Drinking Water Protection in the Karst Region

The karst topography of southeast Minnesota increases the possibility of drinking water supplies becoming contaminated with high concentrations of nitrates. To address this risk in the region, there needs to be an increase in the use of nitrogen best management practices and agronomic rates of nitrogen need to be fine-tuned to balance production with environmental degradation. In addition, potential point sources of nutrient contamination in groundwater need to be addressed wherever possible. This project will have three components that will address these needs. 1) This project will fund incentive payments for the use of nitrogen Best Management Practices (BMPs). Use of the University of Minnesota's BMPs for nitrogen fertilizer in the region is known to reduce the risk of nitrogen escaping the soils and into the drinking water supply of the area. Incentive payments will be given to promote the adoption of the University of Minnesota nitrogen rates to meet crop needs and for the use of split nitrogen applications at University of Minnesota rates. 2) This project will fund replicated on-farm nitrogen plots. These plots could be a nitrogen rate, timing, source or placement plot. These advanced plots provide producers with much needed local nitrogen fertilizer information that is connected to soil types and crop uptake needs in Southeastern Minnesota. These plots would be used to support the recommendations from the University of Minnesota and continue to show that the U of MN nitrogen recommended BMPs remain the most profitable for this area of Minnesota. 3) This project will use cost share funding for local well sealing. It is well known that unsealed wells are a direct conduit for contamination of groundwater. Availability of funding via cost share helps to assist landowners with the financial burden associated with the proper care and sealing of open wells on their properties.