The AgBMP Loan Program provides needed funding for local implementation of clean water practices at an extremely low cost, is unique in its structure and is not duplicated by any other source of funding.The AgBMP loan program provides 3% loans through local lenders to farmers, rural landowners, and agriculture supply businesses.
This project will result in the final the Bois de Sioux River Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS) report and Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) study. This work order will authorize the consultant to address all comments received during the public notice period and produce the final WRAPS report for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's final approval and a final TMDL study for United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) final approval.
This project will assess the ability of using cover crops as a best management practice to reduce nitrate leaching loss from corn and soybean acres. This contract provides funding for the coordination, outreach and field work to support implementation of the Cannon River Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) nitrogen strategy (cover crop application) in Rice Creek. Funding for the actual best management practice (BMP)cost-sharing has been secured via other sources.
The Drinking Water Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CEC) program identifies environmental contaminants for which current health-based standards currently do not exist or need to be updated, investigate the potential for human exposure to these chemicals, and develop guidance values for drinking water. Contaminants evaluated by CEC staff include contaminants that have been released or detected in Minnesota waters (surface water and groundwater) or that have the potential to migrate to or be detected in Minnesota waters.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s (MPCA) Watershed Pollutant Load Monitoring Network (WPLMN) forms the core of a long-term program designed to measure and compare regional differences and trends in pollutant loadings from Minnesota’s mainstem rivers and the outlets of major watersheds and subwatersheds draining to these rivers.
The International Water Institute (IWI) will monitor 42 sites (3 basin, 12 major watershed, and 27 subwatershed) in the Red River and Upper Mississippi River Basins intensively during 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. There will also be 5 sites in the Red River Basin where mercury samples will be collected in 2016 and 2017 and sent to Minnesota Department of Health for analysis. The IWI will collect water samples across the range of flow conditions targeting sample collection at times of moderate to high flow.
This project is for surface water assessment in the Shell Rock and Winnebago River Watershed including four stream sites and two lake sites. Waters of concern include Lime creek, Bancroft creek, Goose creek, a tributary to Fountain Lake, Albert Lea Lake and State Line Lake. The outcomes includes establishing baseline data for the associated sample site.
The purpose of this effort is to create an educational video that will “bring to life” geo-scientific information related to groundwater movement in southeast Minnesota. This video will be used by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and other regional partners to help explain the local geology and related groundwater movement. It is anticipated that the video will be used at meetings and other events related to water resource management and natural resource issues. In addition, three stand alone high resolution graphics will be created.
Project goal is to develop Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) and Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS) that will protect and improve water quality for the Minnesota portion of the Mississippi River–Reno and Upper Iowa River watersheds. This information paired with other tools (e.g. Hydrologic Simulation Program FORTRAN (HSPF) models and best management practice spreadsheets) and will support restoration and protection strategy development and prioritization efforts in the 1W1P area.
