Improving Iowa's water quality, sixty seconds at a time

Ever been in a hurry when fertilizing the lawn and added extra fertilizer to make sure it was enough? Or emptied grass clippings or pet droppings into a storm drain? As coordinator of Iowa State University Extension's Nutrient Management Education Project, John Creswell offers insight into how even these simple acts can contribute to higher levels of nutrients, primarily nitrogen and phosphorus, in Iowa's water.

Through one-minute radio spots broadcast throughout Iowa, called Nutrient Management Minutes, Creswell offers information for homeowners, producers and citizens on how to maintain and improve water quality. The radio spots also can be downloaded from the World Wide Web (www.extension.iastate.edu/Pages/markets/nmm.htm).

"You by yourself might not make much impact, but you can make a difference -- adversely or for the better," Creswell said.

Farmer John Hoffman, of the Iowa Soybean Association, believes that everyone should be concerned about water quality, but that farmers especially are. "We live right out here with it, and our families drink it. We producers must do our part to protect water quality by applying the proper amounts of nutrients and using best management practices to maximize uptake and limit runoff of those nutrients."

More Extension Connection stories

* Something is going on ... with youth in Union County

* Census data aid communities

* Bioenergy efforts increase following executive order
* Iowa companies manage quality, effectiveness with Kaizen

* Quality assurance becomes part of agriculture

* Community visits will celebrate families

* Iowans add stories to 'family scrapbook'

* Hispanic education is a developing role for ISU Extension

...and justice for all. The Iowa Cooperative Extension Service's programs and policies are consistent with pertinent federal and state laws and regulations on nondiscrimination regarding race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, and disability.

• Visit the ISU Extension homepage
• Send a message:

Stanley R. Johnson, Vice Provost for ISU Extension, vpforext@iastate.edu

Mark Settle, Managing Editor, msettle@iastate.edu

• Questions or comments about this site? Contact Laura Sternweis, Editor, lsternwe@iastate.edu
• Last update: Sept. 18, 2000