Stearns County Highly Vulnerable DWSMAs: Nitrogen Management Practices for Safe Drinking Water
Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) has a history of providing local leadership in soil and water conservation. The SWCD works closely with the Public Water Suppliers (PWS) located within the county. Currently, Stearns County has 23 public water supplies with approved Wellhead Protections Plans. This encompasses approximately 65,000 acres in Drinking Water Supply Management Areas (DWSMA). Fifteen of the 23 public water supplies have high to very high vulnerability to potential contaminates. This equivalates to 28,000 acres of which 11,000 acres in cropland alone.
This project will reduce the nitrates entering into high to very high vulnerable Drinking Water Supply Management Areas within Stearns County through the installation of nitrogen best management practices which include, but are not limited to, cover crops, nutrient management and irrigation water management.
A total of 1,200 acres of cover crops will be planted throughout the duration of the project. Ten nutrient management plans will be developed and implemented, and irrigation water management will be implemented on 200 acres with 6 pivots tested for uniformity.
Staff will conduct hands-on outreach related to this project for the adoption of nitrogen best management Practices. Staff will also leverage the assistance of the Public Water Suppliers for additional support and endorsement.
These projects will be targeted in a priority portion of Stearns County that was selected due to its direct connection to Wellhead Protection Plans, the local water plan and vulnerability ranking to potential contaminate sources, including nitrates.
Marcey Westrick
[Projects and Practices Drinking Water 2020] (b) $16,000,000 the first year and $16,000,000 the second year are for grants to local government units to protect and restore surface water and drinking water; to keep water on the land; to protect, enhance, and restore water quality in lakes, rivers, and streams; and to protect groundwater and drinking water, including feedlot water quality and subsurface sewage treatment system projects and stream bank, stream channel, shoreline restoration, and ravine stabilization projects. The projects must use practices demonstrated to be effective, be of long-lasting public benefit, include a match, and be consistent with total maximum daily load (TMDL) implementation plans, watershed restoration and protection strategies (WRAPS), or local water management plans or their equivalents. A portion of this money may be used to seek administrative efficiencies through shared resources by multiple local governmental units. Up to 20 percent of this appropriation is available for land-treatment projects and practices that benefit drinking water.
Address high priority nitrogen sources by developing and implementing ten nutrient management plans, planting 400 acres of cover crops annually, and applying irrigation water management on 200 acres including uniformity testing for six pivots.
LOCAL LEVERAGED FUNDS