Scouting for Clean Water:
Empowering Iowa’s Youth
In October 2026, our Watershed Talks program explored how to empower Iowa’s youth to protect local waterways through hands-on water monitoring and community science.
Inspired by Girl Scout troop leader Donni Popejoy and her scouts’ passion for clean water, the discussion focused on helping young people understand water pollution from fertilizer runoff, urban sources, and winter road salt—and how they can take action in their communities.
Featured speakers included:
- Samantha Puckett, Clean Water Program Director
- Donni Popejoy, Girl Scout Troop Leader and National Council Delegate
- Shelley Morgan, Board Member of the Izaak Walton League’s Ottumwa Chapter and Iowa Division
The speakers explored opportunities to establish youth water-monitoring teams across Central and Southeast Iowa, highlighting the League’s Save Our Streams program and two community-science initiatives:
Nitrate Watch: Monitoring nitrate pollution from fertilizer and other sources.
Salt Watch: Tracking chloride pollution from winter road salt.
These programs give scouts, students, and community volunteers practical ways to collect water-quality data, learn about local environmental challenges, and become engaged environmental stewards.
By empowering young people to monitor and protect their local waterways, we can help build healthier watersheds and stronger communities for future generations.