This year the story continues to be the large loading on the Des Moines River. There is an outside shot that 2016 will be the largest year ever for N loads on the Des Moines. However cold weather in the forecast will likely result in 1991 continuing to be the largest, followed by 2016 and then 1993. Fall (Sep-Nov) loading on the Des Moines River will easily be the largest in the record (1982-present), corresponding to large amounts of precipitation in the North Central climate district of Iowa during that time.

Raccoon River loads and concentrations are high but not in record territory. We’ve basically had warm and wet conditions now over the last 2+ years and that is favorable for transport of nitrate.