Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy 

Overview

The Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy is a science and technology-based framework adopted as the policy for Iowa in May 2013 to assess and reduce nutrients to Iowa waters and the Gulf of Mexico. It is designed to direct efforts to reduce nutrients in surface water from both point and nonpoint sources in a scientific, reasonable, and cost-effective manner. The strategy outlines a pragmatic approach for reducing nutrient loads discharged from the state’s largest wastewater treatment plants, in combination with targeted practices designed to reduce nutrient losses from nonpoint sources such as farm fields. 

Iowa farmers and cities have accepted the challenge of reducing nutrients in Iowa’s surface waters as can be seen from progress tracking efforts by the Iowa Nutrient Research & Education Council. In 2018 the Iowa Legislature established a dedicated, sustainable funding source totaling more than $270 million to be used through 2029 for the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy and its Water Quality Initiative...