St. Croix River Watershed Agricultural Runoff Reduction Project

This project will improve water quality, reducing phosphorus annually by 1,842 in the St. Croix, Kettle and Snake River Watersheds in Pine County by establishing cover crops to reduce erosion and phosphorus/fertilizer applications, increase soil fertility, permeability, and microbe activity. A no-till drill will be purchased for use by agricultural producers for installing cover crops as a means of decreasing soil erosion, reducing phosphorus and fertilizer applications and increasing soil health. Outreach tools will be developed to annually contact and encourage agricultural producers to install 1,600 acres of cover crops a year for a period of 10 years. A partnership with NRCS will provide in-kind staff time match throughout the project with landowner contacts, cover crop plans, and implementing cover crop installations with financial match through USDA programs. A demonstration project will be conducted late summer or fall of 2017 to inform agricultural producers of the benefits of cover crops and encourage participation in the program.