In Polk County, Iowa, residents often ask “What is in our rivers?” To definitively address that question, in 2023, the Polk County Board of Supervisors commissioned one of the most comprehensive water quality assessments ever conducted of the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers: the Central Iowa Source Water Research Assessment (CISWRA). After logging approximately 4,000 hours of analysis and reporting by 16 researchers, the findings were published in 2025 within the “Currents of Change” Final Scientific Report, a “state of our rivers” summary. Currents of Change uncovers and fully outlines clear projects and pathways for improved source water quality in these rivers. All CISWRA documents are publicly available online at the following link: https://www.polkcountyiowa.gov/public-works/water-resources/polk-county-water-quality-initiatives/