Conservation Connection
New Pollinator Conservation Specialist Jessica Butters Joins PRI Staff
Prairie Rivers of Iowa’s new Pollinator Conservation Specialist Jessica Butters's background includes extensive knowledge about Iowa’s ecosystems and native bee conservation. She’s a graduate of...
The Mystery of the Orange Creek
A mystery with a good plot (young people who care about environment, collaboration, science) and a happy ending: the orange in the creek is harmless! All in all a good day at Prairie Rivers.
Prairie Rivers of Iowa Releases Story County Water Quality Monitoring Annual Report
Prairie Rivers of Iowa has just released an annual report investigating water quality in streams and lakes around Story County. Prairie Rivers of Iowa worked with Story County Conservation, the City of Ames, and other partners in 2020 to initiate a locally-led water monitoring program including both volunteer and laboratory testing.
The State of Pollinators in Iowa
Pollinators in Iowa disappearing at an alarming rate due to climate change, disappearing habitat, pesticide use, and disease.
Legacy Sediment for Fourth Graders
For Iowa History Month, I’d like to talk about legacy sediment—historic erosion that has a big influence on sediment, phosphorus, and fisheries in rivers today. For a change of pace, this article is written at the fourth grade level. I like big words like “fluvial geomorphology” but not everyone does. Okay! Let’s have some fun.
The Impaired Waters List is a Missed Opportunity
The 2022 Impaired Waters List does not tell us which waters are safe for recreation or the direction of statewide trends. We think that’s a missed opportunity.
Making Sense of Water Quality Data – A Paddler’s View
In some ways, 2021 was an unlucky year to launch a water quality monitoring program because streams were so often dry. In some ways, it was an ideal year to launch a monitoring program, because weather always has an influence of water quality and the challenging conditions in 2021 forced us to better account for it.
Prairie Rivers Staffer Shellie Orngard Named to Change for Climate Cohort
The Iowa Conservation Education Coalition has created a select group of community environmental leaders to be part of a Change for Climate Cohort who will "receive training, professional mentoring...
Thank You, David Stein!
David contributed to a large part of Prairie Rivers of Iowa’s continued efforts to impact public awareness and implementation of conservation practices to create native plant, pollinator and wildlife habitat to help improve soil and water quality while protecting the endangered rusty patched bumble bee and other species of greatest conservation need in Iowa. He was instrumental in creating a native seed bank and the development of many acres of habitat.