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.