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Illinois NLRS Program and Project Narratives

This site features NGO partner program and project narratives, searchable by title, date, and categories. These narratives have been reported in the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (NLRS) annual reports and updates. Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of all nutrient loss-related initiatives across Illinois.

The NLRS is a statewide, collaborative effort aimed at reducing the levels of nitrogen and phosphorus entering Illinois waterways. This page specifically highlights NGO-led efforts that have contributed to the strategy since 2023.

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  • Soil and Water Outcomes

    Dec 8, 2023 12:30 pm by Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy Team2023 Biennial ReportAgricultureCost ShareNon-point Sources

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    The Soil and Water Outcomes Fund offers farmers financial incentives for transitioning to conservation practices that provide positive outcomes for
    Target enrollment counties include DuPage, Will, Kane, Kendall, Grundy, LaSalle, Bureau, Lee and Dekalb in north-western Illinois.

    Figure 2. The 11 county SWOF program target enrollment geography in Illinois in 2021.

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    carbon sequestration and water quality. The SWOF program originated in Iowa but opened enrollment in Illinois in 2021 in 11 counties, including McHenry, Lake, Lee, DeKalb, Kane, DuPage, Bureau, LaSalle, Kendall, Grundy, and Will counties. For 2021, 117 fields were enrolled totaling 14,684 acres, with 11,160 of those acres utilizing cover crops, 4,405 acres utilizing reduced tillage, and 4,405 acres utilizing no-tillage. Conservation practice adoption resulted in 7,937 metric tons of carbon dioxide sequestered, equivalent to 1,726 cars removed from the road for one year. Regarding water quality, conservation practice adoption resulted in 214,605 pounds of nitrogen and 8,342 pounds of phosphorus prevented from entering waterways.  

    In 2022, SWOF expanded its territory in Illinois to a total of 17 counties after receiving an RCPP grant through the USDA-NRCS. The Illinois Soybean Association is a partner on the RCPP grant and assisted with promotion of SWOF’s
    Winnebago, McHenry, Boone, Ogle, Kankakee, and Iroquois were added in 2022.

    Figure 3. The SWOF program target enrollment geography expanded to 17 counties in 2022.

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    enrollment period to farmers in the target geography of the original 11 counties from 2021, plus Winnebago, Boone, Ogle, Cook, Kankakee, and Iroquois counties. At the conclusion of the 2022 enrollment period, 17,572 acres were enrolled in SWOF in Illinois, including 6,522 acres using cover crops, 12,456 acres using reduced tillage, and 5,041 acres using no-tillage. The adoption of these conservation practices resulted in 153,921 pounds of nitrogen and 7,142 pounds of phosphorus prevented from entering waterways.