EPA Awards Iowa Department of Natural Resources Over $3.5 Million to Protect Water Quality

September 12, 2019

Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

“Improving water quality is a priority for EPA,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Jim Gulliford. “This funding will allow Iowa to continue the hard work they’ve been doing to protect the state’s waterways and reduce nonpoint runoff.”

Congress enacted Section 319 of the Clean Water Act in 1987, establishing a national program to control nonpoint sources of water pollution. Through Section 319, EPA provides states, territories and tribes with guidance and grant funding to implement their nonpoint source programs and to support local watershed projects to improve water quality. Collectively, this work has restored over 6,000 miles of streams and over 164,000 acres of lakes since 2006. Hundreds of additional projects are underway across the country.

Since 1990, IDNR’s Watershed Improvement Program has funded 610 local, regional and statewide clean water projects through the EPA 319 grant program, totaling $102 million. In addition, through the 319 program, IDNR has supported efforts to create 21 watershed management authorities since 2011. These authorities bring together Iowans across cities and counties for the common good of improving a shared lake, stream or river.

Learn more about EPA’s Nonpoint Pollution Grant Program

Learn more about nonpoint source pollution

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