Relating to groundwater monitoring in the state, including the establishment of a pilot program, and including effective date provisions

This bill relates to groundwater monitoring in the state and establishes a pilot program. The bill includes legislative findings recognizing the importance of Iowa’s groundwater resources for drinking water, agriculture, and economic activity. The bill states there are an insufficient number of wells currently monitored by the Iowa geological survey (survey), and that retrofitting existing wells owned by businesses or other private entities with modern monitoring equipment is a cost-effective method to expand the groundwater monitoring network, improve data for water resource management, and protect public health. The bill states it is in the interest of the state of Iowa to expand the number of wells from which the survey may monitor groundwater levels through a pilot program. The bill creates a groundwater monitoring expansion pilot program. The bill appropriates $100,000 from the general fund of the state to the department of natural resources (department) for FY 2026-2027. Moneys appropriated to the department to establish and administer a groundwater monitoring expansion pilot program may be used for the procurement of certified monitoring equipment; installation, calibration, and maintenance; telemetry and data integration; program evaluation; and reporting. The bill provides that any unencumbered or unobligated moneys remaining at the close of the fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain available for expenditure until the close of FY 2028-2029. The bill provides that the pilot program shall retrofit up to 100 existing wells owned by businesses or other private entities with groundwater monitoring equipment. Participation in the program is voluntary and requires the written consent of the property owner. The survey is required to provide technical guidance to the department regarding site selection, installation specifications, and data evaluation. The survey is also required to prioritize wells that represent a diversity of aquifers and geographic regions to maximize the usefulness of the monitoring data. The bill establishes standards for installations and monitoring equipment installed under the pilot program. The bill requires all monitoring data to be securely transmitted to the survey for aggregation, storage, and analysis, and the data to be integrated into the survey’s existing groundwater monitoring network. The bill authorizes well owners to have access to their own monitoring data for purposes of water management and planning. The bill directs all costs of installation and equipment under the pilot program to be covered within the amount appropriated for the program. The bill requires the department, in consultation with the survey, to submit a report to the general assembly by December 31, 2028. The report must include the number and location of wells retrofitted, an assessment of data quality and system reliability, the cost per installation, and recommendations for the potential statewide expansion of groundwater monitoring. The program is repealed July 1, 2029. The bill takes effect upon enactment.