Worth County wetland project billed as first of its kind in state
In 1997, a task force came together to look at water quality issues along the Mississippi River and in the Gulf of Mexico Watershed.
The issue? How large areas with low oxygen due to nutrient contamination could pose a threat to aquatic life. According to the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy from Iowa State University, "Nutrients that lead to algae growth are the main culprit."
Since 2013, the Iowa Water Quality Initiative, with its Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy, has been working to improve water quality through collaboration between independent researchers, farmers and cities.