We all live in a watershed! A watershed is the land area that drains or “sheds” to a low point in the landscape such as a river, lake or wetland. Watersheds come in different classifications from basins to subwatersheds. Think about where rainfall goes in your yard after it rains. It drains to the street, into a storm drain and ultimately into a local stream or lake. This, on the smallest scale, is one form of watershed. The quality of water draining off your land directly impacts your local stream and lake quality.
Iowa’s watershed connections
Unlike political boundaries, watersheds follow natural topography. Water flows downhill regardless of jurisdictional lines, creating a connected system where actions in one community affect others downstream. This natural connection means effective water management requires collaboration across cities and counties.
Iowa’s watersheds present unique challenges due to the state’s land use patterns. With approximately 85% of Iowa’s land in agricultural production, farming practices significantly impact watershed health. Meanwhile, growing urban areas create impervious surfaces that prevent natural infiltration. This urban-rural dynamic creates both challenges and opportunities—agricultural practices upstream directly affect urban communities downstream, while urban development decisions impact rural landscapes through changing water flows.
As Iowa experiences more variable rainfall patterns, this interconnected system faces increasing pressure. Successful watershed management requires bringing together agricultural producers, urban residents, conservation experts, and local governments to find solutions that work across diverse landscapes. By recognizing these connections and working collaboratively, Iowans can address both water quality concerns and flooding risks that affect communities throughout the watershed.
Planning across boundaries
Watershed planning recognizes that water flows ignore political boundaries, requiring collaboration between diverse stakeholders throughout Iowa’s landscapes. The process typically includes assessment of current conditions, shared goal-setting, strategic implementation of practices, and ongoing monitoring. This approach allows communities to address both water quality and flood mitigation challenges by working together across traditional jurisdictional lines.
Large-scale nature-based solutions offer powerful tools for watershed management in Iowa. These include strategic wetland complexes that store floodwater and filter pollutants, floodplain reconnection projects that give rivers room to spread during high flows, and oxbow restorations that create wildlife habitat while providing water storage. These approaches work alongside smaller-scale practices like cover crops in agricultural areas and green infrastructure in urban settings to create comprehensive watershed protection.
The success of watershed planning in Iowa hinges on effective urban-rural collaboration, as most watersheds encompass both land uses. The Iowa Watershed Approach demonstrates this collaborative model by bringing together cities, counties, conservation districts, and landowners into watershed management authorities that transcend traditional boundaries. By identifying shared values like flood protection and clean water, these diverse stakeholders can develop integrated strategies that distribute both costs and benefits equitably throughout the watershed.
Success stories
Communities across Iowa are demonstrating the power of watershed-based planning and nature-based solutions:
- The Iowa Watershed Approach represents a vision for Iowa’s future that voluntarily engages stakeholders throughout watersheds to achieve common goals while moving toward a more resilient state. Under this program, 800 structures have been built across Iowa to reduce flooding and improve water quality. These structures range from simple ponds on farmland to elaborate erosion-stabilizing projects on riverbanks, reducing flooding from historic highs by as much as 20 percent in some areas while also improving water quality.
- The Clear Creek Watershed Partnership in Johnson and Iowa counties showcases effective collaboration between urban and rural stakeholders. The project prioritizes conservation practices like water and sediment control basins, floodplain restoration, oxbow restoration, ponds, terraces, and wetlands with 75% cost-share funds. The Iowa Flood Center has also deployed hydrologic stations in the watershed to measure soil moisture, temperature, wind, precipitation, and groundwater levels—providing real-time data accessible through the Iowa Flood Information System.
- In Dubuque’s Bee Branch watershed, the city has implemented comprehensive infrastructure improvements including rain gardens, wetland ponds, and pervious pavers. This 6.5 square mile watershed includes the city’s most developed areas where more than 50 percent of residents either live or work. The project aims to mitigate flooding, improve water quality, stimulate investment, and enhance quality of life in historic neighborhoods with some of the community’s most affordable housing.
- The Middle Cedar Watershed in eastern Iowa is investing over $50 million throughout the next 20 years from a variety of public sources, focusing on multiple environmental benefits including flood reduction, nutrient management, habitat development, and recreation. This collaborative approach demonstrates how upstream and downstream communities can work together on shared water challenges.
Resources and action
Iowa offers many resources for watershed planning, including regional Basin Coordinators from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, the Iowa Watershed Approach and Iowa Flood Center at the University of Iowa, and Iowa State University’s resources through ISU Extension and the Iowa Water Center.
Everyone can contribute to watershed health. Homeowners can implement small-scale practices that support larger watershed goals. Community leaders can support policies that protect floodplains and incorporate natural solutions into development. Farmers can adopt conservation practices that benefit both agricultural productivity and downstream water quality.