Improving Iowa’s Water Quality Together
ACWA’s mission is to identify and advance solutions that reduce nutrient loss, build healthier soils and improve Iowa’s waters. The Vision of ACWA is to be recognized for its ability to build upon its members’ extensive relationships with farmers to improve Iowa’s waters.
ACWA’s mission is to identify and advance solutions that reduce nutrient loss, build healthier soils and improve Iowa’s waters. The Vision of ACWA is to be recognized for its ability to build upon its members’ extensive relationships with farmers to improve Iowa’s waters.

Science to Solutions

Collecting and Analyzing Data

Leader & Advocate

In Soil Health and Water Quality

Innovate & Sustain

Soil Health and Water Quality Improvements
Agriculture's Clean Water Alliance Core Pillars
Map showing all ag retail locations and priority watersheds

Watershed Initiatives

ACWA’s implementation of tile monitoring on fields with cover crops revealed an average of 4.7 mg/L lower nitrate concentrations compared to sites without cover crops. Additionally, ACWA has extended support to Iowa farmers, aiding them in enhancing environmental performance through the adoption of edge-of-field systems such as a bioreactor.

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ACWA Celebrates 25 Years

In 2024, ACWA marked its 25th anniversary of commitment to improving water quality in Iowa and productivity for Iowa’s farmers. 

The 2024 ACWA Annual Report includes an overview of the last 25 years, a feature on retiring Executive Director Roger Wolf, a collage of ACWA activities over the past quarter-century and more.

Farm To River Partnership

The North Raccoon Farm to River Partnership, an Iowa Water Quality Initiative (WQI) project that began in 2018, has been renewed for three years. The project started in 2015 in the Elk Run watershed and has now grown to include more than half of Sac County and nearly all of Greene County. The WQI is managed by ACWA and funded through the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS). 

Specific goals include installation of 25 edge-of-field practices and 7,000 new acres of cover crops in alignment with the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy. The project focuses on watersheds in Sac, Calhoun, Carroll and Greene Counties.

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ACWA Impact by the Numbers

Our Reach at a Glance

11 Regular Members

10 Associate Members

398 Service Locations

40,000 Farmer Customers

17+ million Row-crop Acres

84 Iowa Counties

Water Monitoring

14,372

Water Samples Processed Through ACWA Between 2020-2023

Conservation Agronomist Network 2019-2023

15 CONSERVATION AGRONOMISTS IN 2024

250,000

ACRES OF COVER CROPS

19,300

ACRES OF NO-TILL, STRIP-TILL

20,000

ACRES WITH IMPROVED NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT

186

EDGE-OF-FIELD PRACTICES

Eliminating

2.1 million lbs Nitrogen

92,000 lbs Phosphorus

Read more and download the complete By the Numbers infographic.

Staff
Jeff Lucas
Executive Director
Harry Ahrenholtz
Chairman
Rebekah Jones
Communications
Mike Gilman
Membership Services, Programs & Projects
Todd Sutphin
Water monitoring and analysis
Anthony Seeman
Water monitoring and analysis
Officers
Dan Dix
 - NEW Coop
President
Chris Petersen
 - Gold Eagle Coop
Vice President
Thomas Fawcett
 - Heartland Coop
Treasurer
Craig Mouchka
 - Landus Cooperative
Secretary