A free drainage water nutrient sampling will be taking place next week in Washington. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) welcomes anyone to attend and encourages owners and operators in watershed demonstration projects to participate. NRCS asks that you bring in one cup samples of water from a tile outlet, pond, or stream taken in the past 24 hours, and they’ll test the nitrate level of your water at no cost.

This nutrient sampling is part of the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy. This began in 2013. The 2016 Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll examined trends in farming practices since the strategy began. The results of the poll indicated that farmers are increasing their use of recommended practices. The poll also found farmers had increased their use of several nutrient management practices since 2013. Twenty percent of farmers reported an increase of applications of nitrogen in the growing season. J. Gordon Arbuckle, associate professor of sociology at ISU and director of the Farm Poll, says, “Research shows that applying nitrogen during the growing season instead of the fall can reduce nutrient loss and potentially increase profits.”

The Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy’s goal is to reach 45% of nutrient reduction by 2030. The drainage water sampling will be from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the NRCS office in Washington.