The Madison County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) invites students attending Earlham, Interstate 35, Winterset Schools, and home schools in Madison County to participate in the Conservation Poster Contest!

The Hand Drawn Poster Contest is open to kindergarten through 12^th grade students; there are five divisions based on grade (K-1, 2-3, 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12).  The Digital (Graphic Design) Poster Contest is open to 7^th-12^th grade students; there are two divisions based on grade (7-9 and 10-12).  Posters must reflect on and include the title of this year’s contest theme: “Home is Where the Habitat is”.

Posters and entry forms are due to the SWCD office in the county where the student’s school is located by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, May 2, 2025.  The Madison County SWCD is located at 815 E. Highway 92 in Winterset; Digital Poster Contest entries can be emailed to Anna.Golightly@ia.nacdnet.net.

The SWCD commissioners will choose contest winners from each of the grade divisions and submit those to compete at the regional level, then the Regional Director for Conservation Districts of Iowa (CDI) will choose winners from each division to compete at the state level.  The first-place winners in each division at the state level will receive a $50 cash award, and the remaining regional winners will receive a $35 cash award.  The first-place state winners will be sent to the national poster contest for consideration for a national award and displayed at the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas in February 2026.

The official poster contest rules and entry form can be found on CDI’s website:
https://www.cdiowa.org/get-involved/poster-contest/

More information about the NACD poster and photo contests can be found here:
https://www.nacdnet.org/contests/

For more information on the Conservation Poster Contest and other student opportunities, visit:
https://www.madison-swcd.org/for-students/

Madison and Warren SWCDs decided not to hold a contractors meeting this winter, so Madison SWCD has sent out a newsletter. 

Contractors and suppliers are strongly encouraged to review and update their contact information and services, especially as some of the service and supply categories have changed. 

PDF form to print, fill out, and email / mail in / drop off here

Online form for contact info/services here

Madison SWCD will be reviewing, and possibly updating, the county average rates used for developing cost share estimates this spring.  Contractors who provide the services/installations listed below are asked respond with their current rates so that commissioners can determine whether Madison SWCD’s county average rate needs to be adjusted for the next fiscal year.

• Dirtwork (terraces, dams, waterway shaping)
• Tiling
• Erosion control for grassed waterways
• Seeding (critical area planting on dams, terraces, grassed waterways, etc.)
• Fencing
• Livestock watering systems
• Smooth metal pipe (principal spillway pipe for dams)

PDF form to print, fill out, and email / mail in / drop off here

Online form for contractors’ current rates here

Madison SWCD kindly asks that contractors and suppliers drop off/mail/email or fill out online forms by Thursday, March 27^th.

There is also a bidding opportunity for tree and brush removal on Badger Creek Watershed Sites.  The site viewing is scheduled for March 20, 2025, and bid packets are due by Thursday, March 27, 2025.  Details can be found here (hyperlink to previous blog post).  For more information related to contractors, county average rates, etc., please visit our Contractors webpage here.

Madison SWCD, as a co-sponsor of Badger Creek Watershed, is responsible for the operation and maintenance of PL-566 structures (dams, grassed waterways, etc.). The district has assembled a package of seven sites that require tree and brush removal, estimated to be approximately 88 hours of work. 

Work involves:

• Herbicide spraying 10 days to 2 weeks prior to mowing or cutting
• Mowing and tree cutting as close to the ground as possible
• Treating stumps that are 2 inches or greater in diameter with herbicide
• Removing felled trees and piling below dams and out of flow areas
• Contractors shall maintain all applicable licenses and insurance
• Work must be completed by July 31, 2025

Contractors interested in the project should plan on attending the site viewing scheduled for Thursday, March 20, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. at Tim Armstrong’s located at 2807 120^th St., Van Meter (east of Badger Creek Lake).

Bid packets (including signed bidder cover sheet and bid in the form of a quote) are due by 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 27, 2025.  They can be mailed or dropped off to the Madison County Soil & Water Conservation Disrict office located at 815 E. Hwy 92, Winterset, IA 50273, or can be emailed to Anna.Golightly@ia.nacdnet.net

To learn more about Badger Creek Watershed, click here