2026 Iowa Water Conference Takeaways

The 2026 Iowa Water Conference brought nearly 500 water industry professionals from across the Midwest to celebrate its 20th anniversary. Presented at Historic Arnolds Park along Lake Okoboji, the conference spotlighted Iowa’s water milestones and challenged professionals to set bold new goals. Read on for ISG’s key takeaways from the conference.

1. Voluntary Adoption Necessary for Progress

The Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy states that to significantly reduce nitrates in the water supply and downstream to the coastal hypoxia zone, 60-80% of Iowa’s landscape must adopt in-field and edge-of-field practices. However, there is not enough federal or state funding to incentivize the conservation practices necessary to reach nutrient reduction goals. Landowners and farmers must voluntarily enact strip-till, cover crops, streamside buffers, and in-season nitrogen application. Without incentives to adopt conservation practices, widespread progress to improve water quality will be slow.

As progress slows, rivers experience poor water quality, reduced habitat quality, and concerns about high cancer rates due to elevated nitrogen levels.

Takeaway: Increasing conservation practice innovation and adoption is critical to meet Iowa’s nutrient reduction goals.

2. Iowa Farmland Ownership is Shifting

Recent farmland ownership reports indicate a continuous shift away from individual or joint ownership, instead moving toward Limited Liability Company (LLC) ownership. Additionally, the age structure of farmland owners is trending upwards, with over two-thirds of land owned by people aged 65 or older. With more land owned by LLCs and older populations, less of Iowa’s farms are owned by in-state residents or beginning farmers, meaning there are less Iowans invested in sustainably navigating day-to-day farming and conservation operations.

Takeaway: As farmland ownership structures change, absentee landowners and non-operating landowners have less incentive to adopt the conservation practices necessary to reduce nitrates in the water supply.

3. Historic Water Issues in Iowa

From the 1900s through the 1940s, Iowa faced poor water quality due to untreated sewage draining into rivers, lakes, and streams. In addition to sewage issues, early 1900s well construction practices caused small animals, such as mice, to fall into wells, contaminating the water supply. As water quality declined, the quantity of usable water for agriculture, recreation, drinking, and aquatic life decreased, negatively impacting quality-of-life and overall state welfare. In 1936, the Water Resources Committee of the Iowa State Planning Board published reports on water use and conservation in six major drainage basins, establishing a foundation to improve water quality.

Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, pollution policies were enacted and treatment plants were built to overcome poor water quality and enhance public health and environmental conditions.

Takeaway: Today’s pollution policies and safe water practices are informed by past reports and policies.