Managing Water Quality Issues with Ecosystem Restoration

While Iowa has long been a productive agricultural state, intensive manipulation of the land has degraded Iowa’s air, water, and soil. More than 90% of Iowa’s landscape is privately owned agricultural land, with the majority used for row cropping. Farmers are expected to produce a strong yield and raise more livestock year after year, regardless of environmental impacts. Due to these profound alterations of its ecosystems, Iowa’s land is ill-equipped to withstand climate change. Wetlands, which serve as essential natural infrastructure during floods, are replaced with tile drainage. Heat-resistant prairie plants are killed with herbicides to make way for profitable monoculture. Endemic bird and insect species are harmed by pesticides, which results in less biodiversity. This strategic, money-hungry gambit on Iowa’s land is dangerous for its future. 

Iowa's water bodies, including wetlands, rivers, and lakes, are vital assets for the state. Keeping these waterbodies clean and safe for recreation is contingent on conservation practices by farmers. According to the state’s Nutrient Reduction Strategy (NRS) and verified in the recent Central Iowa Source Water Resource Assessment (CISWRA), 92% of the nitrogen in Iowa waters comes from nonpoint sources, the vast majority of which are agricultural sources. Nonpoint sources of nitrogen contamination do not originate from a single source like a pipe or discharge outlet (although tile drainage captured in pipes is treated as a nonpoint source). In Iowa, where agriculture is the cornerstone of the economy and landscape, nitrogen comes primarily from farm fields, carried by rainfall or snowmelt into the state’s rivers, streams and groundwater. This nitrogen often originates from the application of fertilizer and animal manure, excreted from Iowa’s 24 million hogs, 54 million chickens, and 3.5 million head of cattle.  

As IEC has stated, the NRS includes only voluntary measures for agriculture. It does not regulate or require any practices that reduce runoff or pollution. This voluntary approach has not resulted in progress.  In fact, these voluntary practices have proven to be ineffective as nutrient loads leaving Iowa have increased since the NRS was implemented and runoff continues to pollute local drinking water quality, increase hypoxia in the Gulf, and hamper beach safety and recreation.  

Farmers must play a key role in driving progress, repair, and restoration. Many farmers are already implementing practices that not only mitigate harm but actively restore and regenerate the land. 

John Gilbert, a farmer from Hardin County, chose to rewild his land to restore natural systems like wetlands and native prairie. 

“I tend to approach farming with the belief and understanding that the primary function of the farmer is to care for the land. It’s not about what you produce or how much you produce, it’s about how good of a job you do to care for the land,” explains Gilbert. 

Maintaining a balance of ecosystem protection and productive farmland can be a challenge, but conservation practices are vital to sustain Iowa’s water, soil, and air. As a member of Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI), John Gilbert prioritizes the need to maintain soil and water quality for the health of his fields. Both IEC and PFI envision an Iowa with healthy soil, healthy food, clean air, clean water, resilient farms, and vibrant communities. By protecting wildlife, pollinator species, and native plants, PFI ensures the success of working farms through sustainable practices. Members work to advance soil health practices, mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, protect water quality, and reduce runoff in their fields.  

“Nutrients should not be leaving the farm ecosystem. One of the things that we don’t very often understand about wetlands is that [not only do] they clean the water, but they’re also an avenue to try and return some of those nutrients back into the ecosystem,” says Gilbert. “That’s where the wildlife comes in: The vegetation provides habitat and food... We have an ecosystem that develops around the wetland that we only see bits and pieces of.” 

As concerns continue for beach recreational safety, drinking water quality, soil health, and air pollution, our need to address these challenges amplifies. For many farmers, this begins with their own practices and taking accountability for their land while considering the effects downstream. However, it is important to recognize that these issues cannot be solved independently or through the actions of a small percentage of farmers. IEC will continue to encourage systemic support and resources for farmers who choose to protect Iowa’s land and water. 

You can learn about Iowa’s water resource and land stewardship through the lens of farmer John Gilbert on IEC’s website and stay up to date on water quality concerns with the Weekly Water Watch newsletter.