The Clarke County Water Supply Project has reached another major milestone in its decades-long effort to secure a sufficient, long-term water solution for South-Central Iowa.

On July 30, 2026, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) published the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Clarke County Water Supply Project in the Federal Register, marking the completion of the national environmental review process.

The  project Plan-Environmental Impact Statement (Plan-EIS) has been submitted to the National Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations (WFPO) Program Coordinator with a request for project authorization.  The request will be reviewed and then forwarded to NRCS Chief Colton L. Buckley for final authorization.

“This is an important step for the Clarke County Reservoir Commission (CCRC) and NRCS-Iowa,” said Dave Beck, Project Coordinator for the CCRC. “Once the plan is authorized, we can move on to requesting federal funding for final design and permitting, a goal decades in the making.”

Projects this size and scope require years of planning, collaboration, and persistence. This progress reflects the dedication of the CCRC, NRCS Iowa, local partners, elected officials, and community members who have remained committed to providing a dependable water supply for future generations.

With the environmental review complete and the authorization request moving through the final approval process, the finish line is now in sight. The Clarke County Reservoir Commission looks forward to sharing the next chapter as this vital project moves forward.

On to the next step!

If you have questions or would like additional information about the Clarke County Reservoir Commission or the development of the Clarke County Reservoir, please contact CCRC Project Coordinator, Dave Beck at dbeck@osceolaia.net.