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 Increases MS River flow by 50% Nutrient Issues? Impairments!

THE MINNESOTA RIVER WATERSHED Nutrient Impairments – Phosphorous Flow-weighted Mean Concentrations (mg/L) EPA Desired Goal = 0.1 mg/L Algal Reduction = 0.26 mg/l

THE MINNESOTA RIVER WATERSHED Nutrient Impairments – Nitrates Flow-weighted Mean Concentrations (mg/L) Drinking Water Standard = 10 mg/L

THE MINNESOTA RIVER WATERSHED Who 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 WATERSHED Who do we impact? ~1% of the Mississippi River Watershed IATP estimated Upper MS basin ~50% NO 3 USGS estimated MN ~6-9% NO 3 Up to 8,000 miles 2

THE MINNESOTA RIVER WATERSHED What 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 survey Sponsored by:

Minnesota River Survey – Why?

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

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 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 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 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 N = 673

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

THE MINNESOTA RIVER WATERSHED Progress 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 WATERSHED Opportunities 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 CHALLENGE SM & Water Quality Credit Trading (WQT) Workshop You can make a difference!