The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa State University and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, the three principals of the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy, today jointly announced that the online dashboards that report the results of the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy have been updated to reflect the latest reporting period. Today’s announcement coincides with the 10-year anniversary of the Nutrient Reduction Strategy. Adoption of conservation practices continues to increase, and progress is expected to continue to build over the next decade as water quality and conservation practice implementation accelerate.
“The detailed dashboards demonstrate that the Nutrient Reduction Strategy is working, and Iowa’s water quality is improving. This comprehensive reporting shows that real progress is being made, but we are far from satisfied and will continue our efforts to scale up Iowa’s adoption of conservation practices,” said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. “We have always known that this is going to be a collaborative effort that will take everyone – both public and private partners in urban and rural areas – working together for decades to come. As conservation practice implementation continues to accelerate in priority watersheds in the years ahead, it will be exciting to see the additional water quality progress that can be achieved.”
“As we reach the 10th anniversary of the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy, we are pleased to release the complete set of data dashboards,” said Department of Natural Resources Director Kayla Lyon. “This tool will allow us to track progress and measure the impact of our efforts more quickly, providing valuable insights to guide our work moving forward. We are committed to transparency and accountability, and this dashboard is a key tool in achieving those goals."
“Iowa State University is committed to bringing the very best science and technology, through research and extension, to bear on always improving our understanding and capacity for management of water resources in Iowa and beyond,” said Daniel J. Robison, holder of the endowed dean’s chair in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State University. “Our college supports land-use and water quality initiatives in its work to enhance agricultural and conservation management that makes a difference, and is to the benefit of farmers, landowners, communities and industries.”