Iowa’s most populous county invests in statewide water quality sensors as current funding dries up – Iowa Public Radio

Polk County Investment in Water Quality Monitoring Aligns with Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

The Polk County Board of Supervisors has allocated $200,000 to maintain the Iowa Water Quality Information System, a critical network of real-time water sensors. This decision directly supports the achievement of several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), most notably SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), by ensuring the continuity of data essential for protecting public health, guiding conservation efforts, and managing water resources sustainably. The funding addresses a critical shortfall created after the Iowa Legislature diverted state funds in 2023.

A Multi-Stakeholder Approach: Advancing SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals)

The initiative exemplifies a robust partnership model, crucial for achieving the SDGs. The sensor network is a collaborative effort involving diverse stakeholders from public, private, and academic sectors. This coalition is vital for the long-term success of water quality management in the state.

• Local Government: Polk County provides critical funding and leadership.
• Academia: The University of Iowa’s IIHR—Hydroscience & Engineering manages the primary network of 60 sensors.
• Federal Agencies: The U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Department of Agriculture maintain an additional 20 sensors.
• Philanthropic and Research Bodies: The Walton Family Foundation and the Iowa Nutrient Research Center provided essential bridge funding to sustain operations through June 2026.
• Civil Society: The Izaak Walton League of America has initiated public fundraising campaigns, demonstrating community engagement.

Data-Driven Action for Clean Water (SDG 6)

The core function of the sensor network is to provide continuous, real-time data, which is fundamental to achieving SDG Target 6.3 (improving water quality) and Target 6.6 (protecting water-related ecosystems). The data allows for informed decision-making and targeted interventions.

Key Monitored Parameters

1. Nitrate
2. pH
3. Water Flow
4. Temperature

According to John Swanson, Polk County’s water resources supervisor, this data is essential for determining where conservation projects can be most efficiently implemented. These projects include urban stormwater management, residential rain gardens, and the strategic addition of wetlands and cover crops.

Financial Details and Resource Mobilization

The funding from Polk County represents a significant local investment in a statewide resource. It constitutes one-third of the $600,000 annual budget required for the University of Iowa’s monitoring program. The funds are sourced from:

• The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)
• The Central Iowa Source Water Research Assessment budget

This local commitment is intended to ensure the network’s operation beyond the expiration of current bridge funding and to encourage other counties, such as Linn and Johnson, to contribute.

Broader Impacts on Health, Ecosystems, and Communities

The initiative’s impact extends beyond water quality to address other interconnected SDGs.

• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): As noted by Richard Leopold, Director of Polk County Conservation, continuous data is key to tracking trends and protecting public health from waterborne contaminants.
• SDG 15 (Life on Land): Data from the sensors helps guide the implementation of conservation practices like wetlands and cover crops, which improve water quality while also enhancing terrestrial ecosystems and biodiversity.
• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): The monitoring system supports sustainable urban development by providing the data needed for effective stormwater management and green infrastructure projects.

Future Outlook

While the Polk County funding provides a crucial lifeline, officials emphasize that long-term sustainability is the primary goal. Board of Supervisors Chair Matt McCoy stated that restoring permanent funding through the Iowa Legislature remains a top priority. The ongoing collaboration between government, academia, and civil society will be essential to maintain this vital infrastructure, safeguarding Iowa’s water resources for future generations in alignment with global sustainability targets.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

  This is the primary SDG addressed. The entire article focuses on the funding and maintenance of a water quality monitoring system for rivers and streams in Iowa. The goal is to collect data on water parameters to understand and improve water quality, which is central to SDG 6.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The article highlights a multi-stakeholder partnership to address the funding gap for the water monitoring program. It details collaboration between a local government (Polk County Board of Supervisors), a university (University of Iowa’s IIHR—Hydroscience & Engineering lab), private foundations (Walton Family Foundation), other research centers (Iowa Nutrient Research Center), and civil society (Izaak Walton League of America’s GoFundMe campaign). This collaborative effort to mobilize financial resources and expertise is a core principle of SDG 17.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  The article connects water quality directly to public health. Richard Leopold, director of Polk County Conservation, is quoted as saying that continuous data is key for “tracking trends to protect people’s health.” This explicitly links the water monitoring efforts to the goal of ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being.

• SDG 15: Life on Land

  The article mentions specific conservation practices aimed at improving water quality, such as adding “wetlands and cover crops.” These actions are directly related to the protection and restoration of inland freshwater ecosystems, which is a key component of SDG 15.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

   • Target 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution. The article’s focus on monitoring pollutants like “nitrate” in real-time is a direct effort to gather the necessary data to inform policies and practices aimed at reducing water pollution.
   • Target 6.5: By 2030, implement integrated water resources management at all levels. The cooperation described between Polk County and other counties (“a dozen more counties upstream,” with hopes that “Linn and Johnson” will also contribute) to support a statewide monitoring network is an example of integrated water resource management at a regional level.
   • Target 6.6: By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems. The mention of conservationists working to add “wetlands and cover crops” is a direct action towards restoring water-related ecosystems to improve water quality.

2. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships. The article is a case study of this target in action. It describes a partnership involving a public entity (Polk County), a public university, private foundations (Walton Family Foundation), and a civil society campaign (GoFundMe) to achieve a common goal.

3. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • Target 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and water pollution. The article’s stated purpose for monitoring is to “protect people’s health,” directly aligning with this target by providing the data needed to assess and mitigate health risks from poor water quality.

4. SDG 15: Life on Land

   • Target 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services. The work of Polk County’s conservationists to implement projects like “wetlands and cover crops” contributes directly to the restoration of inland freshwater ecosystems.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article mentions or implies several indicators:

• For SDG 6 (Target 6.3):

  The article explicitly names the parameters being measured by the sensors, which serve as direct indicators of water quality. This aligns with SDG Indicator 6.3.2 (Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality). The specific indicators mentioned are:

  • Nitrate levels
  • pH
  • Water flow
  • Water temperature

• For SDG 17 (Target 17.17):

  The article provides financial data that can be used as indicators of partnership effectiveness and resource mobilization, related to SDG Indicator 17.17.1 (Amount of United States dollars committed to public-private and civil society partnerships). The specific indicators are:

  • $200,000 provided by Polk County.
  • The total annual budget of $600,000 for the University of Iowa’s program.
  • The existence of “bridge funds” from the Walton Family Foundation and Iowa Nutrient Research Center.
  • The launch of a “GoFundMe campaign” by the Izaak Walton League of America.

• For SDG 15 (Target 15.1):

  The article implies an action-based indicator for ecosystem restoration. The implementation of specific conservation projects serves as a measure of progress. The indicator is:

  • The addition of wetlands and cover crops as part of water quality improvement projects.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: iowapublicradio.org