Water Quality & Watershed Management Almost 40,000 streams, lakes, rivers, and wetlands in the United States are classified as impaired. Non-point source (NPS) pollution from urban and agricultural lands is the leading source of impairment with major causes attributed to siltation, nutrients, bacteria, metals and oxygen-depleting substances. Despite federal and state agency efforts and millions of tax dollars invested since the passage of the 1972 U.S. Clean Water Act, recent state reports document close to 40 percent of the waters surveyed as too polluted for basic uses like fishing or swimming. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in their 2000 Water Quality Report call for “wider public involvement” to help with “complex problems like NPS pollution, where control options are difficult or expensive.” ISU Sociology research examines this wider public involvement and the role of citizens in solving water quality problems. Sociology Extension programming provides support for Extension specialists, public agencies, formal and informal community groups and their leaders, farmers and landowners who want to develop watershed groups and engage each other in watershed problem solving. Watershed projects and resources include: Heartland Regional Water Quality Coordination Initiative [Publications, programs, and resources on citizen involvement, nutrient & pesticide management, agriculture & manure management for Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri] Performance-based Watershed Management
The Leadership and Performance-based Watershed Management project is
designed to help improve watersheds in the state. The project focuses on
establishing watershed groups with active landowner and land operator
participation in impaired sub-watersheds throughout Iowa. Performance
measures, such as the Phosphorus Index, the Soil Conditioning Index, the
Fall Stalk Nitrate Test, and residue measurement are used to track
performance of conservation practices and land management techniques
that improve water quality on farmers' fields. |
