Great River Greening

INFLATION REDUCTION ACT COOLING MINNESOTA COMMUNITIES EXPANDING TREE CANOPIES EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES AND INCREASING ACCESS

NFHP-FFP TREATMENT TRAINS FOR HIGH SEDIMENT-YIELDING RAVINES IN SEVEN MILE CREEK (SMC) WATERSHED, MN

SEVEN MILE CREEK AND ROGERS CREEK ARE BOTH IMPAIRED FOR A LACK OF FISH AND MACROINVERTEBRATE ASSEMBLAGE THE MINNESOTA POLLUTION CONTROL AGENCY IDENTIFIED MULTIPLE STRESSORS FOR EACH CREEK WITH EXCESS NUTRIENTS, SUSPENDED SOLIDS, AND ALTERED HYDROLOGY BEING STRESSORS FOR EACH CREEK THE ST PETER DWSMA, BETWEEN THE TWO CREEKS, HAS HIGH NITRATE CONCENTRATIONS AS WELL WITH MANY EARLY ADOPTERS HAVING ALREADY IMPLEMENTED BMPS IN THE AREA, AND A STRONG DESIRE AMONG FARMERS FOR OTHER CROPS TO ADD TO THE ROTATION, PARTNERS ARE WORKING WITH FARMERS TO PILOT AND GROW CONTINUOUS LIVING COVER CROPS KERNZA? AND WINTER CAMELINA AND OTHER COVER CROPS IN 2022 2024, GREAT RIVER GREENING WILL WORK WITH NICOLLET COUNTY TO LEAD EDUCATION AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES FIELD DAYS AND A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM THEY WILL COMMUNICATE THE MARKETABILITY OF THE NEW CROPS AS WELL AS THE SOIL HEALTH, WATER QUALITY, AND FISH HABITAT BENEFITS MOST IMPORTANTLY, ADDING COVER CROPS AND PERENNIAL CROPS TO THE LOCAL ROTATIONS WILL IMPROVE WATER RETENTION AND WATER QUALITY WHERE RAVINE EROSION AND NUTRIENT LOSS HAVE BEEN IMPAIRING THE WATERWAYS DOWNSTREAM AND LOCAL DRINKING WATER SUPPLY PARTNERS WILL ALSO COLLECT WATER SAMPLES FROM THE CREEKS AND OUTLETS OF FIELDS IMPLEMENTING THESE NEW CROPS FIELD DAYS WILL OCCUR IN FALL 2022, SPRING 2023, AND FALL 2023 WHILE WATER SAMPLING TAKES PLACE FROM SUMMER 2022 TO FALL 2023 NOT MUCH IS KNOWN ABOUT THE LEVEL OF IMPACT THESE NEW CROPS HAVE ON NUTRIENT LOSS REDUCTIONS IN TILE DRAINAGE, BUT THIS PROJECT WILL MONITOR THOSE POTENTIAL BENEFITS ON SOME OF THE EARLY PILOTED FIELDS FIELD DAYS WILL INCLUDE DEMONSTRATIONS ABOUT SOIL HEALTH, DESCRIPTIONS OF WATER QUALITY AND FISH HABITAT BENEFITS, FISH SHOCKING, NEW CROP MARKET REPRESENTATIVES, AND TASTINGS OF NEW PRODUCTS FROM THOSE CROPS

MICKELSON PROPERTY RESTORATION PROJECT