Nishnabotna Water Defenders

10/11/2026

Today’s the day! These two events are community building with an opportunity to ask questions of candidates, get more information on community partnerships, screen Charles Morris ‘s documentary for free, and discuss ways to improve Iowa’s water quality and cancer with real action. Hope to see you there!

10/10/2026

Mark your calendars for Sunday, October 11th! Join us for two powerful, interconnected events focused on Iowa’s land, community, and health.

10/06/2026

Drops of Knowledge:

An aquifer is an underground body of rock, sand, soil, or sediment saturated with groundwater. It is not an underground river. Groundwater is recharged through rain, water seepage from soil, or neighboring water bodies. They are an important source of our drinking water which we pump through private or public wells.

There are two general types of aquifers:

Unconfined - also called “water table aquifer” because their upper water surface rises and falls with the water table (vertically). Since they are generally closer to the ground, they are also more subject to environmental conditions such as drought and contamination.

Confined – Layers of impermeable material are both above and below the aquifer, causing it to be under pressure so the water will rise above the top of the aquifer. Confined aquifers cannot be recharged directly by rainwater but in general are recharged at areas where they are in contact with a permeable surface that allows water in.

In Iowa, a “deep well” is defined by the presence of a “low permeability unit,” or confining unit. The DNR lists 3 common confining units: till, shale, and siltstone.

Carbonate bedrock (limestone and dolomite) are not considered low permeability. Clay, very common in Iowa and in alluvial aquifers does not meet the definition for a deep well due to its noncontinuous nature. Karst geology found in NE IA is particularly sensitive and wells even 300-500 feet deep are considered “shallow” due to the fractures in the bedrock.

10/05/2026

We had a stop along the bike route this weekend at Atlantic's Tour de Park. Thanks for inviting NWD to participate and share about the ways we can work together to improve our water quality. What a beautiful day! 💧🚲🌞

10/03/2026

The fish kill in the East Nishnabotna River was the 5th largest in Iowa's history. There have been over 1000 fish kills since the state began documenting the disasters. Here's another, this one from a CAFO. This must stop. Iowans suffer from the consequences of these operations. The benefits DO NOT outweigh the risks.

Several things will help and we can demand these improvements:
1) More accountability and stiffer (escalating) penalties for these crimes
2) A complete moratorium on any more CAFO's in Iowa
3) Decline in the number of existing CAFO's

10/01/2026

Voluntary reductions to ag pollution have not worked for the past 14 years. Make sure you are registered to vote, you vote early, and the candidates you choose have a plan to improve human and environmental health that is as resounding as these Iowa voices.

Iowans want to see more regulations for industrial agriculture in the state, according to 2026 polling. A pivotal swing state this cycle, the issue could be a deciding factor as Iowans go to the polls in November.

Across party lines, voters say they are more likely to support an elected official who makes protecting clean water a top priority. That includes the nitrate pollution coming straight from the state’s factory farms.

For more on how Iowa’s pollution crisis may affect the 2026 election, check out our Inside Iowa series: https://buff.ly/g1hArsi