You wouldn’t leave a wolf to guard your flock of sheep. However, moving the responsibility of monitoring Iowa’s water quality from the Department of Natural Resources to the Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship would be doing just that.
Senate File 500 would transfer the control of watershed improvements and federal Clean Water Act programs out of the DNR as well in addition to water quality monitoring. The original bill, House File 643, that spurned this controversy died during the first funnel week in the Senate. It only adds to the need for discussion about Iowa’s waters and how they should be taken care of.
The move, if adopted, would create a devastating conflict of interest that could further harm water quality, wildlife and natural resources across the board. The DNR’s work in this area is also a crucial part of the recovery that has barely arrived after the 2008 floods. Continue reading




