Less Salt, Safer Water: Highlights from Winter Salt Week 2026
By: Abby Hileman, Salt Watch Coordinator Winter Salt Week 2026 (January 26-30) just wrapped up, and what a week it was! Originally a local Wisconsin initiative, this movement has evolved…
‘In Iowa, many rivers and lakes improve briefly, then fall back into impairment’
The article from Investigate Midwest reports that while some Iowa rivers and lakes occasionally show short-term improvements in water quality, most remain persistently listed as “impaired” due to pollution from…
Major Sewage Spill in the Potomac River
By: Maggie Dombroski, Mid-Atlantic Save Our Streams Coordinator A catastrophic sewage spill, described by officials as one of the largest in U.S. history, is currently ongoing into the Potomac River.…
Meet a Monitor: Grace Corbett
Growing up in a rural area surrounded by rivers and creeks, Grace has always been interested in the relationship between communities and waterways. So, when it came time to choose a topic for her senior capstone project, Grace decided to focus on water pollution…
As Impacts of Nitrate Pollution Loom Large, Volunteers Step Up
By: Heather Wilson, Save Our Streams Coordinator Across much of the United States, nitrate is perhaps the most widespread and dangerous contaminant in our waterways. This colorless, odorless, tasteless compound…
Save the Date! The DMV Winter Salt Week Open House is Coming Up
On Saturday, January 31, the Izaak Walton League of America is excited to host a program focused on road salt pollution, monitoring, and solutions. While salt keeps our roads safe…
Meet a Monitor: Fred Bailey
Fred Bailey first joined the Izaak Walton League because he was looking for a shooting range in his area, and a Google search brought him to the Arlington-Fairfax Chapter in northern Virginia…
‘Seize the means of water testing!’
Little Village Magazine, an independent news & culture magazine published in Iowa City, Iowa, profiled the Nitrate Watch program in their November 4, 2025 issue. The article highlights how Nitrate…
Meet a Monitor: Bryon Bodt
By: Abby Hileman, Salt Watch Coordinator If you know much state trivia about Maryland, you know that Maryland is known for its blue crabs and oysters, is the home to…

Your kit will include a bottle containing 25 nitrate test strips which you can use to test your water source(s) throughout the year. You’ll also receive postcards explaining how to use your nitrate test strips and how to share your Nitrate Watch results on the Clean Water Hub.
Your kit will include four test strips so you can test your waterway throughout the season. You’ll also receive a chart to help you interpret your results and a postcard with instructions for completing a Salt Watch test and reporting your findings.