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Author: Jayden Jech is a graduate student studying Wildlife Ecology at Iowa State University

This year, I had the opportunity to attend my first Iowa Water Conference. It was a busy couple of days networking with water professionals, learning about key water issues and topics, and having the opportunity to present my own graduate research. I was amazed by the breadth of water-related research projects, number of water quality conservation initiatives, and passion of water professionals and students working to conserve water resources across Iowa.

I attended breakout sessions that ranged from innovative topics in water and agriculture to unique methods to deliver water and science communication. Students and professionals alike detailed the importance of their work and how collaborative efforts can truly make a difference in developing solutions to improve one of Iowa’s most valuable natural resources.

As a student studying Wildlife Ecology, I was excited to have conversations with those outside of my discipline regarding the intersection of water and wildlife conservation. It was clear to see that people were interested in developing water quality conservation strategies that also had the opportunity to support and benefit wildlife.

This year’s conference theme was, ‘Life depends on water. Water depends on you’. However, through impactful keynotes, informative talks, and meaningful conversations, I was reminded that Iowa’s water depends on all of us. Students, professionals, and community members all play an important role in developing collaborative solutions to conserve Iowa’s water into the future. I am looking forward to continuing to be a part of the future of water conservation in Iowa and beyond.

Author: Emily Rehmann is a civil engineering graduate student at Iowa State University. Her research focus is on environmental toxins in water.

I enjoyed attending the 2025 Iowa Water Conference. I learned about the exciting work that people are doing to help protect Iowa’s water, presented and received feedback on my own research, and networked with professionals in academia, government, and industry. I appreciated the opportunity to host some of the speakers and talk to them about their work. One particular highlight for me was reconnecting with former Iowa State graduate students and hearing about where their careers have taken them. I also enjoyed the pre-conference tour to the Creekview Stormwater Wetland, Saylorville Lake, and the Helland Farm.

There were overarching themes throughout the conference that were big takeaways for me. First, protecting Iowa’s water can be done in many ways and considered from many angles. Speakers at the conference discussed modeling, field testing, governmental policies, volunteer efforts, and water quality solutions. Water encompasses stormwater, agriculture, and health. My research focuses on one aspect of water quality—microcystin degradation—so it was nice to step back and view water quality from a broader perspective.

It is important to engage stakeholders and to be culturally aware. Julie Blackburn, from ISG, discussed case studies on flooding and resilience for towns with small populations, aging populations, and fixed and low incomes. Some places had better community engagement, and it was easier to find solutions for them. Shannon Meppelink discussed water quality testing at Effigy Mounds National Monument to determine if the water is safe for harvesting. The project is a collaboration between United States Geological Survey, National Park Service, and tribal partners, and she discussed how tribes are involved in decision making and research. Both of these talks emphasized how public engagement improved the projects.

Many speakers discussed governmental regulations. Andrea McEachran shared that watersheds cross political boundaries. Kendra Markland discussed Iowa’s nutrient management plans and permits for water use for feedlots. Wally Taylor discussed threats to groundwater and what the government can do. There was a binding thread of governmental regulation and money being large factors in decision-making.

Finally, I enjoyed hearing about the research process. Joe Honings discussed a challenge that occurred with one of his field sites in his talk on the effectiveness of a roadside two-stage ditch. Mark Phipps spoke about being prepared to talk to people while doing field research. He highlighted the importance of clear communication: when someone told him that there were eight feet of water in their basement, he thought they meant water that was eight feet deep, but actually it was an eight-foot diameter puddle. Michael Dahlstrom, a keynote presenter, discussed how to communicate scientific knowledge and risk, which must include considering how people determine risk levels. My research includes field sampling at lakes, which inevitably involves discussing my research and water quality health considerations with people that I meet at sites, so it was interesting to hear about other presenter’s experiences and advice, especially on how to communicate risk.

Pat Boddy, one of the keynote speakers, shared important ideas about actions to take. There are actions that we can take right now, actions that would be relatively easy, and big impact actions that would be more challenging. While big issues can be frustrating, she talked about not letting frustration turn into inaction. Her talk was inspiring and a call to action on water quality issues facing Iowans today. I am excited to take what I learned from the conference and apply it to my research and future career.

The Iowa Water Center (IWC) proudly celebrates a monumental milestone: 60 years of serving and elevating a focus on water resources in Iowa. The IWC is one of 54 Water Resources Research Institutes (WRRIs) located across the US and US territories from Berkeley, California, to College Park, Maryland, and Honolulu, Hawaii, to Mangilao, Guam.

This network of “National Institutes for Water Resources and Technology” became a reality when the Water Resources Research Act (WRRA) was first passed by Congress in 1964.

As we honor our history, we take a look back 25 years ago when Dr. Ramesh Kanwar was tapped to lead the institute during a time of uncertainty.

“I was recruited into a unique situation,” Ramesh says. “The Iowa WRRI was on an alert list at the Department of the Interior and on probation at the time.” The institute in 1999 had a budget of $50,000 and Ramesh was asked to dedicate 25 percent of his time to the position as he was also serving as the Assistant Director for the Iowa Agricultural Experiment Station at Iowa State University (ISU).

Ramesh’s research over the years has focused on the areas of irrigation, drainage, groundwater quality, animal waste management, sustainable agricultural production systems, modeling of hydrologic systems, and wastewater treatment and its reuse for agriculture.

From 1999 to 2001, Ramesh injected new energy into the institute and made it more functional. Some of the steps he took to get it back on track were the following:

• Developed an Advisory Board with new members from state agencies and a new vision to develop the first ever 5-year strategic plan
• Secured matching funds (2 to 1) for federal money allocated to the institute in collaboration with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and other state agencies
• As part of the new strategic plan, created student internships in state agencies and organized the first annual statewide Iowa Water Conference

For the Advisory Board, he tapped into water resource leaders across the ISU, University of Northern Iowa (UNI), and University of Iowa (UI) campuses, as well as USDA and state agencies to help him define “who we are, who we serve, and what we do for stakeholders,” Ramesh explains.

With this focus, in one year, he raised a new record amount of funds ($75K) to help fund the work of researchers at ISU, UI, and UNI. He also connected the WRRI to the Iowa DNR, US Geological Survey (USGS) in Iowa and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) and routed several Iowa DNR projects to ISU faculty through the institute amounting to about $2.1 million.

The Iowa Water Center continues to build on the foundation — forged by Ramesh and prior leaders — for a future filled with possibility. For example, leaders in different areas of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at ISU and water researchers at the UI continue to serve on our Advisory Board as well as representatives from the Iowa DNR, IDALS, and USGS.

Today, the IWC is administered by the Office of the Vice President for Research at ISU. The USGS appropriates funds to the Center for multi- and interdisciplinary research, outreach, and education projects.

Since 2000, the Center has supported nearly 220 faculty and 300 graduate and undergraduate students through its competitive grants programs. During this 25 year span, more than $2.8M has been administered by the IWC for water related research.

The Iowa Water Conference continues as the premier water conference in Iowa, bringing together water, climate, urban, agriculture, and natural resource professionals to collaborate and exchange ideas. In 2024, 324 people attended the conference. This included 32 students from ISU and UI who participated in a poster competition, presented research findings, and served as room hosts.

Dr. Rick Cruse has been the Director of the Iowa Water Center since 2006. In addition, he is a professor in the Department of Agronomy. The WRRIs are organized as the National Institutes for Water Resources (NIWR). From 2015-2016, Rick also served as President of NIWR.

Ramesh helped expand the scope of the work of the Center during his leadership beyond assessing water quality for nitrate and phosphorus levels to new emerging contaminants.

“Today, water quantity is becoming as important of an issue as water quality in Iowa,” says Rick.

The mission remains to advance water science to meet Iowa’s water resource needs by identifying and facilitating solutions to meet Iowa’s water resources research needs, communicating Iowa water resources research outcomes, and building Iowa’s water resources research infrastructure.

The Center also receives funding to oversee additional initiatives: the Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework National Hub and the Daily Erosion Project.

Author: Fatemeh Ganji is a PhD student at ISU studying environmental science and climate change.

This year’s Iowa Water Conference, themed “Life Depends on Water. Water Depends on You,” highlighted the essential role each of us plays in water conservation. I was privileged to attend and present my research on “Projected Impacts of Climate Change on Hydrological Extremes in Iowa.” The event gathered professionals across various fields, offering a unique platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration on Iowa’s pressing water challenges.

I’m excited to share that my poster presentation won second place, which was a truly humbling experience given the outstanding contributions from my peers. The insightful feedback from the judges encouraged me to further explore the complexities of climate change’s effects on water systems, specifically how extreme hydrological events like floods and droughts are projected to increase. This recognition has inspired me to continue refining my research in this vital area. Aside from presenting, I was also honored to lead a breakout session on flood risk management. This gave me the chance to guide discussions with experts in the field, which helped me better understand the challenges and new solutions being worked on to manage flood risks in Iowa.

One of the standout moments of the conference was Brandi Janssen’s keynote on “Upstream Thinking.” Her talk on proactive strategies for improving water quality resonated with me, particularly as it aligns with my focus on preparing for the increasing severity of water-related events in Iowa. Her insights were a powerful reminder of the responsibility we all have in preserving and protecting our water resources.

Overall, attending the 2024 Iowa Water Conference was an invaluable experience that has strengthened my commitment to tackling Iowa’s water issues. While winning second place was a significant highlight, the knowledge gained, and the professional connections made are equally important.

Acknowledgments: I am deeply grateful to the conference organizers for hosting such an enriching event. Special thanks to Laura Frescoln, whose support and guidance helped make this experience rewarding. I would also like to express my appreciation to the sponsors and donors for providing the scholarship that covered my participation in the conference. I also want to thank Dr. Lu Liu and my colleagues at Iowa State University for their mentorship and collaboration throughout my research.

Author: Lisa Yeboah is currently a PhD student at Iowa State University. She completed her M.S. in Water and Environmental Management at the University of Bristol, UK. Her research focuses on exploring new and innovative technologies for water reuse applications in small water systems.

Attending the 2024 Iowa Water Conference was such an amazing experience, especially for a first timer like me. It was more than just a ‘professional’ event to me. It was a gathering of experts delving into issues concerning sustainability, water quality, and other issues that affects us all in so many ways. Going into it, I expected to learn a few things, but I came away with much more than I’d anticipated, including a renewed sense of how much we can accomplish when we work together.

One of the most interesting parts of the conference was hearing from speakers with very different backgrounds. Farmers, environmental experts, city planners, and scientists all came together to discuss the future of water in Iowa and beyond. I learned how water management connects to all areas of life, from farming and health to community development and local economies. It was eye-opening to see that some of the water-friendly practices we talked about aren’t just beneficial for the environment; they’re also practical and beneficial for people’s livelihoods.

One of the keynote sessions by Dr. Kaoru Ikuma, which I thoroughly enjoyed and which continues to hammer on me because my research also focuses on small communities, emphasized the urgent need for action given the growing global water crisis, the need for marginalized communities to be a part of the key decision-making process, and the critical role of water security in achieving broader sustainable development goals. What was the main takeaway from this keynote? Efforts to ensure water security need to involve inclusive and integrated approaches to achieve equitable access.

Among the numerous benefits of attending this conference was meeting other attendees who share a similar passion for these issues. Sharing ideas and being able to relate to some of these issues further emphasized their importance. I left the conference feeling more connected to a community that genuinely wants to create change.

Overall, the Iowa Water Conference was an inspiring event that reminded me how much we can accomplish when we work together toward a common goal. I came back with a deeper understanding of the water challenges we face and practical ideas for how to be part of the solution. For anyone interested in learning more about our water resources or how we can all play a role in protecting them, I would highly recommend attending this conference. It’s a truly meaningful experience that leaves you motivated to make a difference.

Author: Katie Herbert is a graduate student at the University of Iowa, attaining a degree in Public Affairs. Her special area of interest explores the nexus of fresh water and policy.

Attending the Iowa Water Conference, hosted by the Iowa Water Center at Iowa State University, provided an amazing opportunity for me to be a fly on the wall, listening how local, state, and federal water policy has impacted those across the state of Iowa. Something that I have learned in graduate school is the importance of consequences. Hearing about how local farmers are dealing with increased nitrate levels in their streams, or landowners trying to protect their well water from agricultural runoff are just two examples of how policy choices at the state level have ripple effects throughout Iowan communities. Being an agricultural state, I learned at this conference that Iowa supplies some of the most nitrate runoff into the Mississippi than any other bordering state. Through our policy choices, it is clear we are prioritizing short-term yields over long-term stewardship of our land and our health.

Multiple panels at this year’s Iowa Water Conference showed how Iowans are taking it upon themselves to close the gap in need to protect locals from these harmful farming practices, whether it be providing nitrate testing strips for your tap water, educational forums about how to maintain a private well, or teaching farmers more sustainable agricultural methods. Many panels talked about how they are using federal resources for their programming, but there was little talk about policy from Iowa itself that seeks to promote better public health in relation to clean water.

This conference displayed a clear gap in Iowa policy. If Iowa wants to protect its land and citizens for future generations, it must be thinking about long-term best agricultural practices, including cover crops, rotational grazing, and limiting chemical usage that has been proven to cause health issues to both humans and the environment.

Ultimately, this conference provided me with a lot of hope. When your local government isn’t providing the safety nets needed to promote agricultural and public health, the community itself seeks to fill that gap. Through science, community activism, and art, the Iowa Water Conference displayed a bright future when it comes to the state of water in Iowa. This is a community of people who truly care about the health and well-being of all in this state, and those downstream of us. Through continued efforts, scientific and community-driven, I truly believe we will heal our current ecosystem and better connect Iowans with their lived environment.

Author: Lilli Scott is a graduate student earning her Master of Public Affairs from the University of Iowa. 

The keynote speakers and breakout sessions throughout the conference were nothing short of inspiring. Two main themes were introduced by the first day opening speakers, Dr. Brandi Janssen and Dr. Kaoru Ikuma,

1. Connections to water run deep in every culture. We must embed these connections in our work.
2. Solving wicked problems* is going to take a collaborative and integrated approach to engage a variety of disciplines and stakeholders.

I noticed these themes carry over into the following breakout sessions and panels over the course of the conference. From David Cwiertney and Eric Gidal’s presentation of the Blue-Green Action Platform — bridging the gap between arts and science — to the Wicked Problem Panel posing tough questions about climate-resilient watersheds. It was inspiring to listen to experts in the field and hear about the work they are doing to improve the water in our state and beyond.

It can be daunting to learn about wicked problems such as water quality issues and climate change. How can we as individuals even begin to address these issues? With the conclusion of this conference, I feel as though I am walking away with new tools in my belt to take on these challenges. One simple step we can take to make a change as individuals is to connect with and be aware of the water around us.

Building connections with our community and our water will help us participate in and contribute to collective solutions. We can share information about private well testing grants with our neighbors, adaptation strategies in our local hazard mitigation plans, request nitrate testing kits from the Izaak Walton League, or share ideas about water recycling in our community water systems.

As V Fixmer-Oraiz touched on in the Wicked Problem Panel, resilience can be achieved through connection, and we all have the power to connect. While we may not all be out restoring watersheds for a living, we can still be good watershed stewards and neighbors. As the theme of the conference reads, “Life Depends on Water. Water Depends on You (Us).”

*Fifty years ago, two design theorists developed the term “wicked problem” to describe problems that are difficult to solve because of their complex and interconnected nature. In the world of water, a shared critical resource for all, natural and human pressures create water quality and water quantity concerns.

The Iowa Water Center and Iowa Nutrient Research Center at Iowa State University will jointly fund research to explore the linkages between water quality and social well-being for Iowa communities.

The research focus for this request for proposals is social justice and equity issues surrounding populations impacted by water pollution from nitrogen and phosphorus. By seeking to understand downstream impacts and social well-being in relation to nutrient issues, the RFP will address the wellbeing of all members of society within the larger agroecosystem of the Mississippi River Basin.

Potential topics include:

• The intersection between water quality and water quantity
• Assessment of nutrient impacts on tourism/recreation,
• Water quality impacts on rural communities and water utility associations,
• Management and monitoring strategies by downstream communities,
• Assessment of community and watershed coalition activities to address nutrient management issues.

Studies focused on human-health impacts do not qualify for this RFP.

Projects must be led by Iowa State University, the University of Iowa, or the University of Northern Iowa. Priority will be given to proposals that engage early career faculty or engage graduate and undergraduate students. Other research partners can include local communities, utilities, agencies, businesses, and landowners.

Applicants must submit a proposal intention by November 1, 2021, 5 p.m. CDT, with full proposals due November 15, 2021, 5 p.m. CDT. Funded projects may start as early as March 2022.

The total amount available is $60,000 to support one or multiple projects. Funding for this grant opportunity comes from the Iowa Nutrient Research Center and the Iowa Water Center. Matching funds are not required for this grant competition.

Access full RFP here.