For the past 20 years Iowa Project AWARE (A Watershed Awareness River Expedition) has been cleaning up Iowa’s rivers with the help of hordes of volunteers and a few dedicated staff members. The Iowa Geological Survey (IGS) has participated just about every year, from helping haul trash to giving educational programs.

Iowa relies on groundwater, especially unconfined aquifers, for drinking water and agriculture. Climate change affects recharge and sustainability. Alluvial aquifers face risks from drought and demand. Strategies like floodplain features and better pumping management enhance sustainability.

Central Iowa was glaciated by the Des Moines Lobe, which advanced quickly and lacked features like drumlins, eskers, and kames. Scientists determine the timing of ice advance by radiocarbon dating organic materials in glacial sediment. The calibrated ages show that the Des Moines Lobe reached Des Moines around 15,700 to 16,000 years ago and advanced rapidly at a rate of 1-2 km per year.

Iowa has approximately 700 miles of levees protecting towns, agricultural land, and other infrastructure. Assessing the condition of levees is a critical component to ensure they remain strong during flood events. The IGS recently established methods to use geophysics to image levees via a pilot investigation with the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management

Geologic maps have tremendous societal, economic, and educational value. Bedrock and surficial geologic maps may be used to assist in aggregate resource evaluations, flood protection, hazard identification (sinkholes and karst), and water resource assessments.