Recently governor Terry Branstad was in Washington County visiting the West Fork Crooked Creek bioreactor installation in his ongoing effort to promote water quality solutions. He was joined by lieutenant governor Kim Reynolds, as well as state senate representative Kevin Kinney and Washington County supervisor Jack Seward at the event. Attendees watched as a semi filled with wood chips unloaded them into a large pit, which would eventually be the county’s second bioreactor.

Branstad said he’s visited several bioreactors across the state, but this was the first time he’s seen the installation of one. He wants to encourage bioreactors, as well as cover crops and buffer strips, all of which he believes will help improve the water quality state wide. Additionally, he hopes this will help the municipalities with their water treatment concerns. The cost of installation for a bioreactor is approximately $15,000, so the governor emphasized utilizing cost sharing money to help farmers build more of them.