Mower County Soil Erosion Ordinance Compliance

Ninety percent of the land in Mower County is used for agriculture. The County ranks 10th and 13th in the State for corn and bean production, making much of the land vulnerable to erosion due to the planting of row crop. As a result, streams and ditches in the county see high sediment loads.

Unless conservation practices that include erosion control and buffers along the county's surface waters are implemented, it is likely that soil loss through water erosion will increase. By using models to target high risk erosion lands, the Mower Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) has determined that between 49,000 and 62,000 acres in the county have the potential of eroding greater than the tolerable level. Other areas have been identified with existing practices in need of repair or a complete overhaul.
This project will give the SWCD an opportunity to use their computer models and technology to prioritize areas and make a real difference by doing compliance checks and working with producers in those vulnerable areas.