establish a demonstration site at the USDA and SWCD Service Center in Oskaloosa, a property owned by Vander Linden Real Estate.  This is one of the few Service Centers in Eastern Iowa that features urban practices!  A bioretention cell was installed to address runoff from the parking lot and most of the building. The bioretention cell treats 400,000 gallons annually.   A small rain garden was installed at the back of the building to treat the remaining roof runoff.  The rain garden treats 20,200 gallons annually.  The Service Center also features numerous native plantings and a rain barrel.  Pollinators are frequent visitors to the site!  

Mahaska SWCD staff and students from Green Iowa AmeriCorps and William Penn University assisted with the installations and native plantings.  DeBruin Trenching donated a water control structure to enhance water quality improvements by the bioretention cell.  

Project Status
Completed

Practices
910 square foot bioretention cell; pre-treatment grass strip for the bioretention cell; and 120 square foot rain garden were installed.