Story County Conservation’s Integrated Roadside Vegetation Management (IRVM) staff has finished a maintenance project for the drainage ditch system Boone- Story # 8 drainage district in Franklin Township in northwestern Story County. Work was conducted by IRVM staff and included cutting brush along the open drainage ditches in this area.
In July 2012, the Story County Board of Supervisors, acting as Drainage District Trustees, implemented a cost-effective plan designed to stabilize and improve Story County’s drainage system. To take a proactive approach, the supervisors created a drainage district program that is overseen by Story County Conservation’s IRVM staff.
Currently, many open ditches and other drainage features throughout the county are not operating as originally designed. A key factor is the amount of debris and woody vegetation present in open ditches and over tile intakes. Through inventories and assessments, IRVM staff will work within each drainage district to reduce woody vegetation and remove other hazards degrading these waterways.
“A conservation-minded approach will be used on all aspects of drainage district maintenance in Story County,” Vegetation Management Specialist Tyler Kelley said. “This will include promoting a deep-rooted plant community and a wildlife-friendly shrub system, which will facilitate water flow and prevent stream bank erosion.”
For more information about the IRVM Drainage District program, contact Vegetation Management Specialist Tyler Kelley at 515-382-7368 or email tkelley@storycounty.com. Learn more about IRVM and Story County Conservation at www.storycountyconservation.com.
Story County Conservation manages more than 3,500 acres of parks and natural areas, including lakes, campgrounds, prairies, and trails. Integrated Roadside Vegetation Management staff preserves native plant species while maintaining vegetation along Story County roads and drainage ditches.
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CONTACT:
Tyler Kelley
Vegetation Management Specialist
Integrated Roadside Vegetation Management
Story County Conservation
Fax: 515-382-7369
Phone: 515-382-7368
Email: tkelley@storycounty.com
www.storycountyconservation.com
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