Leaders in Iowa’s most populous county say they’ll funnel 200-thousand dollars to the Iowa Water Quality Information System to help keep a network of river and stream sensors operating next year. The University of Iowa program lost state funding in 2023, and supplemental dollars from the Walton Family Foundation and ISU Nutrient Research Center are expected to run out next year. Matt McCoy is chair of the Polk County Board of Supervisors.
The funding from Polk County represents one-third of the annual budget for the water monitoring network. McCoy says the hope is that other counties will contribute funding to operate dozens of sensors across the state. Rich Leopold, director of Polk County Conservation, says long periods of data are key for tracking trends and knowing whether certain water quality practices, like adding wetlands, are effective.
The sensors collect real-time data for things like nitrate, flow and temperature. The Iowa division of the Izaak Walton League recently launched a GoFundMe page for the program.
