Driftless Water Defenders celebrate the conclusion of the first wave of its 48 lakes initiative with a free Labor Day event at Backbone State Park. 

DECORAH – To celebrate the conclusion of its “48 Lakes Initiative,” the Driftless Water Defenders, an Iowa non-profit membership clean water advocacy group, is hosting a free event on Labor Day, September 1, 2025, at 11 a.m. at the beach lodge at Backbone State Park.

This free event will feature speakers (Dr. Chris Jones, James C. Larew, and more), a free lunch, prepared by Brian Bruening, owner of Schera’s Restaurant in El Kader, will be offered by IWD. Musical entertainment will be provided by local performers.

The “48 Lakes Initiative” is a statewide social-media dialogue started on the Memorial Day holiday. It has been aimed to increase awareness of, and a dialogue concerning, the worsening condition of Iowa’s public lakes. In the course of the Initiative, Iowans have recorded videos about their recreational and social relationships with these polluted public bodies of water located across Iowa.

Throughout the summer, clean water access for hundreds of thousands of Iowans has been impeded by high amounts of nitrate and phosphorus, as well as manure-based pollutants. Most of these pollutants, harmful to aquatic life and humans, have flowed into Iowa’s public waters from industrial farming sites using chemical and manure fertilizers to support mostly corn and soybean crops.

In the course of the 48 Lakes Initiative, more than 600,000 central Iowa residents had their drinking and domestic water supplies reduced in the face of high nitrate levels in the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers—which source the Des Moines–area water treatment facilities.

“In Iowa, we generally have an abundance of water. However, much of that water is seriously impaired, sometimes reaching unhealthy levels of nitrate and other pollutants.” explained Chris Jones, President of the Driftless Water Defenders, a water quality expert and the author of the acclaimed book, “The Swine Republic: Struggles with the Truth about Agriculture and Water Quality.” We know how to correct this. However, the industrial-agricultural interests have impeded Iowa from moving forward to improve this condition.”

DWD was joined in this summer-long effort by other clean water advocacy groups: Progress Iowa, Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement and Food & Water Watch. The organizing groups believe that access to clean water is a fundamental right of Iowa citizens and that current polluting practices are interfering with the exercise of that right.

DWD asks that those who are interested in attending this event RSVP through their Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/share/1B2bUt5PjY/ or through their website: driftlesswaterdefenders.com/events

If you have any further questions or comments, please email Driftless Water Defenders at admin@driftlesswaterdefenders.com or call at 319-541-4240.

Driftless Water Defenders, 504 E. Bloomington St, Iowa City