With funding for Iowa’s statewide water-quality monitoring system uncertain, volunteers across the state have stepped up to test local waterways for nitrate and other pollutants. One program volunteers turn to…
Author: Sam Puckett, Clean Water Program Director Outdoor America 2026, Issue 3 Between July 26 and August 1, 2026, thousands of community members, clean water advocates and public health supporters…
Trevor Boyer kayaked the entire East Nishnabotna River from Atlantic, Iowa, to Brownville, Nebraska, completing the journey in about 32 hours while setting a record and promoting outdoor recreation. Along…
By: Abby Hileman, Salt Watch Coordinator Community science relies heavily on dedicated local volunteers. For Richard Love, protecting local watersheds blends seamlessly with community connection. Today, he serves as an…
The Izaak Walton League of America is marking Nitrate Pollution Awareness Week (July 26–August 1) with a series of free virtual events designed to educate the public about nitrate pollution…
When you pour a glass of water from the kitchen tap or watch a local stream ripple by, you assume it’s clean if it looks clear. But there is a…
By Heather Wilson, Save Our Streams Coordinator and Kate Hansen, Agriculture Programs Director One of the biggest environmental stories to affect Iowans in 2025 was the first-if-its-kind lawn-watering ban issued…
Concerned community members in Iowa are using the Izaak Walton League’s Nitrate Watch kits to track levels of cancer-causing nitrate in their drinking water. This video from More Perfect Union…
Volunteers participating in Nitrate Watch as part of their involvement with partner organization Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement share what motivates them to monitor in this article from the Iowa…
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.