Using Soil Health to Protect Drinking Water in Two Rural Minnesota Communities

Nitrate levels in the water supply for the city of Benson have slowly but steadily been increasing since 2012. This project aims to work with the landowners surrounding the Drinking Water Supply Management Areas (DWSMA's) for Benson and Appleton in Swift County to reduce or eliminate the amount of nitrate entering these water supplies. Proven and effective strategies will be implemented to achieve the goals set forth in this grant. Our approach will include cost assistance for cover crops, no-till/strip till, Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) incentives, Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program (MAWQCP) incentives, and other soil health practices as identified in the RFP. Potential project impact for up to 350 acres of CRP enrolled or reenrolled, resulting in a sediment loss reduction of 157.5 T/yr, up to 1,200 acres of cover crop seeded (400ac/yr), with a potential sediment loss reduction of 188 T/yr, and up to 600 acres of no-till/strip till (200ac/yr), which could save 66 T/yr of sediment. Match for this grant will come from the CRP payments received by the landowner during the grant period for land in the targeted area. Landowner outreach has already begun, with interest in each of these cost share opportunities. The second major component to this project involves education and outreach strategies. Multiple approaches will be utilized to have the highest potential for success. Methods will include, soil heath open house, 1-on-1 meetings with crop consultants and agronomists, involving the local soil health team to assist producers in the targeted areas, cost assistance to producers to attend soil health meetings and conferences, and soil health testing. By building up the support system and knowledge base for the landowners in these targeted areas, this grant will provide them with the opportunity to work towards refining their soil health strategies as they look to expand these strategies and apply them onto additional acres they operate.