Iowa
Many Iowa rivers are brimming with nitrate • Iowa Capital Dispatch
Nitrate contamination of Iowa’s rivers has surged in recent weeks amid heavy, widespread rainfall, according to data collected by the Iowa Water Quality Information System.
Concentrations of nitrate in several large waterways — including the Boone, Cedar, Iowa and Turkey rivers — have recently reached four-year peaks, the data show. Further, many of the affected rivers also have much higher than usual stream flows, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. That often reduces the concentrations.
Because the flows and concentrations are so high, the total nitrate load is also very high.
“This is one of the biggest nitrate leaching events in 11 years,” said David Cwiertny, director of the Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination at the University of Iowa.
It’s not yet clear how the level of river contamination this year will compare with others, but those who research the state’s water quality had predicted an “epic” uptick in pollution when significant rainfall returned following years of drought.
Research has shown that nitrogen fertilizer can accumulate in farm fields during dry years and leach in large amounts into streams following the droughts.
In several recent weeks — including the week before last — the state had more than double its typical rainfall. The area of the state that has some measure of drought has shrunk by more than half in the past two months, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Elevated levels of nitrate and phosphorus in rivers can accelerate algae and plant growth and diminish the amount of oxygen that is available for other aquatic life. They are primary causes of the Gulf of Mexico’s dead zone.
In Iowa’s lakes they feed algae blooms that can make the water unsafe for swimming.
And higher concentrations of nitrate in the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers can affect the largest drinking water supply in the state. On Monday, Des Moines Water Works began operating its nitrate removal system as the concentration in the Raccoon River — one of its primary sources of water — surpassed 15 parts per million. In March it was about 1 part per million, according to DMWW data.
Federal rules require public water supplies to have no more than 10 parts per million in their treated drinking water. Before last week, DMWW only used the removal system once since the drought started about four years ago.
“Nitrate concentrations vary greatly year to year based on weather conditions and river stages,” said Melissa Walker, a DMWW spokesperson. “What we are seeing today is very common with what we have seen historically for the past couple of decades during similar weather patterns.”
Other rivers had higher amounts of nitrate last week, according to the Iowa Water Quality Information System. The Turkey River near Garber had 18 parts per million. The Cedar River near Janesville had 24 parts per million. And the Boone River near Webster City had 25 parts per million.
The state’s Nutrient Reduction Strategy seeks to reduce the amount of nitrate in rivers by 45% through farmers’ voluntary conservation practices. River monitoring in the past 10 years has not shown significant progress toward that goal — which has no deadline — but state agriculture officials have said they are accelerating the installation of bioreactors, buffers and wetlands.
Iowa State football coach Jimmy Rogers on offense, defense development
Iowa State football coach Jimmy Rogers on how the Cyclones offense and defense is developing.
After securing multiple commitments on the offensive side of the ball, Iowa State football has landed its first defensive commitment in the 2027 recruiting class.
Keaton Wollan, a three-star linebacker out of Amery, Wisconsin, committed to the Cyclones on April 21. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound linebacker announced his decision on social media.
He chose Iowa State over other offers from Texas Tech and North Dakota State. He previously visited Ames in March, but he also took recent visits to Minnesota and Wisconsin.
As a junior at Amery High School, Wollan was a two-way standout and earned all-state honors for the 2025 season. Defensively, he racked up a team-high 125 total tackles, including nine for loss and 1.5 sacks. He also had four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, three interceptions and one defensive touchdown.
Offensively, he had a team-high 932 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 160 carries. He also caught 15 passes for 179 yards, and he was an impact player in the return game, logging more than 500 kick and punt return yards.
According to 247 Sports Composite rankings, Wollan is the No. 93 linebacker prospect in the country and the No. 11 overall recruit in his class from the state of Wisconsin.
Wollan is the sixth player to commit in the Cyclones’ 2027 recruiting class.
Iowa State football 2027 recruiting commitments
As of April 21
- Gavin Ericson-Staton, OL | Lombard, Illinois/Montini Catholic
- Isaiah Hansen, RB | Newton, Iowa/Newton HS
- Koen Hinzman, OL | Hudson, Michigan/Hudson Area HS
- Will Slagle, OL | Grinnell, Iowa/Grinnell HS
- Bryson Thompson, WR | San Antonio, Texas/Claudia Taylor Johnson HS
- Keaton Wollan, LB | Amery, Wisconsin/Amery HS
Eugene Rapay covers Iowa State athletics for the Des Moines Register. Contact Eugene at erapay@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @erapay5.
Avoiding common car crashes
Discover the common causes of car crashes and learn how to avoid them.
Prepare for more overnight closures at the northeast mixmaster as the Iowa Department of Transportation closes the ramp connecting westbound Interstate 80 and northbound Interstate 35.
Here’s what to know.
When will the Iowa DOT close the westbound I‑80 to northbound I‑35 ramp?
The westbound I-80 to northbound I-35 ramp will be closed to traffic from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. the next morning from April 21-24.
What’s the detour when the Iowa DOT closes the westbound I‑80 to the northbound I‑35 ramp?
During the closures, drivers wanting to go from westbound I‑80 to northbound I‑35 will follow a signed detour.
Instead of taking the closed ramp, motorists will stay on westbound I‑80, bypassing the northeast mixmaster connection. They’ll then exit at U.S. Highway 69, turn around, and head back east on I‑80, where they can connect to northbound I‑35 using the open portion of the northeast mixmaster.
Cooper Worth is a service/trending reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at cworth@gannett.com or follow him on X @CooperAWorth.
An Iowa women’s basketball transfer portal visitor committed to one of the Hawkeyes’ conference foes instead. Former Iowa State guard Kenzie Hare took a visit to Iowa during her transfer portal recruitment, but the 5-foot-9 guard committed to Indiana on Sunday night.
Hare had several visits throughout her transfer portal recruiting process, including trips to Michigan and Illinois State, but the Des Moines Register’s Chad Leistikow reported that Hare also visited Iowa.
On3’s Talia Goodman reported Hare’s commitment to the Hoosiers.
Hare has one year of eligibility remaining. This past season with the Cyclones, in 32 games played and 31 starts, Hare averaged 6.0 points and 2.5 rebounds per game on 40.5% field goal shooting and 40% from 3-point range. A hip injury limited Hare to just 10 games during her first year with the Cyclones in the 2024-25 season.
The soon-to-be redshirt senior transferred to Iowa State before the 2024-25 campaign after spending two seasons at Marquette from 2022-24. Hare averaged a career-best 14 points per game on 45.5% field goal shooting and 42.5% 3-point shooting during the 2023-24 season with the Golden Eagles.
Had Iowa been able to lure the Naperville, Ill., native to Iowa City, Hare would have been another valuable addition to the Hawkeyes’ backcourt depth. But, Iowa has landed other backcourt reinforcements throughout this transfer portal cycle.
The Hawkeyes inked both Dani Carnegie and Amari Whiting.
Carnegie was a first-team All-SEC selection this past season at Georgia, averaging 17.8 points per game on 42.7% field goal shooting, 35.4% from 3-point range and 83.3% from the free-throw line. Whiting averaged 9.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.8 steals per game on 42.5% field goal shooting, 32.1% 3-point accuracy, and 71.6% free-throw shooting.
As Hare joins a promising core of players in Bloomington, the Hawkeyes will once again face the former Cyclone at least once this upcoming season as part of their Big Ten regular-season slate.
Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions. Follow Scout on X: @SpringgateNews
-
Washington, D.C5 minutes ago11 hurt after work vehicle collides with Silver Line train at Metro Center
-
Cleveland, OH11 minutes agoHouston Astros at Cleveland Guardians prediction, pick for Tuesday 4/21/26
-
Austin, TX17 minutes agoAppeals court rules Texas can require public schools to display Ten Commandments in class
-
Alabama23 minutes agoAlabama Defeated By Birmingham
-
Alaska29 minutes agoHawaiian, Alaska reservation systems merge: Big changes for travelers start April 22
-
Arizona35 minutes agoMichigan defenseman Hunter Hady transfers to Arizona State
-
Arkansas41 minutes ago
#24 Arkansas Explodes for Eight Runs in Eighth to Race past Missouri State in Midweek Rematch
-
California47 minutes agoCalifornia Islamic calligraphy artist preserves ancient tradition during Arab American Heritage Month
