Dubuque County Farmer Works to Keep Run-Off at Bay.

An eastern Iowa farmer is a part a new program to keep hazardous materials out of Iowa's waterways.

Just last week we told you about a 100-thousand gallon manure spill at Coon Creek in Benton County.

In Dubuque County, Ernie Gable's farms sits just steps away from the north fork of the Maquoketa River.

As a long time farmer Goebel has seen it all. The good and the bad.

Goebel said, "what happens is the manure runs off when it rains and also nitrogen runs off from the fertilizer you apply in the field."

He's working with the Iowa State University Extension to keep that material out of the nearby north fork of the Maquoketa River.

Under a spot on his farm is a 100 foot long drainage pipe filled with wood-chips.

They call it the bio-reactor.

Goebel said, "the wood chips will soak up the bad stuff. The little microbes on the wood chips will actually eat the nitrates. They live off of that out of nitrogen and that purifies it and cleans it up. "

The bio-reactor is like a strainer that holds on to the hazardous material. Only the clean water gets through to the river.

Goebel said, "I feel real good about that, that we are trying help. "

Goebel says this system is the first of its kind in Iowa. He's seen a lot of changes in farming over the years. But this is one he's especially proud to be part of.

Goebel installed the bio-reactor system last week. He says so far the ground is too dry to test it out.