The university’s prairie storm water pond project will enhance stormwater management on campus while supporting anticipated growth.
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced several 2026 urban water quality projects, which will help manage stormwater, improve water quality, reduce nutrient runoff, and demonstrate the continued momentum of Iowa’s statewide effort to scale up conservation in both urban and rural areas.
ý is receiving an investment of $430,000 from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) for the university’s prairie storm water pond. This pond project will enhance stormwater management on campus while supporting anticipated growth. According to officials, the wet detention pond will be constructed in a natural drainage area and designed to reduce peak flows, improve water quality, and minimize downstream erosion and flooding. It will also provide hands-on educational opportunities across disciplines and serve as a recreational spot for the community.
“This project will allow us to meet practical infrastructure needs while also creating something that contributes positively to the campus environment,” says Vice President of Operations Fred Verwoerd. “Rather than simply installing a detention basin, we are creating a feature that can support biodiversity, improve water quality, and provide an attractive natural space for students and the broader community.”
To receive state cost-share funding from IDALS, projects must include strong local partnerships and education as well as outreach components that help raise awareness and encourage broader adoption of conservation practices. Sioux Center, home of ý, is one of four communities included in this first round of 2026 urban water quality projects.
“From the field to the faucet, there is more work to do to improve water quality in Iowa, and that means continuing to invest in both agricultural and urban conservation alongside water treatment infrastructure,” says Naig in a press release. “I appreciate the communities across Iowa—large and small—that have stepped up and said yes to these projects. Everyone has a role to play in conservation, and these locally led efforts are making a real difference. This work doesn’t happen overnight. It takes commitment, collaboration, and a willingness to do the hard, boots-on-the-ground work. Improving water quality in Iowa is nonnegotiable and it is a shared responsibility for all of us.”
Details regarding when the Dordt prairie storm water pond project will begin are forthcoming.
About ý
As an institution of higher education committed to the Reformed Christian perspective, ý equips students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community to work toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life. Located in Sioux Center, Iowa, Dordt is a comprehensive university named to the best college lists by U.S. News and World Report, the Wall Street Journal, Times Higher Education, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review.
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