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Water, precious water, please have mercy on us for we know not what we do. Since the beginning of time your purity has helped to create and sustain life, your awesome power has sculpted the surface of our planet, and your serenity brings us peace. We are constantly calling upon you to cleanse our bodies, quench our thirst, and produce our food. Without you, our planet would be devoid of life, but with you, life flourishes.
Water quality is something that affects all of us – one way or another. “All of us” includes all living things, from the largest whale to the smallest amoeba, from tiny duckweed to the tallest redwoods. Without water, all life on earth would cease to exist. Although the quantity of water on earth will never change, its distribution and quality affect us all. With 97.5% of the global water supply tied up in saltwater resources, and nearly 2% of freshwater frozen in glaciers, it is very important to manage, monitor, and protect the remaining 0.5% of freshwater that is available to us. The absence of usable water would be the same as having no water at all.
IOWATER, Iowa’s volunteer water quality monitoring program, empowers citizens to take a proactive approach to water quality. By monitoring the water resources in our backyards, we can ensure the protection, longevity and productivity of high quality water resources, as well as evaluate, assess, and improve those of lower quality. By becoming an IOWATER volunteer, you are not only provided with monitoring equipment, but you are also given the freedom to monitor wherever and whenever you choose. The program brings people closer to the landscapes that surround them and encourages them to develop a sense of place within the watersheds in which they live. This tie between ourselves and the water resources that give us life will lead to the understanding, respect, and protection of Iowa’s water bodies long into the future.
IOWATER – Coming Soon To A Community Near You
Becoming involved in IOWATER is easy – workshops are held throughout the summer at various locations across the state. To register, just contact the local facilitator listed on the IOWATER Workshop Schedule. Walk in the Level 1 workshop as a citizen, and walk out as an IOWATER Level 1 Certified Volunteer Water Quality Monitor!
Questions??? Please contact:
Jacklyn Gautsch, Natural Resource Biologist
(319) 335-1761
Brandon Harland, Natural Resource Biologist
(515) 281-3150
Lisa Fascher, Research Geologist
(319) 530-5111
Lynette Seigley, Research Geologist
(319) 335-1598
Brian Soenen, Project AWARE Coordinator
(515) 205-8587
or e-mail .
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