RIVER WATCHER NEWSLETTER High Island Creek & Rush River Watershed 319 TMDL Projects

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1 400 Court Ave P.O. Box 1051 Gaylord, MN Spring of 2014 Vol. 11 Issue 2 RIVER WATCHER NEWSLETTER High Island Creek & Rush River Watershed 319 TMDL Projects A New Method to Water Protection and Restoration: MPCA s Major Watershed Approach In 2010 the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) began taking a new path to protecting and restoring our state waters: the Major Watershed Approach. This new approach seeks to identify water quality concerns across a basin-wide, or major watershed level. There are 81 major watersheds in the state of Minnesota; within a ten-year cycle the State plans to monitor, assess, and implement water quality activities that protect and enhance the waters we all enjoy, whether for use as drinking water, recreational activities, or for pure aesthetic pleasure. Residents in the High Island Creek or Rush River watersheds might recall the old, pre-2010 MPCA method of addressing water quality concerns, the Total Maximum Daily Load, or TMDL. TMDLs came out of the Clean Water Act, as states, when faced with an impaired body of water, were required to develop a TMDL which defined the total maximum amount of a pollutant that would be allowed within a water body and have it still meet federal water quality standards. Creating a TMDL helped to then formulate a plan of how to best address the impairment and its source. Currently both the Rush River and High Island Creek have a TMDL for fecal coliform. Both water bodies have separate implementation projects in place that utilize a number of strategies, from incentives and cost share, to education and outreach, to address the concerns related to water quality. However, both projects will soon end and the two watersheds have already entered into the first year of the Major Watershed Approach ten-year cycle. So what is different in this new MPCA approach to protecting the waters we love? Scale is one primary difference. Acting from the major watershed level helps to assess water quality concerns more efficiently by addressing any number of impairments within the basin, rather than bit by bit, TMDL by TMDL. Think you are going to lose your local governance and decision-making in how to best address the impairments by shifting to a basin wide approach? Think again. A critical component of the Major Watershed Approach is the involvement of people living within these watersheds. One of the items that is a product of the ten-year cycle is the creation of a Watershed Restoration And Protection Strategies plan, or WRAPS. This plan is designed to be significantly influenced by local needs, considerations and input. You are an important part in helping to protect your water, and your energy and voice matters to this process. Several other key aspects of the Major Watershed Approach is the provision of an ongoing and predictable cycle for water quality management and evaluation, reductions in the costs of improving water quality, and a common framework for local governments and agencies to look to when monitoring, taking part in TMDL studies, and creating implementation strategies. If you re interested in learning more about the Major Watershed Approach, or where your watershed is in the ten-year cycle visit the MPCA Major Watershed Approach web page at: Look for more information about the Rush River and High Island Creek and where they are in the MWA in the Summer edition of the River Watcher.

2 UPDATES & UPCOMING EVENTS 2014 Tire, Appliance & Electronic Collection Sibley County residents only Thursday, June 12 Sibley County Fairgrounds Arlington 9 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Household Hazardous Waste Collections For residents of Le Sueur, Nicollet & Sibley Counties April 1 October 28 Blue Earth County Regional HHW Facility, Mankato Tuesdays Noon - 6 p.m. 2 nd Saturdays 8 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. For details, contact Tri-County Solid Waste Office office mobile The High Island Creek and Rush River watersheds are seeking photos for their 6 th annual photography contest from photographers of any age and experience. 12 winning photographs will appear in a 2015 joint watershed calendar and on each watershed s website. A $50 cash prize will be given to the person whose photograph is selected as the grand prize winner. Suggested categories include: scenic, recreational activities, seasonal beauty, watershed ecology, conservation practices, environmental stewardship or historical landmarks Watershed Photo Contest All photographs must be taken within the watersheds boundaries. The deadline for entry is October 15, 2014 and must be received on this date or early to qualify. Non-digital photographs will be scanned and returned to the photographer. Please include the following information with the photograph: A) Photographer s name, address and phone number B) Small picture description, including the general location of photo Photos can be sent to Nick Bancks at nickb@co.sibley.mn.us.

3 Manure & Nutrient Management Field Day to be hosted in Renville County July 23rd 2014 (at Camp Twn 25, South of Fairfax, just west of the Mayflower Golf Course) Come learn about and see the newest technology concerning manure and nutrient management. This event is intended for livestock producers of all sizes and types. The purpose of this field day is to inform producers of current best management practices as well as provide education regarding the latest management technology. Proper management helps to lower production costs, maximize profits, and minimize environmental threats posed by manure and nutrient runoff. This is also a Minnesota Department of Agriculture approved recertification offering for Commercial Animal Waste Technician Site Managers. Site managers must attend the entire workshop to receive recertification credit. Anyone arriving more than 30 min. late will not receive credit. If you have questions about recertification, contact Clarissa Hammond at Directions to the field site are on back of this mailing. 9:20 Registration for Commercial Applicators 9:40 EQIP and You Renville/Sibley NRCS 9:50 Licensing for Manure Application MN Department of Ag (Clarissa Hammond) "State of Minnesota requirements for Commercial Animal Waste Technician" 10:15 Rules and Regulations MPCA (Wayne Cords) "Doing it right doesn t cost more, in fact it saves money" 10:45 Understanding Phosphorus Availability in Manure U of M (Randy Pepin) "Phosphorus forms in manure and its effects on soil test phosphorus" 11:15 Solid Manure Application Demos U of M (Jose Hernandez) Demonstrations of: varied application rates, manure nutrient values and economics, and spreader calibration, 11:45 Lunch Nicollet County Pork Producers (free to all attendees) 12:30 Precision zone and grid sampling with complete nutrient analysis Anez Consulting (Jared Anez) Knowing where to and how much to apply saves you time and money 12:55 Variable Rate Application & Nitrogen stabilizers United Farmers Cooperative (Ryan Ponwith & Jesse Wiant) "Getting the most out of Sidedress & Topdress fertilizer application, and keeping your nitrogen working longer for better yields and less loss" 1:20 Manure Handling Safety MN Custom Applicators Assn (Rich Martens) "Simple practices to make manure application less of a liability" 1:45 Variable Rate Bulk Manure Application Greenfield Spreading 2:05 Liquid Manure Demos "Variable rate application of bulk manure paired with weighing system technology" Demonstrations of: -Vertical Manure Placement in High Residue (Soil Warrior) -Handling a manure spill (Wayne Cords) Equipment & Info Displays by: Courtland Waste Handling, Puck Enterprises, Environmental Tillage Systems, Greenfield Spreading, UFC, and Anez Consulting The field day is sponsored by the Rush River and High Island Creek Fecal Coliform TMDL Implementation Projects, with help from the Hawk Creek Watershed Project and U of M Extension Service P.O. Box 1051 / Gaylord, MN / / nickb@co.sibley.mn.us /

4 SSTS Upgrade Funding Available Recently, the Rush River and High Island Creek Watershed Project staff, in conjunction with Nicollet and McLeod County Environmental Services, has secured new funding for SSTS upgrades. These funds are in the form of low interest loans, and are designated for McLeod County s portion of the High Island Creek Watershed, and Nicollet County s portion of the Rush River Watershed. During the TMDL study of the Rush River and High Island watersheds it was determined that roughly 54% of the septic systems between the two districts allow inadequately treated waste water access to surface waters. These figures include an estimated 1,333 systems between the watersheds that are straight-piped to local waterways. These systems are those where drain fields are tied directly into area tile lines and do not allow for any soil contact, which helps to treat bacteria, pathogens, and nutrients within the waste water. These systems pose a health risk to those in contact with area waters, as well as a serious risk to aquatic life within area ditches, streams, and rivers. Loan program specifics will follow guidelines set forth by each county s Environmental Services office. For more information, please contact Roger Berggren in McLeod County at , or Mandy Landkamer in Nicollet County at Manure & Nutrient Management Field Day Directions Wednesday, July 23, 2014 Renville County, Camp Township, Section 25 Area News Natural Resource Conservation Service Soil Health Awareness Initiative Soil health is important to all of us. Good soil health promotes water retention during periods of drought, helps to increase nutrient release for crop uptake throughout the growing season and keeps soils clumped together to inhibit erosive forces of wind and water. Sibley NRCS will be hosting a soil health field day in September Cover crops, and their importance to promoting healthy soils will be a large focus of this event. Stay tuned for more information. Questions can be directed to April Sullivan, District Conservationist for Sibley NRCS, Did you know? In one cup of healthy soil there are over 9 billion microorganisms. These little critters help to store & release nutrients, improve soil aggregation, provide biological & physical lines of protection against diseases, and much more. 1% of organic matter can hold over 27,000 gallons of water. Think about how important this could be for crops when the end of July comes and there hasn t been a significant rainfall since early June.

5 The Conservation Corner - Highlights of stewardship from across our great state - Contact Information: Sibley County: Ron Otto Sibley SWCD office th Street, P.O. Box 161 Gaylord, MN ext. 105 Nicollet County: Mandy Landkamer Environmental Services Office 501 South Minnesota Avenue St. Peter, MN Root Wads A root wad is an aquatic conservation practice that armors a streambank by deflecting stream flows away from the bank. Root wads include the root mass or root ball plus a portion of the tree trunk. Besides providing structural support to the streambank, root wads also create habitat for fish and other aquatic animals, as well as food sources for aquatic insects. The Hawk Creek Watershed Project, located in parts of Renville, Chippewa, and Kandiyohi Counties, has had great success with these installations, significantly reducing streambank erosion, which subsequently helps to improve the water quality and clarity. Check out their bio-engineered (no rip-rap) streambank restoration on the Hawk Creek Project website at: McLeod CO: Roger Berggren Environmental Services Office th Street East, Suite 110 Glencoe, MN Renville County: Diane Mitchell Renville County Government Services Center 105 S. 5th Street, Suite 318 Olivia, MN

6 High Island Creek & Rush River Watershed Implementation Projects 400 Court Ave P.O. Box 1051 Gaylord, MN RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED NONPROFIT STANDARD US POSTAGE PAID GAYLORD, MN PERMIT NO 61 Project Sponsor Sibley County Sponsors: Renville, McLeod & Nicollet Counties, Sibley, Renville, McLeod & Nicollet SWCDs, Sibley County Water Resource Advisory Committee, Renville Co. Water Protection & Management, Environmental Services of Sibley, Renville, McLeod & Nicollet Counties, University of Minnesota Extension Service, High Island Creek Watershed District, Natural Resource Conservation Service Wet swales are permanently vegetated channels which use residence time and natural growth to treat stormwater prior to discharge downstream in surface water bodies. Swales can help to greatly reduce the BMP Spotlight amount of sediment (~80% to 90% of total suspended solids) & nutrients (~20% of total phosphorous) entering into a waterway. Cost-sharing of up to 75% of the total project is available for these type of practices in both the Rush River & High Island Creek watersheds. Check out the watersheds website ( to find out more about the specific cost share & incentive programs available, or call Ron Otto (Sibley County SWCD) at Sponsors: Cities of Arlington, New Auburn, Gaylord, Winthrop, Gibbon & Lafayette, United States Geological Survey, United States Fish & Wildlife Service, Minnesota Board of Water & Soil Resources, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Coalition for a Clean Minnesota River, Pheasants Forever: Sibley and McLeod Co. Chapters, Conservation Partners of America, Green Isle Sportsman s Club, Gaylord Protective League This newsletter is sponsored by the High Island Creek & Rush River Watershed 319 TMDL Projects. This publication is issued quarterly and is funded through the 319 grant program from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and various local and state organizations. Both Projects are equal opportunity organizations and employers. Questions and comments can be directed to: Nick Bancks, Watershed Grants Coordinator / nickb@co.sibley.mn.us / Phone: (507)