Water

Events

Illinois Watershed Steward Spring 2026

February 23, 2026 - April 13, 2026

County

Adams

Brown

Pike

Hancock

Schuyler

Conserving Your Land and Legacy

March 31, 2026

County

Stephenson

Blog Posts

35 years of USDA wetland restoration

December 17, 2025

Wetlands do a lot of work. In Episode 78 of the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Podcast, University of Illinois agricultural economist...

Batch and grow with Farmer-Led Advances in Soil Health (FLASH)

November 25, 2025

Farmers often learn best from one another, and the Farmer-Led Advances in Soil Health (FLASH) program helps make those connections possible. In...

Addressing nutrient loss through conservation: Precision Conservation Management

October 30, 2025

Precision Conservation Management (PCM) director...

The many faces of water

August 22, 2025

Water is pretty straightforward. That is until you realize that you can not only drink tap water, filtered water, spring water or natural mineral...

More Blogs

News Releases

wide river with blue skies and trees bordering

December 17, 2025

Illinois Extension and Adams County Farm Bureau launch new Illinois Watershed Steward Course
Quincy, IL — University of Illinois Extension, in partnership with the Adams County Farm...

Two photos one of a creek with grass on the banks the other a wide stream with trees along it

December 3, 2025

Terrestrial biodiversity grows with tree cover in agricultural landscapes
Farmers plant or preserve riparian buffers for various reasons, such as improving water quality, controlling erosion, or maintaining hunting habitat. Now, a new study from the ...

November 1, 2025

Wetlands efficiently remove nitrogen pollution from surface water, leading to cost savings for municipalities
Wetlands are an important part of the ecological system, providing a myriad of benefits for people, wildlife, and the environment. They also serve as “nature’s kidneys,” filtering out pollutants from surface water. A new study...

Wild ginger plant grows beneath a red oak tree.

October 29, 2025

Extension advances community-led Mattoon water quality solutions with Lumpkin Foundation Grant
MATTOON, Ill. — The Lumpkin Family Foundation has awarded University of Illinois Extension a $40,000 grant to improve water quality and protect local drinking water sources in Coles County. The funding will support a Watershed Stewards community...

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Videos

Cover Crop Conversations, Farmer-to-Farmer Insights Across Illinois

Farmers from northwest, west central, and southern Illinois discuss how they use cover crops in their operations as part of this recorded presentation coordinated in part by the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy. Hear how they have incorporated cover crops on their farms, lessons learned...

Actions to Reduce Water Pollution

What’s in your water? Learn about common water pollutants, how your daily actions, indoor and outdoor, impact water quality, and how water is treated before returning to rivers and lakes. Simple tips to prevent pollution start with you.

This webinar was recorded on May 8, 2025. Find more...