{"id":692121,"date":"2026-06-08T19:27:14","date_gmt":"2026-06-08T19:27:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/692121\/"},"modified":"2026-06-08T19:27:14","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T19:27:14","slug":"in-iowa-water-pollution-is-a-health-threat-that-also-disrupts-summer-fun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/692121\/","title":{"rendered":"In Iowa, water pollution is a health threat that also disrupts summer fun"},"content":{"rendered":"

MANCHESTER, Iowa (AP) \u2014 Hannah Ray J Childs propelled her kayak into a rapid on Iowa\u2019s Maquoketa River on a recent afternoon and dipped her paddle in the water to swing the front of her boat into the air.<\/p>\n

She loves to spend her days performing whitewater kayaking acrobatics that dunk her body in the water and give her the \u201cfeeling of flying,\u201d she said. The water is where she found community \u2014 she even first spotted her husband when he was flipping his kayak in violent water. He in turn taught her how.<\/p>\n

But she has also gotten sick from the water and now wears nose and ear plugs to minimize risk. Many others question why she spends so much time on the water.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople\u2019s first response when I tell them that I like to kayak and be upside down in the river,\u201d Childs said, \u201cis, \u2018Ew, that\u2019s disgusting. Why would you do that?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\"HannahHannah Ray J Childs kayaks at a whitewater park she helped create on the Maquoketa River Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Manchester, Iowa. (AP Photo\/Brittany Peterson)(Brittany Peterson | AP Photo\/Brittany Peterson)<\/p>\n

Iowa is a particularly stark example<\/a> of the Midwest\u2019s broader struggle with water pollution. The state is among the top producers of corn, soybeans and hogs, and it boasts a dense network of streams and rivers. Fertilizer and manure on those farms contain nitrates and phosphorus that drain into those waters, making Iowa among the leading contributors to an aquatic dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico. Last summer its biggest city imposed water restrictions<\/a> as it struggled to remove the harmful nitrates from tap water.<\/p>\n

Water pollution has been a stubborn problem<\/a> here for decades, affecting not only public health but also people\u2019s ability to enjoy the water in the summer.<\/p>\n

Algal blooms can create dangerous conditions at beaches, and soil runoff can make the water just feel gross. Bacteria, sometimes from human sewage, keeps teenagers out of streams. More than half the sections of rivers, streams and lakes the state tracked in 2024<\/a> did not meet state standards for swimming, drinking or aquatic life.<\/p>\n

\"AA stream cuts through a farm field Thursday, May 7, 2026, near Marshalltown, Iowa. (AP Photo\/Brittany Peterson)(Brittany Peterson | AP Photo\/Brittany Peterson)<\/p>\n

The state has relied on voluntary actions and incentives \u2014 not mandates \u2014 to reduce nitrate and phosphorus runoff, but it remains far short of its goal. Recently environmental groups sued the Trump administration, alleging that it improperly reversed a Biden-era requirement for Iowa to address nitrate pollution in sections of several rivers.<\/p>\n

There has been investment and some improvement. In May, Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds promoted a $320 million package for water infrastructure and other projects, adding to the nearly $100 million annually that the state allocates to the problem. Phosphorus has diminished some. Better practices such as cover crops, reduced or no tillage to protect the soil and on-farm installations to reduce runoff<\/a> have substantially increased in recent years.<\/p>\n

Though landlocked, Iowa\u2019s identity is shaped by waterways including the Missouri and Mississippi rivers that form some of its borders. There are beautiful lake-side beaches and excellent trout fishing. Waters are among its few natural spaces.<\/p>\n

\"PeoplePeople fish along the Maquoketa River, Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Manchester, Iowa. (AP Photo\/Brittany Peterson)(Brittany Peterson | AP Photo\/Brittany Peterson)<\/p>\n

Childs learned to love the Maquoketa River growing up on a nearby corn and hog farm. She remembers paddling to find fishing holes with her brothers and exploring streams with friends.<\/p>\n

She now volunteers to test the river for chemicals and championed a whitewater park in Manchester, her northeast Iowa hometown, to help others enjoy the water.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we don\u2019t get people invested in their local river, their local community, how are we ever going to ask them to take care of it?\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Feelings of loss<\/p>\n

Mary Swander, a 75-year-old theater director and former state poet laureate, fondly remembers learning to canoe and swim outdoors while growing up near the water. Summer was for splashing around. Winter, ice skating.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had a little group of friends and we played hooky once, and we all got our swimsuits and drove over to Lake MacBride and spent the whole day in the lake, in the water, swimming, and we had a whole picnic,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Swander now avoids the water after bad experiences. One time the water at a state park felt wrong \u2014 sticky. Another time a ranger warned her canoeing group not to get their hands \u2014 or anything else \u2014 in the water.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was like, \u2018Well, what the hell are we doing out here, then?\u2019\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\"MaryMary Swander looks out over Lake Darling, Friday, May 8, 2026, in Brighton, Iowa. (AP Photo\/Brittany Peterson)(Brittany Peterson | AP Photo\/Brittany Peterson)<\/p>\n

Swander was able to replace swimming with other activities and keep some friendships, but others faded. The loss of places outside the home and office where people can connect may make sustaining social interactions harder, especially for older adults, said Philippa Clarke, a University of Michigan professor who has researched social spaces.<\/p>\n

Bacteria plays the biggest role in making streams inaccessible. It comes from cows, deer and other animals, although in some places human sewage is the biggest problem. Experts say heavy rains are a major risk when they wash away manure \u2014 something that climate change will intensify \u2014 and improving sewage treatment and leaky septic systems is vital.<\/p>\n

Nitrates and phosphorus from manure and fertilizer on farms are also at the heart of the problem. Millions of acres of farmland use plastic pipes under fields \u2014 a system called tile drainage \u2014 to quickly direct water into streams. The nutrients feed algae, leading to lake advisories and threatening drinking water.<\/p>\n

Struggles at Lake Darling<\/p>\n

The challenge of keeping water bodies clean is exemplified by Lake Darling, a roughly 300-acre human-made lake that offers camping, trails and a beach for swimmers in Iowa\u2019s southeast. But last year the lake had the worst overall health of any state beach with 10 weeks of E. Coli advisories and six with algal warnings, According to the Iowa Environmental Council, which tracks such advisories.<\/p>\n

Years ago the lake was closed, drained and renovated \u2014 its earlier brown water became inviting and clearer. Nearby landowners altered their properties to catch runoff, and critical land was purchased for conservation, according to Bob Shepherd who is part of a proud park volunteer group.<\/p>\n

\"DrakeDrake University professor Claire Hruby looks at cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, under a microscope Wednesday, May 6, 2026, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo\/Brittany Peterson)(Brittany Peterson | AP Photo\/Brittany Peterson)<\/p>\n

Recently, however, it has struggled, said Claire Hruby, an environmental science professor at Drake University who studied pollution at the lake. Hruby said there are several new hog operations in the lake\u2019s watershed, and nutrient runoff from manure triggers algae issues.<\/p>\n

When the water is particularly bad, \u201cIt\u2019s like swimming in green paint,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\"DrakeDrake University student Harrison Ziegler dips a bottle in a stream to collect a water sample Wednesday, May 6, 2026, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo\/Brittany Peterson)(Brittany Peterson | AP Photo\/Brittany Peterson)<\/p>\n

Concerns about water quality keep people away even on days that are not that bad, according to Lawrence Eyre, a tennis camp director and teacher at a nearby school. As recently as several years ago, kids would finish playing tennis on courts baking in the summer sun and, minutes later, be rewarded with a swim in another nearby lake.<\/p>\n

But parents noticed that some kids were getting itchy skin, and algae appeared at the water\u2019s edge. Word spread, and many wanted their children not to take the risk. Now they tend not to bother, Eyre said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt does put a dent in the enjoyment of the summer,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Iowa is symbolic of Midwest struggles with water pollution<\/p>\n

Environmentalists see a state that can\u2019t say no to agriculture.<\/p>\n

In 2015, Des Moines\u2019 water utility sued three counties over the money it had to spend filtering out nitrates. A judge eventually dismissed the complaint<\/a>, saying any push to permit and reduce runoff from nearby agriculture was an issue for the Iowa legislature.<\/p>\n

\"ThisThis photo shows farmland Friday, May 8, 2026, near Ely, Iowa. (AP Photo\/Brittany Peterson)(Brittany Peterson | AP Photo\/Brittany Peterson)<\/p>\n

While Minnesota has mandated vegetation near streams to reduce runoff, Iowa has taken a different approach. It relies on its agriculture and natural resources departments, along with Iowa State University, to develop voluntary strategies that include less fertilizer use, improved crop management and adding wetlands to reduce runoff.<\/p>\n

The EPA helps states implement their strategies to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus. The agency said it\u2019s important to see agriculture as part of the solution and to understand that improvement takes time.<\/p>\n

Many farmers are also under pressure. Supply costs have risen sharply in recent years as have fertilizer prices following the war in Iran<\/a>, according to Aaron Lehman, president of the Iowa Farmers Union, which represents family farms and pushes for sustainable practices.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a lot less control that farmers have,\u201d Lehman said.<\/p>\n

Plus it can take years for farmers to see a return on their investment \u2014 if they ever do \u2014 when they improve their practices. Demand for federal and state help to do so outstrips supply, according to Rachel Curry, an agriculture educator at the University of Illinois Extension. Changing farming practice is like turning a cruise ship \u2014 it takes time, but with the right help, they can get there.<\/p>\n

Cooperation between the state and farmers is essential, and mandates would destroy that trust, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said in an interview with the Iowa Farm Bureau.<\/p>\n

Others see hope in local successes.<\/p>\n

David Thoreson has sailed above the arctic circle and around continents \u2014 a life of adventure made possible because his mother taught him to sail on the Iowa Great Lakes in the state\u2019s northwest. He said local efforts to restore wetlands, purchase land for conservation and improve sewage treatment have kept the lakes healthy for tourists and locals.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey understand the importance of it, and that\u2019s what drives our economy and property values and multi-generational interest in this place that just keeps bringing people back,\u201d Thoreson said.<\/p>\n

\"AA Drake University student holds a phosphate test strip after sampling water from a stream Wednesday, May 6, 2026, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo\/Brittany Peterson)(Brittany Peterson | AP Photo\/Brittany Peterson)<\/p>\n

By Michael Phillis and Brittany Peterson. Associated Press writer M.K. Wildeman in Hartford, Connecticut, contributed.<\/p>\n

The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of AP\u2019s environmental coverage, visit https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/climate-and-environment<\/a><\/p>\n

Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"MANCHESTER, Iowa (AP) \u2014 Hannah Ray J Childs propelled her kayak into a rapid on Iowa\u2019s Maquoketa River…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":692122,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[2342,45487,192,13014,40965,79,42038,11141],"class_list":["post-692121","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-environment","tag-agriculture","tag-drinking-water","tag-environment","tag-iowa","tag-runoff","tag-science","tag-swimming","tag-water-quality"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/692121","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=692121"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/692121\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/692122"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=692121"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=692121"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=692121"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}