The Polk County Board of Supervisors voted to approve a resolution funding the IIHR — Hydroscience & Engineering Iowa Water Quality Network, preserving an existing county-supported water-quality monitoring program that county officials said would otherwise be suspended.

Board members approved the measure by roll call; the board recorded unanimous support. The county said it will apply $90,000 from a previously set‑aside “Cicero” account and make up the remainder of the request from available ARPA revenue‑replacement funds.

County leaders said the IIHR network provides continuous monitoring of water quality and flow at locations across Polk County and neighboring jurisdictions. A board speaker described the program as “10 years of collection of data that would be suspended without our support of this program going forward,” and said the funding request is for calendar year 2026 with a request that partner counties join the effort.

Adam Schreiber, director of wellness and nutrition policy at the Harkin Institute, addressed the board earlier and said local programming and public events around the Central Iowa Source Water assessment increased public interest in water monitoring; county officials referenced that public engagement during discussion of the resolution.

County officials framed the vote as part of a broader effort that includes prior investments in hydrology and flood forecasting at the University of Iowa. The board noted the program’s monitoring capability includes both water‑quality measurements and flow data that county staff and partners use to understand trends in waterways.

The resolution passed on a recorded roll call. Board members voting “yes” were Holm, Hawkinsmith, Connolly, Altringer and McCoy.

Polk County staff said a press conference on related county water‑quality work was planned for 1 p.m. the day of the meeting.