Balmm Currents

Basin Alliance for the Lower Mississippi in Minnesota

June 19, 2001

MORE THAN A LINE ON A MAP: "If any good has come from the problems with the Illinois River Valley and the siltation of the Peoria lakes, it is this: We are beginning to think beyond the thin blue line. A river is much more than a line on a map." -- Op-ed, Peoria Journal Star / June 10, 2001

PHOSPHORUS PHUNNIES - GOLDEN VALLEY FEATURES P CARTOON: Go click on fertilizer and check out a cool little cartoon!

http://www.ci.golden-valley.mn.us/

BASIN PLAN SCOPING DOCUMENT PRINTED: Three hundred copies of the Lower Mississippi River Basin Plan Scoping Document are back from the printer and ready for distribution. If you want a copy, just ask by replying to this e-mail message and include your complete mailing address. The 125-page document is comprised of two main sections. The first part describes the geology and land use of the basin as it relates to water quality, along with summary data on water quality in the basin, including the Mississippi River. The second part of the document describes water quality goals and objectives along with strategies by which they will be pursued over the coming decade. This includes three geographic strategies (watershed management, aquifer protection and floodplain management) plus seven land use strategies, all of which were determined through interagency discussions and public participation coordinated through BALMM. Implementation of several of the strategies is already underway, as the following item indicates.

BALMM TO MEET AT WHITEWATER PARK: BALMM meets on Wednesday, June 20, 9-12 at Whitewater State Park headquarters. BALMM subcommittees will give progress report on the development of several different strategies: the Conservation Tillage campaign; Landscape Buffer Initiative; and Basinwide Bacteria Reduction Project. The latter includes two subcomponents: Decentralized Wastewater Treatment, and Manure Management for Pathogen Reduction. There will also be a group discussion on shifts in land use from hay and forage to soybeans and corn - causes, consequences and how to respond.

For more information, contact Kevin Scheidecker at 507/765-3878 or the BALMM Secretary Evelyn Swanson at 507/285-7458.

CLEAR AS MUD: Two consecutive nights of thunderstorms that dumped more than four inches of rain on our corner of Planet Earth finally turned the South Fork Zumbro River south of Rochester as muddy as it gets - 3 cm. transparency, as measured at noon last Thursday. The Zumbro started clearing after a few rain-free days, but today (June 19) was back to its muddiest following an overnight rain.

No surprise there. What was surprising was the continued clarity of the river south of town in previous weeks during a period of near-record spring rainfall. Much of the time transparency measured a perfect 60, only rarely dipping to 30 or so right after a rain before rebounding. A possible reason: the heavy rainfall amount this spring (until now) was doled out in small amounts, generally less than half an inch at a time. Apparently the rural watershed could absorb that much precipitation and keep surface runoff minimal. Meantime, the same amount of rain led to very low transparency in urban creeks - as low as zero, but generally in the teens of centimeters. It all made for an interesting study in contrasts between rural and urban watersheds. Until the great chain-storm of June 12-13, the great leveling event that has obscured previous distinctions in a muddy blur.

RECORD-HIGH NITRATE LEVELS ON RACOON RIVER:

By Register Editorial Board

A record-high nitrate level on the Raccoon River has L.D. McMullen wanting to

find out what's behind it. The sooner the better.

The record 17.5 milligrams per liter occurred in late May, said McMullen, Des

Moines Water Works general manager. The previous record, 15.9, was set in

1999. The drinking-water standard is 10 milligrams per liter.

"I think somebody needs to really sit down and look at the data and say,

'What is this telling us?' " said McMullen, referring to Water Works staff,

university experts and others.

Heavy rains, however, are a factor, said McMullen. A small flood around the

first part of April jumped nitrate levels from 6 to 12. The level then spiked

at 17.5. This sort of rise is a somewhat different pattern than the usual

creeping up, said McMullen: "I don't know for sure what it is."

Over time, levels seem to continue to go up, making conservation measures,

such as establishing wetlands to filter the water before it enters streams,

more critical, he said. Among sources of nitrates are nitrogen fertilizer,

which washes off farm fields into waterways, as well as dead plants, and

livestock and human waste.

McMullen said the Water Works has been drawing from the Des Moines River for

about a month because of the Raccoon's high nitrate levels. Des Moines River

nitrate levels are running in the 11 to 12 range. The Water Works"

nitrate-removal system is bringing the level down to about 8.5.

BIG FARMERS WATCH YIELD, SMALL FARMERS COUNT THE COST: A survey of farmers in Prairie Creek watershed, part of the Cannon River Watershed, indicates that yield was the most important concern in the choice of tillage system for large producers, while equipment cost loomed largest for medium-sized operators (300 - 899 acres). A few large farmers (more than 900 acres farmed) operated most of the land, with 16 large farmers operating 63% of the cropland in the 51,000-acre watershed. The larger farmers tended to be most aware of erosion problems on their own units, were most interested in voluntary assessments of their conservation needs, and had the highest adoption rate of high-residue tillage systems and were most interested in strip-tillage.

Seventy-one farmers responded to questions on their primary tillage systems. In summary, the lead primary tillage implement was the chisel plow, accounting for 39% of acres, followed by the field cultivator (21% of acres), moldboard plow (19%), DMI Ripper (8%), No-till (7%), and Ridge tillage (5%). Of the 13 no-till farmers, 8 were large farmers, 4 medium and one small. One large farmer had adopted strip till and four more wanted to try it, along with a single medium sized farmer. Two large farmers were the only ones practicing ridge tillage.

TOM WATERS ON WILD STREAMS AT WHITEWATER:

Thomas Waters, author and emeritus professor of fisheries and stream ecology at the University of Minnesota will introduce his new book at Whitewater State Park interpretive center on Saturday, June 16 at 8:30 p.m. Described as a definitive work geared toward the layperson with an abiding interest in moving water, "Wildstream: A Natural History of the Free Flowing River" discusses the mechanics of rivers, their chemistry and food chains, their varied and mysterious sources of nutrients and their fish life.

In his presentation he will share how the book "melds a scientific career with his life-long love of flowing water, fly-fishing, camping, and advocating stewardship of natural, untrammeled rivers". Waters also authored the popular book "Streams and Rivers of Minnesota." He will be available before and after the program for questions and book signing. For more information, contact Dave Palmquist, Whitewater State Park interpretive naturalist, (507) 932-3007.

NATURE CONSERVANCY HONORS WINONA WILDLIFE MANAGER:

In 41 years with the DNR Division of Wildlife, Nick Gulden has helped advance some impressive habitat-protection projects in southeast Minnesota. None, however, stand out like the wetland-prairie complex four miles south of Kellogg.

The complex includes DNR-managed land and a prairie preserve owned by The Nature Conservancy. It provides habitat for waterfowl, Blanding's Turtles, sandhill cranes, and abundant native prairie vegetation.

Gulden, who has been involved with the area for more than 30 years, recently received the Minnesota chapter of The Nature Conservancy's Annual Stewardship award. He was honored for his work as a DNR wildlife manager and as a volunteer for The Nature Conservancy.

"At Weaver Dunes, he has been a partner in the truest sense of the word -- sharing labor and equipment to leverage resources for both organizations," said Conservancy Land Steward Garth Fuller. "Nick was essential during our sand prairie restoration in 1999-2000."

Gulden's work in the Kellogg area began in 1962, when he helped the DNR purchase the first acres of the McCarthy Lake Wildlife Management Area. Now a centerpiece of the wetland-prairie complex, the WMA, has grown to more than 2,880 acres and contains the state's largest population of Blanding's turtles, which live in the marshes and nest in the sand dune prairie.

In the late 1970s, Gulden played a key role in helping The Nature Conservancy acquire the Weaver Dunes Preserve adjacent to McCarthy Lake WMA. The 600-acre preserve is situated on a sand terrace formed by the historic Mississippi, Chippewa and Zumbro Rivers.

"We've been working as partners ever since," Gulden said. "Over the years, The Nature Conservancy, DNR and the Fish and Wildlife Service have had a very positive working relationship. It's been very beneficial to everyone."

For more information, contact Jack Heather, DNR regional wildlife manager, (507) 280-5066.

GRAZING SCHOOL OFFERS LOTS TO CHEW ON: Stream-side management, the Conservation Security Act, Minnesota's feedlot regulations, Wisconsin's use-value taxation law, soil quality indicators, and business plan writing are some of the featured subjects of two, day-long grazing field schools to be held in southeast Minnesota and southwest Wisconsin June 27 and 28, respectively.

The Minnesota event will be hosted by dairy graziers, Vance and Bonnie Haugen, at Springside Farm near Canton in Fillmore Co. Wisconsin beef producers Don and Kim Dudenbostel will host the group on their farm near Steuben in Crawford Co. Each day will begin with registration at 8:30 a.m.

and end at 3:30 p.m. To reserve space and lunch, please pre-register by calling toll-free, 1-800-385-3103, by June 20. A $10 fee to cover materials and the meal will be collected on site.

Organizers ask that full consideration be given to biosecurity issues such as recent exposure to Foot and Mouth Disease. Otherwise, attendance is open to anyone interested in learning about current grazing issues with a special emphasis on management decisions related to creeks and streams. Dress for the weather and for walking.

Breakout sessions will take participants stream-side and on pasture to view and discuss grazing where it happens. "The usual line is, 'fence out your cows.' But that's not always the best course of action from a financial or environmental point of view," said Caroline van Schaik, a Land Stewardship Project organizer who is helping coordinate the schools. "We'll take a look at some of the particulars of grazing, especially grazing around water - water quality issues, current politics, wildlife habitat, and the question of money. This is an on-the-ground agenda, designed for everyone who wants to balance livestock production with environmental stewardship."

Besides the host farmers, confirmed guest presenters at the Minnesota event include Grazier Dave Serfling, who will address the Conservation Security Act; Don Hauge, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and Mike Fraunkron Fillmore County feedlot officer, who will address grazing-related aspects of the new feedlot regulations; and Deborah Allan of the University of Minnesota, who will address soil quality indicators and recent research results.

At the Wisconsin event, confirmed guest presenters include Grazier Dick Ryan and Ed Minnehan of the American Farmland Trust, who will address the new use-value tax laws; Gene Sirianni of Northcentral Technical College, who will do a business plan training; Michael Russelle, ARS/University of Minnesota and John Cockrell, just retired Wisconsin grazing specialist, who will lead the pasture sessions with special attention to nutrient movement; and Jim Weideberg, an organic dairy grazier who will address the marketing potential of being grass-based and certified organic.

Both events are being co-sponsored by an inter-state collaborative of farmers, the Minnesota and Wisconsin Departments of Natural Resources, Minnesota and Wisconsin Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative, the Extension Services of the University of Minnesota and University of Wisconsin, the Land Stewardship Project, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, University of Minnesota and University of Wisconsin, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Minnesota

and Wisconsin.

For more information, call Caroline van Schaik at the Land Stewardship Project in Minn.: 651-653-0618, caroline@mtn.org.,or go to www.landstewardshipproject.org.

UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER BASIN ACT INTRODUCED: Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) has introduced The Upper Mississippi River Basin Conservation Act, which he describes as a coordinated public-private approach to reducing nutrient and sediment losses in the Upper Mississippi River basin. Relying on existing federal, state and local programs, The Upper Mississippi River Basin Conservation Act establishes a water quality monitoring network and an integrated computer-modeling program. These monitoring and modeling efforts will provide the baseline data needed to make scientifically sound and cost-effective conservation decisions.

"While everyone agrees that increased sediments and nutrients in the Mississippi River are a growing problem, there has never been a comprehensive scientific study of where they originate and how they can be reduced," concluded Kind. "By applying scientific analysis to the problem of sediment and nutrient build-up, and promoting better coordination between government agencies who work on the river, we can improve the quality and beauty of the Mississippi River for future generations."

Background on the Act, provided by the Upper Mississippi Basin Stakeholder Network Information

This bill formally creates the Upper Mississippi River Stewardship Initiative. Information on the background and content of Initiative, prior versions of the Conservation Act, Committee testimony from the last session, visit the UMBSN web site and look under the Stewardship Initiative (http://www.umbsn.org). The Bill will be view able on the House Web server or you can see the current Bill (unnumbered by visiting the UMBSN web site at www.umbsn.org.

The UMBSN is sponsoring a listserv discussion on the Bill. After you view the Bill, your comments can be posted, shared and discussed through the UMBSN server. You can subscribe to the UMBSN listserv by pointing your browser to http://booboo.smumn.edu/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?join=umbsnlist and filling in the appropriate information (you can cut and paste this into your browser address window). We look forward to hearing what you have to say and have to offer.

ABOUT BALMM: A locally led alliance of land and water resource agencies has formed in order to coordinate efforts to protect and improve water quality in the Lower Mississippi River Basin. The Basin Alliance for the Lower Mississippi in Minnesota (BALMM) covers both the Lower Mississippi and Cedar River Basins, and includes a wide range of local, state and federal resource agencies. Those involved in forming the alliance include Soil and Water Conservation District managers, county water planners and regional staff of the Board of Soil and Water Resources, Pollution Control Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota-Wisconsin Boundary Area Commission, the Southeastern Minnesota Water Resources Board, the Cannon River Watershed Partnership, and others. BALMM meetings are open to all interested individuals and organizations. See "Coming Events" for details.

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