Linking Water Quality Improvement with Economic Benefits to the Iowa Population

Abstract

The Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy (INRS) establishes a goal of reducing nutrient discharge by 45% to Iowa streams and water bodies by 2035 (IDALS 2020), consistent with the nutrient reduction goal reported in the Gulf Hypoxia Action Plan (MRGMWN Task Force 2008). The INRS also embraced an interim Hypoxia Task Force goal to reduce nutrient losses 20% by 2025 (IDALS 2020). However, formidable challenges remain to attaining these goals as evidenced by pervasive elevated in-stream nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) levels in Iowa streams reported by Jones et al. (2018a; 2018b; 2019) and Schilling et al. (2020). Algal blooms have also been increasing in Iowa lakes and rivers, resulting in eutrophication, fish-kills, and harmful impacts on drinking water supplies, outdoor recreation, and tourism (IEC 2023; INRS 2023; Christianson et al. 2013). Mitigation of the seasonal hypoxic zone in the northern Gulf of Mexico, which is driven by nutrient export from the Mississippi River, has also proved elusive (Rabalais and Turner 2019).