Curious about Water Quality along the Little Sioux?

In this presentation you will hear about water quality records from the past 20 years of monitoring along the Little Sioux River. You will learn how genetic techniques can be used to tell us about the sources of fecal material in the water and the diversity of aquatic species present. Samples collected last fall show high levels of E. coli indicator bacteria downstream of Spencer, and most samples were dominated by human and cattle wastes. Additional monitoring is planned for summer of 2025.

Claire Hruby joined Drake University's Department of Environmental Science and Sustainability in 2023 after 20 years working for the Iowa DNR. She has worked on projects ranging from PFAS assessment in drinking water, mapping of livestock operations, manure on frozen ground rules, stream mitigation assessment, hydrogeologic evaluations in karst, pathogen assessment at public beaches, and ambient groundwater monitoring. Dr. Hruby and her students are currently working in multiple watersheds around the state to identify sources of fecal pollution, evaluate risks, and target solutions.

Claire Hruby

Alex Colby is a junior in the Environmental Science and Sustainability Department at Drake University. She is currently lab manager of Dr. Hruby's Soil and Water Assessment lab. Alex is investigating the use of genetic and microscope techniques for documenting the diversity of microorganisms in aquatic environments. Her favorite aquatic environments are fens!

Alexandria Colby