Media

For media inquires about nutrient pollution in Illinois, contact the Illinois Extension Nutrient Loss Reduction team at NLRS@illinois.edu.

a group of people sitting on hay bales with the backs to the camera watching a group of people on stools talking into a microphone

Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Podcast

Discover Illinois's commitment to preserving waterways in our monthly podcast. Explore stories from the field about farm conservation practices, wastewater system management, urban stormwater, and policies and programs that affect nutrient loss, research updates, and more. Tune in for updates on ongoing efforts to protect Illinois waterways. Our podcast is your go-to source for staying informed about nutrient loss reduction efforts in Illinois.
writing icon over picture of lake

Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Blog

At Illinois Extension, we're helping enhance water quality at home and downstream. Our watershed outreach staff share stories on agriculture conservation, research updates, and field insights. The Nutrient Loss Reduction blog features practices aligned with the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy, timely updates, farm safety, and new tools for farmers to reduce field nutrient runoff.
Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy Webinar Slide

Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Webinars

Discover a wealth of tips and tricks from the Illinois Extension Nutrient Loss Reduction team. Uncover knowledge through our engaging webinars and bite-sized videos designed to bring the best management practices to you. Whether you're eager to transform your home or business with rain gardens and barrels, to implement conservation practices on your farm, or take the lead in crafting watershed-based plans in your community, we have the information you need.

Events

-

-

Illinois Watershed Steward Spring 2026

County: Adams, Brown, Pike, Hancock, Schuyler
University of Illinois Extension, along with Adams County Farm Bureau, is offering a new Illinois Watershed Steward program for members of our communities. This program engages participants as…
Register

-

Looking out to a farm field filled with growing, bright green corn leaves on a blue sky day.
-

2026 Crop Management Conference | Online

Dig deeper into what is impacting Illinois crop production.

Make the most informed decisions for a farm by getting the latest research updates from crop science experts at University of Illinois…

Register

A green and white corner-bordered image of a person at knee level checking soybean plants.

Focus on the Future: Sustaining Farm Legacy | Champaign

There are significant and detailed decisions to be made when owning a farm and building a legacy.

Focus on the Future: Sustaining Farm Legacy events will feature critical and practical updates for…

Register

-

water flowing over river rock
-

Watershed Steward Training

County: Coles
This science-based interactive training program provides a comprehensive look at watershed systems — including hydrology, water quality and quantity, flooding, and the ecological benefits of healthy…
Register by February 24

A green and white corner-bordered image of a person at knee level checking soybean plants.

Focus on the Future: Sustaining Farm Legacy | Sycamore

There are significant and detailed decisions to be made when owning a farm and building a legacy.

Focus on the Future: Sustaining Farm Legacy events will feature critical and practical updates for…

Register

A green and white corner-bordered image of a person at knee level checking soybean plants.

Focus on the Future: Sustaining Farm Legacy | Mt. Vernon

There are significant and detailed decisions to be made when owning a farm and building a legacy.

Focus on the Future: Sustaining Farm Legacy events will feature critical and practical updates for…

Register
News
a group of people stand in a wetland
Study: 72% of Illinois wetlands no longer protected by federal Clean Water Act
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois once harbored more than 8 million acres of wetlands. By the 1980s, all but 1.2 million wetland acres had been lost, filled in for development or drained to make way for agriculture. Now, thanks to a 2023 Supreme Court decision, roughly 72% of the remaining 981,000...
People in hard hats handle equipment on the edge of a boat
Gulf of Mexico ‘dead zone’ below average, scientists find
NOAA-supported scientists announced today that this year’s Gulf of Mexico “dead zone” — an area of low to no oxygen that can kill fish and marine life — is approximately 4,402 square miles, 21% smaller than estimates from early June...
A woman plants in a garden
At Extension, water resources work when we work with them
Sometimes water is only a drizzle or a trickle, while other times it pours and floods, but it is always there in the background, a steady and vital resource for all our lives. A core University of Illinois Extension program area — natural resources,...
A large agriculture-related dust cloud over a farm field
Dust storms in Illinois: Identifying farm solutions
URBANA, Ill. — Dust storms have become an increasing concern in Illinois, prompting investigations into their causes and potential solutions. These weather events have resulted in fatalities, including a 2023...
A man speaks to a group of people outside on a tour
Extension bridges gap between environmental research and real-world solutions
Strong natural systems and the resources they provide, from water filtration to renewable energy sources, are a vital part of healthy, robust communities. One of the core University of Illinois Extension program areas – natural resources, environment, and energy – connects communities across the...

Follow us on social media

Facebook @IllinoisNLRS Twitter (X) @IllinoisNLRS Instagram @IllinoisNLRS
College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences Illinois Extension

101 Mumford Hall (MC-710)

1301 W. Gregory Dr.

Urbana, IL 61801

Email: extension@illinois.edu

EEO myExtension Staff Login