balmm currents EXTRA
Basin Alliance
for the Lower Mississippi in Minnesota
December 3, 2004
NEXT BALMM MEETING: Wednesday,
December 15, 9:30 am – 12:00 pm at the FRONTENAC SPORTSMEN’S CLUB. (Directions:
Turn west off of Highway 61/63 onto County Highway 2, go across the railroad
tracks and take a left on Territorial Road. See map in attachment)
AGENDA ADJUSTMENT – MAKE ROOM FOR
NITROGEN MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION: Almost 70 people packed the meeting
room at Rochester Public Utility on Wednesday, Dec. 1, to learn more about the
problem of nitrogen in the water of southeastern Minnesota.
As a follow-up to the presentations and discussion, we are making room
in the BALMM agenda to discuss the following topics and proposals that were
raised at the meeting. It is hoped that
this discussion will lead to renewed efforts to revise and implement BALMM
strategies to improve nitrogen management to protect ground water and surface
water in the region.
The following
topics and proposals related to nitrogen and water quality will be among those
discussed at the December 15 BALMM meeting:
- Selecting one or two wellhead protection areas
in the Basin where there are escalating nitrates in the well water as a
demonstration nutrient management area. This would involve a diverse
team that would include nutrient management experts such as Bruce
Montgomery, landowners, city, county, and township officials, wellhead
protection planners, and as Terry Bovee suggested, the water supply
managers
- Combined message on nitrates and fecal coliform bacteria as a
drinking water health threat.
- Evaluate nitrogen use efficiency of crop farming in SE Minnesota, working with Minnesota Department of
Agriculture
- Publicize new nitrogen BMPs when released in fall 2005.
- Gear up for Conservation Security Program by encouraging farmers to
soil test and record their nutrient application rates. Coordinate with Minnesota Project.
Pilot in Root.
- Invite Iowa Soybean Assoc. to present their farmer-led approach.
Involve MN Soybean Assn. members/leaders.
- Publicize FANMAP survey results when ready -- winter or spring.
- Focus on encouraging more farmers to take nitrogen credits for
legumes and manure. Involve agency, farmers, cooperatives and crop consultants
to revisit the BALMM strategy and prepare something for 319 or other form
of implementation.
- Nitrate probability mapping – discuss potential Planning &
Zoning uses.
The Following agenda items also will be covered in the
BALMM meeting:
A LOCAL LOOK AT THE
LAKE PEPIN WATERSHED TMDL: A project to
determine how to meet water quality standards in Lake Pepin and the Mississippi
River upstream is getting underway on a large scale to match the size of the
Lake Pepin Watershed, which encompasses half the land area of Minnesota plus a
piece of Wisconsin. A broad-based
Stakeholder Advisory Committee has begun to tackle this major project with a
couple of initial get-togethers. At the same time, some of the participants see
a need to offer stakeholders in the immediate vicinity of Lake Pepin
a forum to explore such local issues of shoreland development and recreational
boating, and to advocate for improved water quality and for measures to slow
down the rate at which the lake is filling in with sediment. Recent sediment
core studies suggest the rate of sedimentation has increased ten-fold since
European settlement, shortening the expected life of the lake from 4,000 years
to about 340 years, with the upper lake threatened with extinction within a century.
Norman Senjem will describe the broad outlines of the Lake Pepin Watershed
TMDL, and Robin Grawe of Mississippi River Citizen Commission will discuss
efforts to organize a “Lake Pepin Extension” of MRCC to deal with Lake
Pepin-related issues. Local government staff, elected officials and residents
who are interested in such an effort are encouraged to attend the BALMM
meeting, conveniently located at the Frontenac Sportsmen’s Club across Highway
61 from Lake Pepin.
CANNON RIVER
TURBIDITY: The Lower reach of the Cannon River
is impaired by turbidity. How bad is it? When? Where does the sediment causing
turbidity come from? Justin Watkins of the Cannon River Watershed Partnership
will help to answer these questions in his presentation of water quality
monitoring conducted for the TMDL.
LEVERAGING THE FARM
BILL-- OPPORTUNITIES FOR BALMM? Multi-agency
discussions have been underway for months with the goal of developing a
strategy for “Leveraging the Farm Bill in Support of Minnesota’s Clean Water Vision.” A key participant in these discussions is
Barbara Weisman of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Barbara will report
on the status of these discussions, and how BALMM might be able to respond to
emerging possibilities such as targeting programs in priority areas, obtaining
grants for special projects, and increasing enrolment in “open funding”
programs such as the Conservation Reserve Program and the new Conservation
Security Program. Barbara will go over 7
specific action strategies identified by the multi-agency group, and how they
relate to the Clean Water Vision.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE
ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT OF MINNESOTA’S
FORESTS: Have you wondered why some forests have
more wildlife, big trees, or timber than others? We've got answers to
help you make the most of your woodland. Session topics cover forest
history and ecology, hardwood restoration, forest management for wildlife,
sawmill tours, insect and disease threats, and more. Every session is led
by professional foresters, ecologists, wildlife managers, and others with years
of experience. In 2004-05, most sessions are offered in the Rochester area as well as throughout Northeast
Minnesota. Complete session details are available at www.cnr.umn.edu/cfc/wa or by calling
Denise Volk toll free at (888) 241-0724.
Southeast
Minnesota, Rochester
Area
To
register contact Denise
Volk (email) or call 888-241-0724. For session information call Kurt
Hinz at 507-285-7433 or Eli Sagor at 612-624-6948.
Land
Protection Options
January 11, 2005, Tuesday, 6:00-8:30 p.m.
Location: Heintz Center, Rochester, MN.
Satisfies Woodland Advisor elective credit WAC13.
Financial
Aspects of Woodland Ownership
January 25, 2005, Tuesday, 6:00-8:30 p.m.
Location: Holzinger Lodge, Winona,
MN.
Satisfies Woodland Advisor core credit WAC10.
Urban
Tree Planting and Care
Feb. 8, 2005, Tuesday, 6:00-8:30 p.m.
Location: Heintz Center, Rochester, MN.
Satisfies Woodland Advisor elective credit WAC13.
Value-added
Production: Sawmill Tour Part I, Commercial Sawmill
February 24, 2005, Thursday, 1:30 p.m.
Location: Heintz Center,
Rochester, MN.
Satisfies Woodland Advisor elective credit WAE8.
Southeastern
Minnesota Forest History and Ecology
March 8, 2005, Tuesday, 6:00-8:30 p.m.
Location: Whitewater State Park, Elba, MN.
Satisfies Woodland Advisor core credit WAC1.
Forest
wildlife & biodiversity: game and non-game
March 17, 2005, Thursday, 6:00-8:30 p.m.
Location: Heintz Center, Rochester, MN.
Satisfies Woodland Advisor core credit WAC7.
Insects,
disease, and how trees grow
March 29, 2005, Tuesday, 6:00-8:30 p.m.
Location: Heintz Center, Rochester, MN.
Satisfies one Woodland Advisor core credit WAC2.
Measuring
and reading your forest
April 21, 2005, Thursday, 6:00-8:30 p.m.
Location: Holzinger Lodge, Winona,
MN.
Satisfies one Woodland Advisor core credit WAC9.
Send comments and
items for future editions to:
balmm currents
editor: Norman Senjem, MPCA
Phone: 507/280-3592
norman.senjem@pca.state.mn.us