2013 | Boone River Watershed

FY13 | Reconnecting Water, Wildlife, and People

Location: Boone River Watershed, Wright & Hamilton Counties, Iowa
Partners: Iowa DNR, The Nature Conservancy, Iowa Soybean Association, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 

Oxbow Restoration Project 

For decades, sediment buildup and stream channelization in the Boone River Watershed buried or disconnected many oxbows—once vital off-channel habitats that supported fish, filtered nutrients, and buffered floods. These changes fragmented aquatic ecosystems and reduced the river’s natural ability to process nitrogen and sediment. 

In 2013, project partners launched a project to restore to two oxbows in the Boone River Watershed. The goal was to: 

• Reconnect aquatic habitats 
• Improve water quality 
• Engage local landowners 
• Monitor ecological outcomes 

With strong collaboration from farmers and conservation partners, the project successfully restored oxbow habitat that had been previously buried or cut off from the main stream. 

Implementation & Outcomes

• Site Selection & Design: The Nature Conservancy and Iowa Soybean Association worked with landowners to identify and prepare restoration sites.  
• Construction: Restoration was completed with oversight from the Iowa Soybean Association and technical support from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.  
• Monitoring: Pre- and post-restoration fish surveys and water quality sampling were conducted by Iowa DNR, TNC, and USFWS. 

The restored oxbows provided critical habitat for native fish species, including: 

• Topeka shiner (Notropis topeka)  
• Channel catfish  
• Smallmouth bass 

Surveys confirmed increased fish diversity and improved water quality, particularly in nitrogen reduction. The oxbows also served as refuges during seasonal extremes, supporting fish survival during both drought and flood conditions. 

The project used a previously restored oxbow as a demonstration site, helping landowners visualize the benefits of restoration. Outreach included: 

• Local newspaper features  
• Newsletters from Iowa Soybean Association and The Nature Conservancy  
• One-on-one landowner engagement 

This approach built trust and interest among farmers, laying out the groundwork for future conservation efforts. It also demonstrated how oxbow restoration can serve as a climate adaptation strategy, helping aquatic species persist through increasingly variable weather patterns.