A Decade Defined In Water quality Collaboration Innovation Progress Momentum Investment Partnerships Strategy

Iowa's Nutrient Reduction Strategy

Iowa's rivers, lakes and streams provide essential benefits to the lives of all Iowans. Whether providing clean drinking water to communities, irrigation for Iowa's food growers or ensuring safe access to our abundant recreational opportunities, protecting these important natural resources is vital to our state's future.

Since 2013, we've taken significant steps in reducing nutrient losses that flow into our waterways. While we are far from finished, these last ten years of the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy have defined how one common goal can spark change that impacts all Iowans.

Building on our promise of progress

By increasing cover crop use, expanding the state's nation-leading adoption of bioreactors and saturated buffers, and establishing hundreds of new wetlands — we've laid the groundwork for meeting our state's ambitious nutrient reduction goals. We remain 100 percent committed to reaching our state's nitrogen and phosphorous loss goals by building momentum around edge-of-field practices.

3 MILLION

acres of cover crops implemented across Iowa.

650%

average increase in bioreactors and saturated buffers year over year.

98%

completion of phosphorous loss goals.

About the NRS

The Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force was established in 1997 to coordinate activities to reduce the size, severity, and duration of hypoxia in the Gulf. In 2008, the task force called upon each of the 10 states along the Mississippi River and Indiana and Ohio to develop an actionable nutrient reduction strategy.

Iowa's action plan was developed by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and the Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Learn more about Iowa's Nutrient Reduction Strategy >

Collaboration at Every Corner

An effort of this scale wouldn't be possible without the 350+ organizations implementing Iowa's Nutrient Reduction Strategy. Plus, we want to extend a special thanks to the following leaders and donors supporting Iowa's Defining Decade campaign.

Want to get involved? Contact Rebekah Jones.