balmm currents
Basin Alliance for the Lower Mississippi in Minnesota
June 17, 2002
PESTICIDE DETECTION TOPS BALMM AGENDA: The detection of the commonly used
herbicides atrazine, metolochlor and metribuzin in groundwater as a result
of normal use of these products is leading to the development and promotion
of best management practices to minimize impacts on groundwater. At
Wednesday's BALMM meeting (June 19, 9-12 am, MPCA-Rochester) Joe Zachmann of
the Minnesota Department of Agriculture will explain the state's policy on
pesticides found to be in common detection in groundwater, and review
monitoring data from the Whitewater River Watershed which shows atrazine and
metolochlor to be in "common detection" in groundwater. Dave Maschwitz of
the MPCA will follow up with a look at stream monitoring data, which shows
atrazine concentrations to be in exceedance of state water quality standards
at times. Maschwitz will lead a discussion of whether these data justify
listing the Whitewater River as impaired by atrazine, which would require
the development of a Total Maximum Daily Load study for atrazine.
KARST CAMPAIGN TAKING SHAPE: The University of Minnesota Extension Service
is about to start work on a project called the Karst Campaign, which is
being supported by a $180,000 grant from the USDA's Cooperative State
Research, Education and Extension Service. The purpose of the project is to
develop a comprehensive educational program for farmers about the
sensitivity of karst topography to groundwater and surface water pollution,
and how farming practices can be modified to minimize such impacts in
southeast Minnesota. This will be a BALMM agenda item on Wednesday, and the
topic of a 1 pm meeting at MPCA-Rochester following the BALMM meeting. For
those who think there are too many separate projects underway, here's a way
to coordinate the message, approach, and the delivery system to farmers.
REGIONAL TMDL STUDY NEARS COMPLETION: The MPCA is taking a "regional"
approach to the development of Total Maximum Daily Load studies for 20
stream reaches in southeast Minnesota that have found to exceed the state
standard for fecal coliform bacteria. Instead of conducting a separate study
for each reach, including an allocation of pollutant sources and a source
reduction plan for reaching water quality standards, the regional approach
treats the issue as a single widespread problem that requires basinwide
reduction strategies. The Regional TMDL for Fecal Coliform Bacteria in the
Lower Mississippi River Basin of Southeast Minnesota calls for a 65 percent
reduction in pollution from sources such as feedlots, manure-applied fields,
urban runoff and failing septic systems. Implementation of these reductions
will occur through basinwide strategies such as those for feedlots and
septics being implemented through BALMM, in addition to local initiatives.
A considerable amount of data and information have been analyzed for this
study. A Draft Summary is in the final stages of editing, and public notice
is scheduled to begin July 8. Lee Ganske of the MPCA will provide an update
on the Regional TMDL at Wednesday's BALMM meeting. We will also discuss
developing more implementation projects for possible funding through EPA's
319 program for nonpoint source pollution, as a large percentage of these
funds will be targeted to the implementation of completed TMDL projects
starting this year.
RC&D APPLIES FOR NITROGEN INSURANCE GRANT: Hiawatha Valley Resource
Conservation and Development is joining the Minnesota Department of
Agriculture in applying for a USDA grant to promote improved nitrogen
management. Here's the Abstract from the grant application, entitled
Accelerated Adoption of University Fertilizer Recommendations through
Nutrient Insurance Policies: "Many Midwestern corn producers could enjoy
cost savings of $10-$20/acre, improved water quality and reduced threats of
fertilizer regulations by trimming fertilizer and manure inputs. However,
land grant university fertilizer recommendations are typically not adopted
due to concerns about perceived yield reductions despite ample research,
which suggests otherwise. The goal of this project is to improve farm
profitability and water quality through the promotion and adoption of
existing university recommendations and associated Best Management
Practices. Newly developed USDA Risk Management Nutrient Insurance policies,
available for the 2003 cropping season, will serve as the nucleus of the
educational campaign. The project will focus on improving nitrogen and
phosphorus management with corn growers in environmentally-sensitive regions
of Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota. It is estimated that 50% of the producers
in these designed areas will be aware of Nutrient Insurance as a result of
the various educational channels. Project activities will be directed by a
diverse team representing Extension, the insurance industry, farm
organizations, agricultural professionals (crop retailers and consultants),
state and federal agencies, and watershed organizations. Target areas will
be based on factors such as groundwater sensitivity, corn production
intensities, documented water quality problems, livestock densities, and
existing knowledge on nutrient usage."
NEW FARM BILL AND BALMM STRATEGIES: Conservation scored bigtime in the 2002
Farm Program which recently passed both houses of Congress and was signed by
President Bush. Huge increases in the Environmental Quality Incentives
Program and other USDA conservation programs, plus the initiation of a
totally new program that offers farmers big incentives for adopting
different levels of conservation practices on their farms. Critics fear
that the Farm Bill as a whole pours so much money into agriculture that it
may violate World Trade Organization standards and outrage critics of ag
subsidies. In the realm of conservation, some fear that the new
Conservation Security Program will offer Tier One incentives as a virtual
entitlement to most farmers. Such misgivings aside, the additional resources
provided through the new farm bill offer unprecedented opportunities to
advance the cause of soil and water conservation as well as water quality
and wildlife habitat improvement. When the dust starts to settle on new
rules and guidelines, we'll be taking a close look at how those resources
can be used to advance the implementation of BALMM strategies, and
ultimately the quality of the soil, water and habitat quality of southeast
Minnesota.
MPCA INVESTIGATES NUTRIENT IMPACTS ON RIVERS: Steve Heiskary and Howard
Markus, Environmental Outcomes Division, published a paper entitled
"Establishing Relationships Among In-stream Nutrient Concentrations,
Phytoplankton Composition and Abundance, and Biochemical Oxygen Demand in
Minnesota, USA Rivers" in the Journal of Lake and Reservoir Management
17(4): 251-262 in December 2001. In this paper significant and predictable
relationships were demonstrated among nutrients, algae, and biochemical
oxygen demand (BOD) in five medium to large rivers including the
Mississippi, Crow Wing, Crow, Rum and Blue Earth. The linkages established
here will contribute to nutrient criteria development and nutrient or
dissolved oxygen-based TMDLs. Subsequent work (report in preparation)
includes sites on the Red River and measurement of diurnal dissolved oxygen
flux at selected sites (in conjunction with USGS). This research was
funded, in part, by a USEPA nutrient criteria grant.
ON FLOWERS:
"The summer flower is to the summer sweet, though to itself it only live and
die." -- William Shakespeare
"The force that through the green fuse drives the flower drives my green
age; that blasts the roots of trees is my destroyer." -- Dylan Thomas
Send comments and items for future editions to:
balmm currents editor: Norman Senjem, MPCA
Phone: 507/280-3592
Fax: 507/280-5513
norman.senjem@pca.state.mn.us