The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has received $8 million to expand habitat and water quality projects in the state. The funding came from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service and will target priority watersheds, including the North Raccoon, Boone, Middle Cedar and South Skunk rivers. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said the funding will help add conservation practices in areas that can have the biggest impact on habitat and water quality. “The Department is continuing to work alongside our public and private partners to build upon the progress and construction of wetlands and other proven water quality practices outlined in the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy,” Naig said in the release. According to the release, the Iowa Partners for Natural Infrastructure Project is proposing the addition of 35 wetlands and 200 edge-of-field practices in priority watersheds in the state. Once installed, those practices will reduce the amount of nitrogen runoff by an estimated 500,000 pounds per year and sequester about 2 million pounds of carbon, the release stated.