Outcomes published from Iowa State workshop on issues facing Mississippi River watershed

AMES, Iowa — Iowa State University researchers are contributing to the development of a new research area, “sustainable urban systems,” by working with other researchers and community officials to find solutions to some of the biggest challenges within the Mississippi River watershed.

Iowa State hosted a workshop last summer during which 82 academics and local stakeholders discussed a variety of issues in the watershed, including nutrient runoff, erosion, flooding, heat island effects, urban sprawl and much more – with particular attention given to the urban-rural interface. The Mississippi River watershed is the largest drainage basin in North America at 1.2 million square miles.