Clean Water
We work to improve water quality in rivers and lakes found in Iowa. We accomplish this work through robust education, monitoring, and by partnering with both private landowners and local government.
Here is what we’re up to now:
Water Monitoring in Story County
Water quality in most creeks and lakes in Story County is not tested by state agencies, so in 2020, we worked with 9 partner organizations to plan for how we could sustain a monitoring program at the local level. We continue to support the effort by collecting samples, organizing volunteer events, and making sense of the data.
Creek Clean Ups
So far, we have helped organize six volunteer events that removed over 12,700 pounds of trash from Ioway Creek, the Skunk River, and other streams in central Iowa. Depending on the weather, we may be walking, wading, or paddling canoes, but it’s always a good time!
Educational Videos
FAQ
What’s a watershed? Confused about water quality? Here’s an FAQ with links to some of our most accessible resources.
Past Projects
Past projects have focused on the Ioway Creek and Skunk River watersheds in Story, Boone, and Hamilton counties.
Conservation Connection Blog
A big part of our work is telling engaging stories to help explain the science and policy behind the environmental issues we work on. Here are three of our latest posts from the Conservation Connect Blog.
How to Miss the Point Entirely
This letter is a satire of DNR’s latest response to the EPA’s partial disapproval of Iowa’s 2024 list of impaired waters. This dispute between federal and state agencies may have no impact on water quality but matters for transparency and accountability.
Resolutions to Help Pollinators
A new year means new resolutions! My personal resolutions are to build garden boxes out of reclaimed bricks and seed native plants in my backyard. There are many other things you can do to support pollinators this year like planting natives, creating nesting sites, reducing pesticide use, and creating a water source for them!
The Water (Monitoring) is Deep
Our grant from the Water Foundation gave me an excuse to dive deep into a big statewide dataset collected by the Iowa DNR. Behold, my finest graph yet!