Iowa DNR, Watershed Improvement


About the DNR      DNR News      Contact Us      Site Map   

 
DNR Home
A-Z Topic Index

Watershed Home
Staff listing
Publications and Reports
 
Watershed Basics
How watersheds work
Watersheds and pollution
Impaired waters in Iowa
Water Quality Improvement Plans
Stormwater
Source water
 
Start a Local Effort
How you can improve water quality
Start a watershed effort
Find a watershed effort
Iowa success stories
Watershed grants
 
Keep Your Project Going
Resources for coordinators
Watershed grants
Water Quality Improvement Plans
 
Watershed Partners
DNR Water Quality
DNR Lake Restoration
DNR Water Quality Assessments
State Revolving Fund (SRF)
DNR Private Lands Biologists
DNR Forestry
EPA
IDALS/DSC
NRCS
Conservation Districts of Iowa
Iowa Farm*A*Syst
 



Clean water starts with you: How watersheds work


A watershed is the area of land that drains into a lake or stream. Water traveling over the surface or through groundwater may pick up contaminants like sediment, chemicals and waste and deposit them in a body of water.

We all live in a watershed. Watersheds can be small - like the area that drains into the creek behind your house. Or, watersheds can be large- think of all the land, streams and rivers that drain into the Mississippi River!

A number of tools are available to help you better understand how watersheds work. The following links are from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency:

This watershed diagram shows how water runs downhill. Making changes on the land keeps pollutants from rural and urban areas from washing into our water.
The watershed diagram above shows how water runs downhill. Making changes on the land keeps pollutants from rural and urban areas from washing into our water.


DNR Contact
Steve Hopkins
DNR Watershed Improvement Program Grants Coordinator
(515) 281-6402
Stephen.Hopkins@dnr.iowa.gov

 

Free Adobe Acrobat Download

State of Iowa Home | DNR Home | Site Policy   
webmaster@dnr.iowa.gov © Iowa Department of Natural Resources  

Share our similarities, celebrate our differences.