Iowa has been working for decades to protect and improve water quality. However, progress measured toward reduction targets at the watershed scale has been challenging, and many complex nutrient-related impacts in Iowa’s lakes, reservoirs, and streams remain to be addressed. The Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy is a science and technology-based framework to assess and reduce nutrients to Iowa waters and the Gulf of Mexico. It directs efforts to reduce nutrients in surface water from both point and nonpoint sources in a scientific, reasonable, and cost-effective manner.