Reporting from the Cedar Rapids Gazette explains how Iowans participated in a record-breaking year for volunteer water testing in 2025. The Izaak Walton League’s Nitrate Watch program saw more requests…
Summary statistics from the Nitrate Watch 2025 annual report are shared in reporting from Axios Des Moines. These statistics tell a story of high nitrate concentrations in waterways across Iowa…
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…
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…
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…
By: Heather Wilson, Save Our Streams Coordinator What do you do when a fertilizer spill ravages your local stream, killing hundreds of thousands of fish across two states? For a…
A news story from Iowa’s News Now in Cedar Rapids explains how the Izaak Walton League is making it possible for volunteers to test water bodies for nitrate and other…
Water quality is a major environmental concern in Iowa, and Heather Wilson, Midwest Save Our Streams coordinator for the Izaak Walton League, is helping residents take action through the Nitrate…
Iowa’s rivers, lakes, and farmland are the foundation of the state’s economy, environment, and way of life—but the program that monitors their health is now at risk. The University of…
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.