Why are people so complacent with terrible water quality? Why is our leadership so indifferent? Are they so owned by Big Ag that they turn a blind eye to the terrible state of Iowa's Rivers and Streams? I wish water utilities could itemize the amount on bills that you pay for removal of nitrates and other crap from Ag.
Shouldn't Iowa aspire to be more than America's Agricultural Toilet?
- Thread starter JRHawk2003
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150 years ago the Iowa River was crystal clear I’m told. Now it has visibility of about 4 inches. That’s all big ag.
I imagine it helps that it goes down steam and becomes less of our problem.
I have no idea of the extent of the issues, but I imagine people would care more if a lot of it didn't literally flow away.
I have no idea of the extent of the issues, but I imagine people would care more if a lot of it didn't literally flow away.
I would actually be happy if the gulf shrimp or tourism industries sued Iowa.
Bro, have you never been to Ames?
When I was a kid, we fished every day. And the only place we could catch fish was by the sewer outlet. Carp was the only fish we every caught. By the dam we could get small bullheads. I'd also add that the suds on the river were frightening. Frankly, the suds were unimaginable.
Today there are all sorts of bass, walleye and northern in the river. To me the water quality is something that has improved to levels I could not foresee as a boy.
I should probably be embarrassed I don't know what water quality issues are so concerning. I know there are communities with drinking water issues, though I've heard little of it. I also know there are over 23 million hogs in Iowa are going to have an impact.
Frankly, I feel as through our DNR deserves a great deal of thanks and credit.
Today there are all sorts of bass, walleye and northern in the river. To me the water quality is something that has improved to levels I could not foresee as a boy.
I should probably be embarrassed I don't know what water quality issues are so concerning. I know there are communities with drinking water issues, though I've heard little of it. I also know there are over 23 million hogs in Iowa are going to have an impact.
Frankly, I feel as through our DNR deserves a great deal of thanks and credit.
If any of the states in the Gulf were blue they'd have sued by now. They can't sue because they'd have to say the environment is important, and, it isn't like there isn't any pollution entering below Iowa.
Plenty of blame to go around on this issue, a lot of it squarely on the Farm Bureau as well.
Yep. I remember that the Brandstad people didn't even want performance measures on their voluntary measures. Meaning they knew they wouldn't work and didn't want people to know just how little they would.
So is this a run off problem or a saturation problem? Are Iowa communities experiencing tainted water or are we discussing only farm chemicals in our water?
The dnr does what they can with riprap and buffers but they only work on public land and Iowa has very little public land.
The increase in fish is due more to aggressive stocking programs than improvements in water quality.
As both a staunch libertarian and avid outdoorsman I see both sides of the issue.
Personally I despise big ag but I also despise big government.
I'm not sure what the answer is but framers are going to have to change their practices and allot of them are with things like cover crops, buffer strips, and most importantly restoring natural wetlands that act as filters.
I think ultimately the government will have to end up subsidizing these practices to create the motivation for full implementation. Because it does take money out of farmers pockets.
This has everything to do with political stances. It's another reason why corporate Meric and farmers are so enamored with the GOP. Reduce and eliminate regulations through EPA decisions that make it easier to farm ditch to ditch.
The USDA and farm lobby, as previously stated, have also been a major factor.
This isn't complicated. Keeping the Republicans in control will only make the problem worse.
It's your decision... rural Merica.
The USDA and farm lobby, as previously stated, have also been a major factor.
This isn't complicated. Keeping the Republicans in control will only make the problem worse.
It's your decision... rural Merica.
Herk,
You must be a child of the 50's or 60's.
I remember going to the levy in Davenport and every Spring the waves would whip the river into a thick foam, to the point where almost half the river was covered in 1-2 feet of it. Water quality is much higher today.
Thanks CH. I forget about private wells and I guess I did know the nitrate problem. I'll have to start paying closer attention.
The Des Moines waterworks sued two counties in the Des Moines River watershed over nitrate pollution. It's costing them millions to remove the nitrates.
I am. It was the 60's.
You honestly had to see how bad it was to believe it. And yes, water quality is much better.
We used to swim in duck creek here in Davenport as a kid. Every bad storm we had the sewers would overflow and raw sewage would flow into the creek. Ripples would move back and forth with seemingly hundreds of plastic bags on them. Yep, condoms.I am. It was the 60's.
You honestly had to see how bad it was to believe it. And yes, water quality is much better.
The Farm Bureau is funded by the agribusiness giants. Those companies have no interest in Iowa other than using it up to profit their shareholders. They want every possible square inch farmed.
People like to act like mom and pop farmer are the norm when in fact its mostly corporations and large operations. The small farmers have to hold other jobs to get by. Many of the confinements are just massive. I could not believe the size of some of them.
I dont understand the notion that we should allow this one particular sector to pollute freely.
People like to act like mom and pop farmer are the norm when in fact its mostly corporations and large operations. The small farmers have to hold other jobs to get by. Many of the confinements are just massive. I could not believe the size of some of them.
I dont understand the notion that we should allow this one particular sector to pollute freely.
The Farm Bureau has run the State of Iowa all my life. My father knew it, my mother knew it, Donald Kabul told us about it....The FB is the driving force of the State’s GOP. Like Lola, Whatever the Farm Bureau wants, the Farm Bureau gets. I am sure every state has something similar but in Iowa, ours is the Farm Bureau.
