IOWA CITY, Iowa — Iowa has one of the country’s largest water quality monitoring networks and some of the highest nitrate levels in the nation. Now, the program that monitors these levels says we can see changes to the program as soon as this upcoming spring.
Marty St. Clair, a research scientist working with water quality says the network will cease to exist if things aren’t going to change. “Next year, unless things change, we’re going to have some research projects utilizing some of the sensors,” St. Clair said. “But as a statewide network, it really won’t exist, I think.”
According to Larry Weber, the director for IIHR- Hydroscience and Engineering, the Iowa Water Quality Information System is made up of approximately 75 water sensors across the state. 25 of those measure the nitrate nutrient load leaving the state, another 25 are used to assess conservation practices for nutrient removal. An additional 25 are deployed in watersheds that have been targeted for nutrient removal with active programs from USDA and Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship…