Water Quality

A lawsuit aimed at creating mandatory water quality regulations to reduce farm pollution in the Raccoon River will not proceed after the Iowa Supreme Court ruled the case asked the courts to infringe on the powers of the legislature.

An estimated 20,000 Iowans are now under voluntary or mandatory water restrictions due to drought conditions. It’s adding more strain on rural utilities that have long struggled to provide safe drinking water because of agricultural pollution.

Iowa’s cities have scored a decisive victory in a long-running legal battle between urban and rural interests over the delivery of water to undeveloped areas of the state.

The Environmental Working Group’s report says Iowa does routine weekly monitoring for microcystins on state park beaches throughout the summer, but it’s missing other locations like lakes, ponds and reservoirs.

The Des Moines Water Works is exploring a plan to build a set of alluvial groundwater wells as a way to lessen its reliance on the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers, which have been polluted with agricultural runoff for years. The $30 million plan would represent a philosophical shift for the utility.

Ben Kieffer and his guests have a number of quick conversations about the biggest news stories of the week.

Ben Kieffer and his guests have a number of quick conversations about the biggest news stories of the week.

When it rains on Joe Rothermel’s central Illinois farm, most of the water drains into the nearby East Branch Embarras River. There, it begins a journey...

The Lower Missouri and Raccoon Rivers are among the top 10 most endangered in the country this year, according to a national advocacy group. The organization American Rivers is calling for concerted action at all levels of government in order to what it describes as threats to public health and safety and biological diversity.

Traditional turf grass lawns aren’t very absorbent. When there’s a major rain event water runs off of lawns into storm gutters, swelling streams and rivers. Rain gardens can help. We learn more about them on this edition of Talk of Iowa.