Rachel Cramer
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Iowa Public Radio
Central Iowa Water Works — the regional water authority that serves one in five Iowans — has issued a lawn watering ban in the Des Moines area. It’s the result of a demand spike and consistently high nitrate levels in the rivers and other sources that provide water for the system.
Natalie Dunlap
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Iowa Public Radio
Rachel Cramer
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Iowa Public Radio
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Neil Hamilton wants Iowans to listen to the land, and throughout his career as director of Drake University’s Agricultural Law Center, he advocated for the land and sustainable agricultural practices. He has dedicated his retirement years to the same mission. Hamilton joins the program to talk about his third book in a series on our environment, 'Through Nature’s Lens: Do We Really Love Our Land and Water.' Then, the early months and years of motherhood are filled with contradictions; it's a time of wonder and discovery, but also drudgery. Emily Bright captures that time in her poetry collection, 'Fierce Delight: Poems of Early Motherhood.' (A portion of this episode was originally produced on May 7, 2025.) -
As President Donald Trump has promised deregulation, experts share what that means for water quality and where regulations already fall short. Farmer and former Iowa Corn Growers Association President Tim Recker has dramatically changed his farm, going no-till and adding wetlands. Water quality proponent Silvia Secchi who gives a history of The Clean Water Act and argues regulations don't go far enough. Also, Nina Elkadi, an investigative reporter, shares her reporting on water quality issues. Then, Melissa Miller, the Iowa Nitrogen Initiative project director, speaks about the complexities of nutrient application on farms and the work they are doing to make this application more accurate. (This episode was produced in March 2025.) -
Central Iowa Water Works leaders said data indicates central Iowans may face another lawn watering ban due to high nitrate levels unless residents limit water use.
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Rob Sand, the Democratic candidate for governor, has shared priorities for water quality and healthcare for Iowans, including changes to manure management plans and an immediate reversal of the privatization of Medicaid in Iowa. -
Pulitzer Prize winner Art Cullen is known for having a way with words — and for telling it like it is. His new book is called 'Dear Marty, We Crapped In Our Nest: Notes from the Edge of the World.' He writes about the Storm Lake he knew as a kid and how things have changed. He also chronicles the history of agriculture in Iowa, the challenges we're facing today and the people who are trying to make a difference. Host Charity Nebbe spoke with the lifelong Storm Lake resident and the co-owner and editor of the 'Storm Lake Times Pilot.' (This episode was originally produced on Oct. 3, 2025)
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In 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court narrowed the definition of the Waters of the United States in the case Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency. The result of that decision is estimated to have eliminated more than half of the nation's wetland acres eligible for protections by the Clean Water Act. Host Ben Kieffer discusses that decision and how it impacts Iowa with Royal Gardner, author of 'Waters of the United States: POTUS, SCOTUS, WOTUS, and the Politics of a National Resource.' (This episode was originally produced in October 2025.)
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Lizzie Hershberger grew up in an Amish community in Minnesota. She is a survivor of sexual abuse and rape, and she left the community, eventually writing the memoir, Behind Blue Curtains: A True Crime Memoir of an Amish Woman's Survival, Escape, and Pursuit of Justice. Hershberger connected with journalist Sarah McClure, who published a year-long investigation about incest, rape, and abuse in Amish communities. Hershberger and McClure then set out on years-long journey filming the documentary Keep Quiet and Forgive, which premieres March 23rd on PBS. Also, water quality is a huge challenge for the Midwest and the Great Plains, but there is a great deal of beauty to be found in the aquatic ecosystems that surround us. ISU professor Amy Burgin joins to share of the Great Plains' water wonders and what she calls "wicked problems."
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Many Midwest residents distrust their tap water, opting to purchase water and ice from standalone kiosks. University of Iowa researchers recently found that these kiosks may contain at least trace amounts of lead. Rachel Schnelle investigated this research on behalf of the Midwest Newsroom. We talk with her and two University of Iowa researchers behind this study that sampled many kiosks around Iowa.
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Corn growers in the Midwest are testing whether they can use less fertilizer and still maintain yields or improve their bottom line through on-farm research trials. The project is designed for producers who use practices to boost soil health.
