As President Donald Trump has promised deregulation, experts share what that means for water quality and where regulations already fall short. Farmer and former Iowa Corn Growers Association President Tim Recker has dramatically changed his farm, going no-till and adding wetlands. Water quality proponent Silvia Secchi who gives a history of The Clean Water Act and argues regulations don't go far enough. Also, Nina Elkadi, an investigative reporter, shares her reporting on water quality issues. Then, Melissa Miller, the Iowa Nitrogen Initiative project director, speaks about the complexities of nutrient application on farms and the work they are doing to make this application more accurate. (This episode was produced in March 2025.)

On this Politics Day, political scientists Donna Hoffman of the University of Northern Iowa and Jonathan Hassid of Iowa State University dissect the debate between Democrat Senate hopefuls Josh Turek and Zach Wahls. They also reflect on the end of the 2026 Legislative session, Vice President J.D. Vance's stop in Iowa to campaign for Rep. Zach Nunn and the Iowa Secretary of State's choice to turn over voter data to the Trump administration.

The 2026 Legislative session has ended after a marathon weekend. Journalists who covered the statehouse share what passed, failed and what is already Iowa law.

On October 29, 1978, the city of Mount Pleasant was rocked by the murder of mother and daughter Clementine and Karol Beavers in their home. The case had gone cold until a third woman, Susan Wheelock, was killed in her place of work, six months later. CJ Williams, an Iowa federal judge, was Karol's classmate, a coworker of Susan's and he knew the convicted killer. These murders influenced Williams to seek a career in criminal justice, and his book delves into the multilayered story of these murders that rocked his hometown and changed the course of his life. (This episode was originally produced in October 2025.)

New student loan limits are set to hit Iowa families as tuition costs keep climbing. On this Newsbuzz edition of River to River, we look at how universities are preparing with The Gazette's Vanessa Miller. The Economist's Hollie Berman shares recent reporting on Iowa farmers' support for President Trump amid economic uncertainty. IPR's James Kelley shares updates on Google’s planned data center in Palo. Plus, the latest from the Statehouse with Robin Opshahl, and we groove into the weekend with Studio One’s Tressa Glass.

David Axelrod has been one of the most influential voices in American politics for four decades — he helped build the Obama coalition, he has watched the Democratic Party lose its way with working people and he's not pulling punches about what comes next. On this episode, we listen back to highlights from a recent wide-ranging conversation Axelrod, recorded live at Hancher Auditorium in Iowa City.

King Charles addresses Congress as global tensions and domestic uncertainty collide in a packed politics hour. From a fragile Iran ceasefire to Iowa’s MAHA bill and a surprise gubernatorial endorsement, political scientists Jim McCormick and Megan Goldberg break down the latest political news.

The Pentagon launched a formal review of women in ground-combat positions. On this archive episode, what lead to this review and how could it impact the United States Armed Forces? Amy Rutenberg, an ISU historian, summarizes the long arc of women's service in the U.S. Military. Then, guests offer competing perspectives on combat effectiveness and standards. (This episode was originally produced in January 2026.)

A recent Iowa Climate Statement warns that extreme weather is already pushing insurance costs higher for homeowners and farmers. We break down what the data means for the state’s future. (This episode was originally produced in November 2025.)

Analysis from political scientists Sara Mitchell of the University of Iowa and Peter Hanson of Grinnell College on statewide races, the latest fallout from the war with Iran and why some Republican Senators are quietly hoping for a Supreme Court retirement before the midterms.