Iowa DNR Releases New Five-Year Strategy for Ambient Water Monitoring

DES MOINES -- A new five-year strategy aiming to improve the Iowa DNR’s Ambient Water Monitoring Program is now available on the web. 

The DNR’s Ambient Water Monitoring Program provides consistent, unbiased information about the condition of Iowa’s groundwater aquifers and surface waters, such as rivers, streams and lakes. This information supports decisions affecting the development, management and protection of Iowa’s waters. 

The monitoring program worked with a variety of stakeholders and other DNR programs to develop a five-year strategy for Iowa’s ambient water monitoring efforts. The strategy identifies opportunities to improve the program’s effectiveness in several categories: monitoring objectives, sampling design, data management, products and services, and program evaluation and coordination. 

“Iowa DNR managers and technical staff will use the new strategy to guide decisions affecting the ambient monitoring program over the next five years,” says the DNR’s Roger Bruner. “The strategy should also serve as a robust informational resource for stakeholders, policy makers, legislators and the public."

The strategy is available here.