urban demonstration projects

The Iowa Water Quality Initiative (WQI) was established in 2013 to help implement the Nutrient Reduction Strategy, which addresses point sources, such as municipal wastewater treatment plants and industrial facilities, as well as nonpoint sources, including farm fields and urban stormwater runoff. The Initiative seeks to harness the collective ability of both private and public resources and organizations to deliver a clear and consistent message to stakeholders to reduce nutrient loss and improve water quality.

A total of 124 urban WQI demonstration watershed projects that have been funded since 2015, including the following in each year: 14 (2024); 16 (2023); 17 (2022); 12 (2021); 12 (2020); nine (2019); 11 (2018); 12 (2017); 12 (2016); and nine (2015).

UPDATE: Projects Completed in 2025

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UPDATE: Projects Completed in 2025 *

2025 PROJECTS (14)

Algona
Downtown Cultural District Improvements
Bioretention cells, permeable pavers, tree trenches

Ankeny
Upper Fourmile Creek Wetland
Stormwater wetlands, oxbows

Bondurant
Parks and Recreation Event Center
Bioretention cells, permeable pavers

Cedar Rapids
Morgan Creek Wetland
Wetland/pond hybrid

Clear Lake
Veterans Memorial Golf Course
Bioretention cell

Clinton
Bickelhaupt Arboretum Renovations and Enhancements
Permeable paver parking lot & walkway, bioretention cell, native landscaping

Decorah
Dahlen Property Water Quality Improvements
Infiltration basin, sediment forebays, native prairie buffer, grass swales

Des Moines
Birdland Park and Marina
Bioretention, native landscaping

Dunlap
Pleasant View Pond Improvements
Forebay, wetland, bioretention cells

Durant
Feldham Park Permeable Parking Area
Permeable parking lot

Evansdale
Angels Park/Meyers Lake Water Quality Improvements
Bioretention cell, native landscaping

Mount Ayr
Town Square Streetscape Reconstruction
Permeable pavers, bioretention cells

Oskaloosa
Creating Environmental Learning Spaces at Caldwell Park
Oxbows, rain gardens, native landscaping

West Des Moines
Legacy Woods Nature Sanctuary
Stormwater wetlands, native plantings, bioretention cells, grass swale

2024 PROJECTS (14)

Algona
Smith Lake Bioretention Cell
Bioretention cell/native plantings

Altoona
Townsend Park Watershed Stormwater Improvements
Pond/sediment forebay

Belle Plaine
Belle Plaine Wellfield Wetland Restoration Project
Stormwater wetland/wildlife habitat

Bloomfield
Fox River-Bloomfield Sq Permeable Pavers, Sidewalk Ph 2
Permeable pavers/bioretention cells

Clive
Stormwater Basin Water Quality Retrofit–Alices Rd to 163rd
Dry detention basin retrofits/bioretention cells/outfall retrofits

Davenport
Goose Creek Park Bioretention Cell Project
Bioretention cells/step pools

Des Moines
City of Des Moines Soil Quality Rest. Batch & Build Program
Stormwater best management practices

Durant
Feldhan Park/Mud Creek Storm Water Quality & Wetland Initiative
Vegetated swale/stormwater wetland

Hudson
Hudson Wetland Park Restoration Project
Oxbow wetland/stormwater wetlands

Jesup
Jesup Stormwater Wetland
Stormwater wetland

Johnston
Corteva Wetland Project
Wetlands/floodplain habitat restoration/native landscaping

Perry
Downtown Improvements Phase I
Permeable pavers/bioretention cells

Urbandale
Hickman Road &Interstate 35\80 Interchange Reconstruction Stormwater Treatment
Bioswales/regenerative conveyance step pools

Waterloo
Sunnyside Creek Watershed Water Quality Wet Pond
Wet pond/adjoining wetland

2023 PROJECTS (16)

Altoona
Tuscany Pond Renovation Project

Calmar and Peosta
Demonstration of Urban Conservation Projects at Northeast Iowa Community College

Cambridge
YSS Ember Recovery Campus

Cedar Rapids
E. Ave NW Detention Basin – Ecological Uplift

Center Point
Center Point Urban Water Quality Initiative Project

Clinton
Frog Hollow Wetland Restoration Project

Coralville
City of Coralville Green Infrastructure Equality Project

Des Moines
Des Moines Stormwater Detention Basin Water Quality Retrofit

Des Moines
Glendale Cemetery Wet Pond Rehabilitation

Des Moines
Lauridsen Skatepark Parking Lot

Johnston
City of Johnston Citywide Soil Quality Restoration

Montezuma
American Legion Post 169 Urban Conservation Project

Oskaloosa
Promoting Stormwater Management Practices in Mahaska County

Polk City
Polk City Soil Quality Restoration Batch and Build

Polk County
Broadway Avenue Water Quality Project

Waukee
Little Walnut Creek Headwaters Wetland & Greenway