B5 - Rathbun Lake special project: The benefits and challenges of targeting.

Aaron Pickens, Environmental Specialist, Division of Soil Conservation, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship; Velvet Buckingham, Environmental Specialist, Rathbun Regional Water Association; Mike Knox, Environmental Specialist, Division of Soil Conservation, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship; Kathleen Chester, Outreach Specialist, Rathbun Land and Water Alliance; Tyler Jacobsen, GIS Specialist, Rathbun Regional Water Association. The Rathbun Lake Special Project is a partnership of public agencies, private organizations, and landowners working to protect and improve water quality in Rathbun Lake. The project is unique in its use of geographic information system (GIS) technology to target priority land in the Rathbun Lake watershed for the application of best management practices (BMPs). Targeting specific land in need of BMPs to achieve water quality protection has resulted in significant benefits.