Minnesota BMP CHALLENGESM & Water Quality Credit Trading (WQT) Workshop
WELCOME!
THE MINNESOTA RIVER WATERSHED
All or portions of 38 MN counties 13 major watershed management units ~92% in agriculture >15,000 miles2
in MN, IA, ND, & SD 335 miles of flow Increases MS River
flow by 50% Nutrient Issues?
Impairments!
THE MINNESOTA RIVER WATERSHEDNutrient Impairments – Phosphorous
Flow-weighted Mean Concentrations (mg/L)
0.580.42
0.47
0.45
0.41
EPA Desired Goal = 0.1 mg/LAlgal Reduction = 0.26 mg/l
0.19
0.31
0.28
0.33
0.24
0.16
THE MINNESOTA RIVER WATERSHEDNutrient Impairments – Nitrates
Flow-weighted Mean Concentrations (mg/L)
Drinking Water Standard = 10 mg/L
5.0
10.0
11.411.2
1.5
20.5
2.0
10.3
5.2
8.4
8.6
THE MINNESOTA RIVER WATERSHEDWho do we impact?
Impacts – Phosphorous Drinking water quality – health/economics Freshwater eutrophication Toxic algae blooms Loss of recreational value Impairments – e.g., lower MN River DO Tied to sediment issues (e.g., Lake Pepin)
Impacts – Nitrogen Drinking water quality – health/economics Blue Baby Syndrome Potential link to some cancers/birth defects Weight gain suppression in livestock Saltwater eutrophication Impairments – e.g., Gulf of Mexico hypoxia
THE MINNESOTA RIVER WATERSHEDWho do we impact?
~1% of the Mississippi River Watershed
IATP estimated Upper MS basin ~50% NO3
USGS estimatedMN ~6-9% NO3
Up to 8,000 miles2
THE MINNESOTA RIVER WATERSHEDWhat Needs to be Done?
EPA – 40% reduction in nitrate-nitrogen Voluntary measures FIRST
Program Support (nutrient trading, BMPs) Mandated measures
IF NECESSARY Farm Bill
requirements Clean Water Act
enforcement TMDL
Resident Perceptions of The Minnesota River Basin
Results from a St. Cloud State University surveySponsored by:
Minnesota River Survey – Why?
Counties with <20% of their land mass within the basin were excluded from
the survey
NS = Not Sampled
Otter TailNS
Douglas38 (6%)
Grant7 (1%)
Big Stone6 (1%)
Stevens6 (1%)
Pope12 (2%)
PipestoneNS
Swift3 (<1%)
Chippewa22 (3%)
Lac qui Parle13 (2%)
Kandiyohi43 (6%)
Yellow Medicine 9 (1%)Renville19 (3%)
Sibley12 (2%)
TraverseNS
Brown32 (5%)
Scott98 (15%)
Carver84 (12%)
MurrayNS
Le Sueur40 (6%)Nicollet
28 (4%)
McLeodNS
Watonwan13 (2%)
Blue Earth53 (8%)
Martin17 (3%)
Faribault15 (2%)
Freeborn32 (5%)
JacksonNS
RamseyNS
HennepinNS
RiceNS
DakotaNS
Waseca16 (2%)
Lyon21 (3%)
Cottonwood13 (2%)
Redwood14 (2%)
Lincoln7 (1%)
SteeleNS
StearnsNS
Discussion points
Not polluted: 1% Somewhat and Very polluted: 80%
How long do you think it will take to clean up the Minnesota River? Less than 5 years 5-10 years More than 10 years Don’t Know
11%
39%
9%
41%
<5 years
5-10 years>10 years
Don’t know
N = 570
How long do you think it should take to clean up the Minnesota River? Less than 5 years 5-10 years More than 10 years Don’t know
42%
34%
9%
15%
<5 years
5-10 years
>10 years
Don’t know
N = 570
Discussion points 80% think clean-up will take >5 years Respondents want faster clean-up
Do you agree that you have a responsibility to protect water quality for future generations? Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know
0%
51%45%
2%2%
Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
Don’t know
N = 671
Discussion points >50% strongly agree 96% agree/strongly agree
What do you think is the single greatest source of pollution to the waters of the Minnesota river and nearby lakes/streams? Agriculture Industry Shore land development Municipal runoff Wastewater Untreated sewage Something else
20%
8%
34%
2%6% 5%
6%
3%
16%
Agriculture
Industry
Shore landdevelopment
Municipal runoff
Wastewater
Untreated sewage
Something else
Combination ofabove sources
Don’t knowN = 673
Discussion points Agriculture (20%) Industry (16%) Combinations of sources: 34%
THE MINNESOTA RIVER WATERSHEDProgress is being made…..
State Funded BMPs include Residue Management - 52,768 Acres Nutrient Management - 26,977 Acres Conservation Crop Rotation - 15,527 Acres Critical or Sensitive Area Protection - 2,717 Acres Wetland Restoration - 1,134 Acres >227 miles - drainage, buffer, & windbreak
improvements
THE MINNESOTA RIVER WATERSHEDOpportunities for improvement…..
Alternative Crops – cellulosic ethanol production Certified Crop Consultants – expertise
Field-specific applications Soil Testing Prudent manure mgmt Crop rotations Application timing
Nutrient Trading Credit Trading (Point-Point trading) Future for Non-Point – Point Trades?
Nutrient application reduction demonstrations BMP Challenge Minnesota Nutrient Management Initiative
Minnesota BMP CHALLENGESM & Water Quality Credit Trading (WQT) Workshop
You can make a difference!