Clean Water and Farm Pollution Lawsuit
This video discusses a lawsuit claiming that farm runoff is harming Iowa’s water supply.
Location
Des Moines, IA
Driving Question
- How does farming runoff affect our water?
Probing Questions
- How can we prevent runoff from farming?
- How are people and other living things affected by water pollution?
Classroom Suggestions
Students could:
- Research and define the causes and effects of water pollution.
- Identify stakeholders in the situation and their wants and needs.
- Have a debate around the issue while taking the roles of different stakeholders.
- Determine the criteria that would define a fair solution to the problem of agricultural runoff contaminating the water supply.
- Define the environmental, health, cost and economic constraints that limit possible solutions.
- Research where their own water supply comes from and model how it might be affected by pollution.
- Speak with local water officials and/or farmers about how they handle possible pollution.
Resources
- Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) | Water Quality: Teacher background on the state’s water quality programs.
- Des Moines Register | Iowa to Report More Than 800 Water Impairments in New Report to EPA: News article on the state of Iowa water quality in 2019.
- Des Moines Register | In the Cross Hairs: Iowa Farmers Frustrated by Water Lawsuit: News article from early in the lawsuit’s history.
Iowa Core Alignment
MS-ETS1-1:Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions
Credit Info
Media produced for Market to Market by Iowa PBS.
Submitted by Dan Voss and Madison Beeler as part of their Iowa STEM Teacher Externship experience at Iowa PBS.
Funding for Iowa Science Phenomena provided by:
