Restoring Oxbows Can Lead to Improved Water Quality and Habitat

By Liz Ripley

Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with The Nature Conservancy and Boone River Watershed, is hosting a field day on Wednesday, Nov. 10 from noon to 2 p.m. near Lu Verne, to highlight the restoration of oxbows on Iowa’s landscape to improve water quality and wildlife habitat. The event is free, open to the whole family, and includes a complimentary meal.

Restoring oxbows creates a multitude of benefits to the landscape including improving water quality, offering flood storage capabilities and providing crucial wildlife habitat to a wide range of creatures including endangered species like the Topeka Shiner.

Participants will get a tour of a newly restored oxbow and updates from Karen Wilke, Iowa freshwater specialist and Boone River project director for The Nature Conservancy; Darrick Weissenfluh, private lands fish and wildlife biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and Brandon Iddings, Iowa Soybean Association conservation resources field services program manager.

The field day will be held near the intersection of N. Maple Street and 110th St. northeast of Lu Verne, at 1905 110th St., Lu Verne, IA 50560. Parking and access to the oxbow will be available at the farm site and marked with field day signs.