Drinking Water Protection in SE MN
This project will provide cost-share funds to landowners in vulnerable groundwater areas for the incorporation of cover crops in their crop rotation and to provide education related to nitrogen BMPs through field trials and Nutrient Management Plans. An anticipated 100 producers in highly vulnerable areas, will plant 3,000 acres of cover crops resulting in preventing potentially 19,800 pounds of nitrate from leaching into groundwater.
Groundwater in the SE region is subject to high nitrate-nitrogen pollution due to the unique karst geology and a predominance of agricultural land use. Groundwater is used as a primary drinking water supply for all the communities in this region. This project will focus on mitigating high nitrate levels in local drinking water supplies specifically in Drinking Water Supply Management Areas (DWSMA) and townships with wells testing over 10 mg/L in nitrate contamination, with the goal of installing 3,000 acres of cover crops.
Extensive local well water sampling for nitrates through the MDA's Township Testing Program has levels of nitrate over the drinking water standard in a high number of wells in this area of the state. From the seven counties with completed Township Testing data in this region, a total of 54 townships have 10% or more of the sampled wells testing over 10mg/L of Nitrate. These townships will be targeted through this program to install nitrogen BMPs. Through the MDA's proposed Groundwater Protection Rule these townships will need to voluntarily adopt nitrogen BMPs to avoid regulatory action in the near future. Starting the BMP conversation and education in these areas now should help expedite the adoption of nitrogen BMPs in this portion of the state.
This project will provide cost-share funds to landowners in vulnerable groundwater areas for the incorporation of nitrogen-scavenging cover crops in their crop rotation and to provide education related to nitrogen BMPs through field trials and Nutrient Management Plans. An anticipated 100 producers in highly vulnerable areas, will plant 3,000 acres of cover crops resulting in preventing potentially 19,800 lbs. of nitrate from leaching into groundwater. Through this grant producers will have an opportunity to conduct N rate strip trials, develop Nutrient Management Plans, reduce nitrogen rates and try split nitrogen application.
Annie Felix-Gerth
(b) $6,882,000 the first year and $12,618,000 the second year are for grants 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 these funds may be used to seek administrative efficiencies through shared resources by multiple local governmental units.
Through the installation of 3,000 acres of N-savaging cover crops we anticipate N reductions of 19,800 lbs based on University of MN estimated reductions. Rate reduction BMPs are not quantifiable at this time but are expected.
8,953 lbs of N reduction (~45% of proposed reduction) through 646 acres of cover crops, 50 acres of U of MN N rates, 1,140 acres of split rate application, and 18 well sealings.
LOCAL LEVERAGED FUNDS