IOWA'S CONCENTRATED ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS

CAFO

Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations are large industrial farms that usually raise livestock (cattle, chickens, pigs etc.) in roofed confined spaces. These industrial farms play a big role in Iowa's agricultural economy, however, they also have a big impact on Iowa's environment. Iowa has one of the most polluted waterways in the Midwest, and a large contributor to water pollution comes from these CAFO's.

Iowa's terrain is mostly created from glacial erosion. The most distinct feature is the Des Moines Lobe where it tends to be flat and is heavily used for agriculture. Iowa DNR has put out a list of impaired watersheds and streams.

Iowa's agricultural sector is heavily influenced by these CAFO's. Many farmer's depend on the animal waste that these operations produce as fertilizer for crops. Farmers will spray the manure that come twice a year usually in the spring and fall seasons. However, that fertilizer usually tends to do more harm than good. It most turns into runoff and pollutes nearby streams and rivers.

Water Quality Research 2010-2020

Failed E. Coli Tests 2015

Failed E. Coli Tests 2020

Ammonia Concentration

Nitrate Concentration

Phosphate Concentration

pH Levels

Drainage Districts

The main reason why Iowa's waterways are heavily polluted is because of two major things (1) manure is applied twice a year on fields, and (2) tile drainage. During the spring and fall seasons, farmers will apply manure to their fields before planting crops. The manure, however, is not incorporated well into the soil. This is usually because of Iowa's freeze-thaw cycles and snowmelt. The manure is then leeches into the tile drainage systems and into waterways. Most of the nutrients from the manure mostly goes to waste, and not taken up by plants.

Drainage districts are mostly concentrated in northern Iowa, and mostly concentrated in the Des Moines Lobe.

Drainage System

Underneath Iowa's agricultural fields are a network of pipes. Before Iowa's corn and soy fields, most of the landscape was a mixture of prairie and swamps. Much of the water would pool in low lying flat areas. In order for farmers to settle and use the land, they began putting in tile drainage underneath the land around the late 1800's. This helped to lower the water table, and crops could develop better root systems.

Neighboring farmers would come together and petition to become a drainage district. An engineer would survey the land and draw up plans for where pipes would be laid. If approved, contracts would be drawn up, and assess each landowner's costs for their fair share. Country would be the ones administering taxes against the land for the initial costs, and later for maintenance.