Fall harvest is underway across Iowa, and bare fields with fresh manure could send more nutrients and bacteria into waterways, according to a 2025 Iowa State University study. The study found that ...

Blue Heron Lake Beach at Raccoon River Park: Testing on Aug. 13 found E. coli levels above the acceptable range, according to the West Des Moines Parks and Recreation Department. Easter Lake: As of ...

Two popular Eastern Iowa beach destinations — Lake Macbride State Park near Solon and Pleasant Creek Recreation Area near Palo — both saw more beach advisories this year. Lake Macbride, which recorded ...

DES MOINES, Iowa (IOWA CAPITAL DISPATCH) - Labor Day weekend marks the unofficial close of lake-recreation season, and the official end of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ weekly beach ...

After 60 years, the University of Iowa Sailing Club’s boathouse at the Macbride Nature Recreation Area is being knocked down, and the club is being removed from the property. Earlier this summer, the ...

The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced. IOWA CITY — Disappointing local conservationists, the University of Iowa on Thursday announced plans to ...

Two-thirds of Iowa’s state park beaches faced “swimming not recommended” advisories at least once this summer, with heavy rains fueling higher bacteria levels that pushed advisories to their highest ...

More than a dozen Iowa beaches continue to be unsafe for swimming, according to the latest Iowa Department of Natural Resources beach monitoring report released Friday, Aug. 22. Seventeen beaches ...