By Jamie Martin
Relay intercropping, a key practice in regenerative agriculture, is showing strong potential to reduce flood impacts in Iowa’s agricultural regions.
A field study led by Ross Evelsizer, natural resources projects director at Northeast Iowa RC&D, has revealed encouraging results on how this method improves water management on farmland.
Evelsizer will present these findings during the Iowa Learning Farms (ILF) conservation webinar on April 9 at noon CDT. His webinar, titled “Assessing the Flood Reduction Benefits of Relay Intercropping Practices in Iowa,” will explore data gathered from a study launched in 2021. This study is a joint effort by the American Flood Coalition, Northeast Iowa RC&D, the Iowa Flood Center, and Iowa State University.
The research focused on how relay intercropping—planting a second crop into an existing one before harvesting the first—can enhance water infiltration and evapotranspiration. These changes result in decreased flood severity, especially at the field scale.
“This study showed that there is a definite correlation between relay intercropping and flood impact reductions,” said Evelsizer. “The increases of water infiltration and evapotranspiration delivered through regenerative agricultural practices showed a significant impact on flood severity at field scale. We are excited about this data and are eager to share the results with the farming community.”
The webinar is open to all, and participants are encouraged to engage by asking questions. This research not only advances sustainable farming techniques but also supports landscape resilience planning in flood-prone areas.
By adopting practices like relay intercropping, farmers can contribute to better water quality, improved soil health, and reduced flood damage—making agriculture more sustainable and resilient to changing weather conditions.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-jj-gouin
Categories: National