IIHR - Hydroscience and Engineering

08/28/2026

Accepted nitrate levels have been set at 10 ppm for decades, but research shows those levels still lead to adverse health effects.

With re-evaluation of these standards from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) appearing to be at a standstill, and Iowa sitting as one of three states where cancer levels are continuing to rise, researchers are calling for the Integrated Risk Information Systems (IRIS) to complete another health assessment.

“We need IRIS to go and do another health assessment on nitrates because links to cancer and birth defects keep popping up in the scientific literature,” said David Cwiertny, director of the Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination. Although IRIS does not set the legal standards, their assessments inform the EPA's drinking water standards.

Read the full story from The New Lede in the comments below.

University of Iowa College of Engineering

08/27/2026

Keep scrolling for a few of IIHR’s stars!

08/27/2026

University of Iowa employees, are you ready for another fun round of Discover Your University tours?

If you are interested in the geological history of Iowa, we have an opportunity for you! IIHR will host a tour at the Iowa Geological Survey building located in the Oakdale Campus on September 15. You'll learn about geological phenomena like the meteor that was discovered to have struck Iowa 470 million years ago and see rock cores from across the state.

Sign up to tour with IGS today at the link in the comments! 🪨

University of Iowa College of Engineering

08/25/2026

Interested in learning more about nitrates in Iowa’s drinking water and how they may affect health?

Join David Cwiertny, professor and research engineer at IIHR, and a panel of experts at the Iowa City Public Library on September 3 for a free discussion on Iowa’s water quality challenges and the latest research on potential health impacts.

If you aren’t able to make it in person, a livestream will be available. See more event details in the comments.

Iowa Alliance for Responsible Agriculture, Iowa Environmental Council, University of Iowa College of Engineering

08/20/2026

Meet the Iowa Integrated Network for Science, Information, and Geospatial Health Tracking (INSIGHT) Advisory Board!

Six esteemed experts will serve on the advisory board for Iowa INSIGHT; a new research initiative working to identify environmental factors contributing to Iowa’s high cancer rates and other adverse health issues. These distinguished leaders will help to guide and strengthen Iowa INSIGHT’s mission and impact.

• Laura Beane Freeman (National Cancer Institute);
• Mark Borchardt (USDA Agricultural Research Service, retired);
• Rima Habre (University of Southern California);
• Keeve Nachman (Johns Hopkins University);
• Heather Stapleton (Duke University); and
• Jennifer Teerlink (California Department of Pesticide Regulation)

We’re grateful for the expertise and leadership these professionals bring to Iowa INSIGHT and look forward to working with them to build a healthier, more resilient future for Iowans.

View the link in the comments for more details about the advisory board.

University of Iowa College of Engineering, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Iowa, University of Iowa Center for Advancement, The University of Iowa College of Public Health

08/19/2026

08/17/2026

The Iowa Water Quality Information System (IWQIS) provides real-time water quality data for all Iowans. IWQIS tracks nitrates, pH, dissolved oxygen levels, and other key indicators that help Iowans better understand the health of our rivers and streams.

Despite its value, the future of IWQIS remains murky. After initial bridge funding support from the Walton Family Foundation ended, counties, municipalities, conservation organizations, and individual supporters stepped up to help keep the network running. Their critical support has extended monitoring efforts, but future funding is uncertain.

In a guest blog for the Iowa Environmental Council, IIHR research scientist Martin St. Clair details what's at stake for Iowa's water quality monitoring network and why sustainable long-term funding matters.

A link to St. Clair's full guest blog can be found in the comments.

08/17/2026

Some Iowa waterways contain such high levels of nitrate that monitoring equipment has had to be upgraded to capture them.

At the Boji Cleanwater Jam in Okoboji, IIHR Director Larry Weber explained that in some areas, standard monitoring equipment has had to be replaced with sensors capable of measuring up to 100 mg/L, after levels exceeded the upper limits of the old equipment. The EPA standard for safe drinking water is 10 mg/L.

“Our rivers in Iowa are in the top one percent of [nitrate concentrations in] streams in the nation,” Weber said. “We’ve got to do better with that if we want Iowa to be a livable state in the next 30 years.”

Get the full story from Explore Okoboji in the comments.

08/10/2026

Caden Branum, a rising third-year student at Grinnell College, came to his summer job at IIHR—Hydroscience and Engineering at with a strategy in mind.

“I was thinking, if it goes well, I will already know some people and have connections with professors.”

That’s exactly what has happened, and he’s also gained lots of experience in fieldwork and electronics.

“I’m meeting great people that are doing interesting research. It’s just so captivating,” Branum says. “It’s in all different areas as well. And I just find it so interesting.”

Read more — link in the comments!

University of Iowa College of Engineering

08/04/2026

When we talk about water quality today, the conversation often focuses on nitrates, PFAS, viruses, and pharmaceuticals. Facing the issues of today, it's easy to forget how far we've come.

More than 100 years ago, Iowa waters faced very different challenges.

"Imagine riverbanks lined with sludge, floating solids and congealed mats of grease in the rivers, obnoxious sewage odors, fish kills, and other pollution conditions..." says Keith Schilling, director of the Iowa Geological Survey.

At the time, cities did little to regulate sewage and other waste discharges, leading to huge bacterial blooms. Beginning in the 1930s, advances in wastewater treatment started transforming water quality, with improvements continuing to this day.

Want to learn more about this chapter of Iowa's water quality history? Read Schilling's guest article for the Iowa Environmental Council at the link in the comments.