DES Moines, Iowa — Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig on Monday announced the first round of 2026 urban water quality projects, including major investments in Eastern Iowa communities aimed at improving stormwater management and reducing nutrient runoff.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship will provide $1.24 million in state funding for the initial projects, leveraging more than $2.1 million in additional local investment. The projects are part of a broader, multi-phase effort to expand conservation practices in urban areas statewide.
In Eastern Iowa, projects in Belle Plaine and Hiawatha received significant funding…