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!