Raccoon River | Photo by Christine Warner
#9: Raccoon River, IA
Threat: PollutionThe Raccoon River is polluted by more than 750 factory farms that confine thousands of animals and their waste.
Raccoon River | Photo by Emma Schmit
Iowa’s Raccoon River, which provides drinking water to 500,000 people in Iowa’s capital city, Des Moines, has become increasingly contaminated by upstream factory farms and industrial agriculture. In 2020, pollution-fueled outbreaks of toxic algae combined with climate change-driven drought conditions pushed the city’s drinking water utility to the brink of a crisis for several weeks. Iowa’s state agencies have refused to appropriately regulate pollution from factory farms. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency must step in and investigate, monitor and enforce factory farm pollution violations in the absence of state action.
American Rivers appreciates the collaboration and efforts of our partners:
- Food and Water Watch
- Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement
