Upper Mississippi River Initiative Community Engagement for Clean Water

UMRI Mission: To empower local communities, cultivate conversations, and bring forth actions that will restore the soil, land and water of the Upper Mississippi River Watershed for generations here and yet to come.

Concerns UMRI Aims to Address Millions spent on policy while water quality declines Sedimentation E-coli contamination Catastrophic flood events Eutrophication Le Sueur River Assessment: River is changing Top soil depletion Degraded soil, unhealthy communities, poor water quality, and little habitat Infrastructure failures – washouts, culvert sedimentation Erosion

UMRI Strategies and Techniques Learn from years of political ineffectiveness and listening to what works Expand the reach of regenerative agriculture by re-initiating community conversations Develop opportunities to engage rural and urban citizens on what affects water quality and how they can help improve it Absentee landowner workshops and water monitoring, rain gardens, stormwater runoff education, etc Build partnerships with organizations already working on the ground like LWV

Regenerative Agriculture “An approach to food and farming systems that aims to regenerate topsoil, increase biodiversity, mitigate changes in water cycle, enhance ecosystem services, and strengthen the health of farming communities." (Our Sustainable Future, www. csuchico.edu 2017)

Seth Watkins Video: Healthy Farms – Cleaner Water https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Snkrkgq4Uek

Building a model of neighbors working with neighbors Learn from those who have been successful at protecting our waters and share their stories Seek common ground and Respect the realities of others Everyone is trying to make a living but we can still work together to improve water quality, soil and community health Seek cost effective strategies Boots on the ground - Izaak Walton League members working in their communities

Minnesota River Actions Assessing upstream drainage Assessing River’s hydrologic changes and causes: flooding, erosion, sediment, and drainage Engaging communities in discussions on the impacts of sedimentation and drainage

Cedar River and Tributaries Monitoring: Learning and Action Issue: High levels of fecal contamination observed at 83 sites over many stream conditions. Solutions: “Monitoring with a purpose” using teams of high school and college students, and Ikes Chapters DNA sampling – human, cow, or pig Productive discussions with counties and corporations Public release of results regarding sources and solutions. Press coverage Moving the model to Lake Pepin and Beyond

Cedar River Watershed Monitoring

Winona County, MN: Water quality monitoring outreach Community engagement – Sustain Winona and college outreach Learning from other non-profits – Finding our “niche” in the Driftless

Together We Can Make a Difference For the river, for wildlife, for your children and grandchildren Visit our Website: www.umri.org

THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER DRAINAGE BASIN NUTRIENT POLLUTION & THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER DRAINAGE BASIN

The League of Women Voters has a long history of water work! LWV is nearly 100 years old. We have studies and advocated on water issues since the 1920’s.

And the work goes on today! LWV Upper Mississippi River Region Our territory is the river basin, from the Headwaters in northern Minnesota to southern Illinois, and all tributaries We focus on water quality Water quantity was added 2017 Mission: LWV UMRR will engage regional residents to foster an informed, active stewardship ethic and pathway to sustain this nationally critical conservation area through efforts to reduce nutrients in the Upper Mississippi River region. 

We all contribute to nutrients flowing into the Gulf of Mexico. •Nutrients flowing from these corn and bean fields into the Gulf have created a ‘dead zone’ where anoxic conditions affect fisheries, shellfish and shrimp; poor water quality also affects wildlife along the river’s route. In 2014 there were 5,052 square miles of dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico. 2018’s dead zone is the size of New Jersey. Our four states are major contributors of nutrients that cause the dead zone.

Causes Of Excess Nitrogen In Water 70% comes from farm fields. Mostly through drain tiles Runoff from crops planted closely to waterways 20-30% comes from Urban residential Industrial runoff Water treatment plants.

Health Effects of Nitrate on Humans More than 10 milligrams of nitrates per liter causes blue babies 10 grams and less is being aggressively studied for its effect on ovarian, bladder and thyroid cancer among 23,000 women in Iowa who drank the same water for 20 years and found: 3-fold increase of bladder cancer 2-fold increase of ovarian cancer, 2-6 fold thyroid problems risk 2-fold increase in birth defects in babies such as spinal bifida. From the Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contaminants by Dr. Peter Weyer, University of Iowa

What have we accomplished so far? Collaborations Member of the 75-member Minnesota Environmental Partnership and help determine their legislative priorities. Partnership with Rotary Clubs in Upper Midwest for water quality education Co-hosted two Land Stewardship Project workshops for absentee land owners New partnership with Izaak Walton UMRI and Land Stewardship Project for 2018 Advocacy Testified in Minnesota Legislature, signs on to letters of support for clean water legislation, including groundwater protection and Forever Green funding Moderated monthly legislative “cracker barrel” sessions in Dubuque Outreach Sponsored 25 x 25 Gov. Dayton’s policy workshop with 100 people attending in collaboration with local watersheds and the Anoka Conservation District. Gave Power Point presentations to 20 Leagues of Women Voters and 25 community groups from churches to schools to Rotaries, Fishers and Farmers, city councils and watershed districts. Partnered with LWV Lake Michigan Region to hold a Water Caucus at the LWV US convention in June 2018.

Benefits of Living Plant Cover Diversify farming operations-increase economic opportunities Reduced erosion Reduce runoff and nutrient leaching Builds organic matter- sequesters carbon Increases water storage on the landscape Increase habitat for bees, beneficial insects and wildlife Script Guide: Briefly read benefits of living cover (diversify a farming operation, reduced erosion, extensive root systems, reduce runoff and nutrient leaching, builds organic matter, increases water storage on the landscape, etc.)

Developing New Perennial and Winter Annual Crops to Enhance Minnesota’s Soil and Water Resources Pg. 26 EQB Report

Women Landowners: Soil Health and Rented Farm Land