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Minnesota BMP CHALLENGE SM & Water Quality Credit Trading (WQT) Workshop

Minnesota BMP CHALLENGE SM & 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 miles 2 in MN, IA, ND, & SD 335 miles of flow

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Minnesota BMP CHALLENGE SM & Water Quality Credit Trading (WQT) Workshop

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  1. Minnesota BMP CHALLENGESM& Water Quality Credit Trading (WQT) Workshop WELCOME!

  2. THE MINNESOTA RIVER WATERSHED • All or portions of 38 MN counties • 13 major watershed management units • ~92% in agriculture • >15,000 miles2in MN, IA, ND, & SD • 335 miles of flow • Increases MS River flow by 50% • Nutrient Issues? • Impairments!

  3. THE MINNESOTA RIVER WATERSHEDNutrient Impairments – PhosphorousFlow-weighted Mean Concentrations (mg/L) 0.19 0.45 0.16 0.24 0.41 0.42 0.58 0.31 0.28 0.47 EPA Desired Goal = 0.1 mg/L Algal Reduction = 0.26 mg/l 0.33

  4. THE MINNESOTA RIVER WATERSHEDNutrient Impairments – NitratesFlow-weighted Mean Concentrations (mg/L) 2.0 8.4 1.5 5.2 5.0 20.5 8.6 10.3 11.2 11.4 Drinking Water Standard = 10 mg/L 10.0

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. Resident Perceptions of The Minnesota River Basin Results from a St. Cloud State University survey Sponsored by:

  9. Minnesota River Survey – Why?

  10. Otter Tail NS Grant 7 (1%) Douglas 38 (6%) Traverse NS Stearns NS Pope 12 (2%) Stevens 6 (1%) Counties with <20% of their land mass within the basin were excluded from the surveyNS = Not Sampled Big Stone 6 (1%) Swift 3 (<1%) Carver 84 (12%) Chippewa 22 (3%) Hennepin NS Kandiyohi 43 (6%) Lac qui Parle 13 (2%) Ramsey NS McLeod NS Renville 19 (3%) Yellow Medicine 9 (1%) Scott 98 (15%) Dakota NS Sibley 12 (2%) Lincoln 7 (1%) Le Sueur 40 (6%) Lyon 21 (3%) Redwood 14 (2%) Nicollet 28 (4%) Rice NS Brown 32 (5%) Cottonwood 13 (2%) Pipestone NS Murray NS Steele NS Watonwan 13 (2%) Blue Earth 53 (8%) Waseca 16 (2%) Martin 17 (3%) Faribault 15 (2%) Jackson NS Freeborn 32 (5%)

  11. Discussion points • Not polluted: 1% • Somewhat and Very polluted: 80%

  12. 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 N = 570

  13. 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 N = 570

  14. Discussion points • 80% think clean-up will take >5 years • Respondents want faster clean-up

  15. Do you agree that you have a responsibility to protect water quality for future generations? • Strongly agree • Agree • Disagree • Strongly disagree • Don’t know N = 671

  16. Discussion points • >50% strongly agree • 96% agree/strongly agree

  17. 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 N = 673

  18. Discussion points • Agriculture (20%) • Industry (16%) • Combinations of sources: 34%

  19. 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

  20. 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

  21. Minnesota BMP CHALLENGESM& Water Quality Credit Trading (WQT) Workshop You can make a difference!

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