To assist us in our planning efforts, please indicate which mini-workshop(s) (by day) you would be interested in attending. Selections can be made during your registration process. (This is not a permanent selection, but is important in the logistical planning for each mini-workshop.)
Mini-Workshop 1 |
Mini-Workshop 2 |
Mini-Workshop 3
Mini-Workshop 4 |
Mini-Workshop 5 |
Mini-Workshop 6
Mini-Workshop 7 |
State Nutrient Reduction Plans Workshop
Mini-Workshop 1: Nonpoint Source Monitoring Workshop Social Indicators
Ken Genskow, University of Wisconsin
Linda Prokopy, Purdue University
Watershed nutrient loads and dynamics are key parameters affecting ecosystem services and the ability of water bodies to support designated uses. Increased nutrient loads in inland and coastal waters are primarily caused by human activity. Information about the drivers of human behavior and barriers to behavior change are therefore essential to successful nutrient management. This workshop will discuss the development and use of social indicators and social data for nutrient management projects. It will review a social indicators framework being used in USEPA Region 5 and its applicability to planning, implementing, and evaluating nonpoint source management initiatives. It will also provide examples for how the social indicators framework can be adapted to 1) shape and monitor state-level nutrient management programs and 2) collect more in-depth social data for specific nutrient management issues. The workshop will provide opportunities for participants to apply these concepts to nutrient management issues at the state or local level. Participants will leave the workshop with tools and reference materials to support their work at home.
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Mini-Workshop 2: Agricultural Nutrient Management Tools
Chris Gross, Natural Resources Conservation Service—U.S. Department of Agriculture
Chad Ingels, Iowa State University
Nutrient Management Planning Utilizing Software on Animal Feeding Operations
Manure Management Planner (MMP) is a Windows-based computer program developed at Purdue University, in cooperation with USDA-NRCS, that's used to create manure management plans for crop and animal feeding operations. The user enters information about the operation's fields, crops, storage, animals, and application equipment. MMP helps the user allocate manure (where, when and how much) on a monthly basis for the length of the plan (1-10 years). This allocation process helps determine if the current operation has sufficient crop acreage, seasonal land availability, manure storage capacity, and application equipment to manage the manure produced in an environmentally responsible manner. MMP is also useful for identifying changes that may be needed for a non-sustainable operation to become sustainable, and determine what changes may be needed to keep an operation sustainable if the operation expands.
MMP currently supports 34 states (AL, AR, CA, CO, DE, FL, GA, IN, IL, IA, KS, MA, KY, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NE, ND, NJ, NM, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SD, TN, UT, VT, WA and WI) by automatically generating fertilizer recommendations and estimating manure N availability based on each state's Extension and/or NRCS guidelines.
Cost-effectiveness of a performance-based watershed improvement strategy in NE Iowa
Four NE Iowa watersheds have been using a performance-based incentive program to encourage conservation management changes. Cooperators are compensated for improvement in each of three base performance indices - Iowa Phosphorus Index, Soil Conditioning Index and End-of-Season Cornstalk Nitrate Test. Individual field results are summarized and competitively ranked to encourage producers to prioritize fields that perform below watershed expectations. Cooperators tout the flexibility to try different options to reach a level of performance and recognize that the sum of management changes provide environmental improvements. Results and associated incentive costs will be compared and contrasted by watershed and corresponding water monitoring results will be discussed.
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Mini-Workshop 3: Analysis of Imperfect Data
Don Meals and Steve Dressing, Tetra Tech, Inc.
Analysis of perfect water quality data collected frequently, at consistent locations, by consistent methods, and over long time periods to meet specified objectives is an exacting but generally straightforward process. However, that is not the real world. Watershed project managers are often faced with data that are incomplete, interrupted, or collected at less than ideal times and locations. Moreover, the inherent lag time between land treatment and water quality response often requires a data stream longer than is typical for many monitoring programs. This workshop will present and discuss approaches to the evaluation and analysis of such imperfect data, with emphasis on making the most of the data you have, while at the same time following the principles of good monitoring design.
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Mini-Workshop 4: Introduction to the Watershed Central Web Site and the Watershed Central Wiki
Joe Williams, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/ORD
This mini-workshop will introduce participants to the Watershed Central concept through an overview presentation, a presentation on the use and utility of the wiki site, and hands-on opportunities to become acquainted and explore watershed information already available through the site. Participants will have the opportunity to learn how they can add their own information to the wiki site for others to view and aid in building the knowledgebase for fellow watershed practitioners. In addition, users can provide feedback on tools, resources and other articles via the rating and comment features available on the wiki. Since the wiki site requires a login, new users will have the opportunity to register during the workshop. A limited number of computers will be available for participants, or participants can bring their own laptop computers to use during the workshop. Wireless internet access will be available for participants.
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Mini-Workshop 5: Urban Tools: Approaches Towards Effective Storm Water BMP Targeting
Tetra Tech, Inc.
A challenge facing many local jurisdictions across the country is finding ways to connect Storm Water Management Programs (SWMPs) required by NPDES permits with watershed plans and TMDLs intended to address water quality problems. Development of effective storm water management strategies, including activities such as build-out analysis, is a key part of the transition from planning to effective implementation. Creative approaches are needed to evaluate and design structural and non-structural storm water Best Management Practices (BMPs) that improve water quality conditions surrounding documented problems.
A key objective of technical analyses used to support storm water management is to prioritize source area and delivery mechanisms to help ensure effective use of available program implementation resources. Efforts are underway to develop and test tools that support the storm water BMP targeting and optimization. Techniques being used often involve five general steps that include: 1) establish baseline conditions; 2) identify BMPs to consider; 3) determine BMP configurations / performance; 4) estimate costs; and 5) build targeting and optimization strategy. This mini-workshop provides an overview of the process and presents information on several tools being used to support storm water BMP targeting activities.
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Mini-Workshop 6: Flow Duration Curves: Using Hydrology to Communicate Data as Information
Bruce Cleland, Tetra Tech, Inc.
Dependable tools are needed, which promote effective communication between analysts, planners and implementers, so that actions will lead to measurable water quality improvements. Over the past several years, basic hydrology and flow duration curves have been used to support the development of TMDLs. Flow duration curve analysis identifies intervals, which can be used as a general indicator of hydrologic condition (i.e. wet versus dry and to what degree). Duration curves help refine assessments by expanding the characterization of water quality concerns, linking concerns to key watershed processes, and prioritizing source evaluation efforts. The extended use of monitoring information using duration curves offers an opportunity for enhanced targeting, both in field investigation efforts and implementation planning.
Duration curves provide another way of presenting water quality data, which characterizes concerns and describes patterns associated with impairments. This framework can help elevate the importance of monitoring information to stakeholders, which in turn can encourage locally driven data collection efforts (e.g. through watershed groups, conservation districts, point sources). As an assessment and communication tool, duration curves can also help narrow potential debates, as well as inform the public and stakeholders so they become engaged in efforts to improve water quality. This mini-workshop will provide background information on the basics behind duration curves and use several examples to illustrate opportunities where duration curves can strengthen watershed assessments and enhance the water quality management process.
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Mini-Workshop 7: Effectiveness of Drainage Water Management (Controlled-Drainage) for Subsurface-Tile and Open-Ditch Drainage Systems
Dr. James Fouss, ARS/U.S. Department of Agriculture
The Agricultural Drainage Management Systems (ADMS) Task Force was initiated in the fall of 2002 by dedicated professional employees of Federal, State, and Local Government Agencies and Universities. The Agricultural Drainage Management (ADM) Coalition was established in 2003 by drainage industry officials, trade associations and nongovernment organizations. These two groups formed a working partnership to promote and implement drainage water management systems that can significantly improve the quality of drainage water flows from agricultural cropland, especially in the Midwestern U.S. where subsurface drainage systems are installed extensively on farmland. Earlier research had shown that a large percentage of the fertilizer nutrients (particularly, nitrate-nitrogen) that migrates down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers comes from surface and subsurface drainage discharge from agricultural cropland in the Midwest region.
An initial primary goal of the partnership groups was to reduce the loss and transport of fertilizer nutrients from drained agricultural croplands in the Midwestern States on a farm-by-farm basis. They installed and conducted field demonstration projects for farmers to promote and encourage them to install and implement drainage water management practices (controlled-drainage) for both new drainage installations and by retrofitting their existing drainage systems with drainage outlet controls. Previous research that has been conducted at multiple locations in the humid regions of the U.S. to evaluate controlled-drainage systems documented that the decrease in nitrate-nitrogen loss in drainage discharge was almost directly proportion to the reduction in drainage outflow volume accomplished by installing control structures on the drainage outlets. A 50% reduction in drainage outflow and nitrate loss was a common research finding at most of these locations.
The desired ultimate goal of the ADMSTF and ADMC partnership efforts is to implement drainage water management on a large enough scale
(watershed-by-watershed) in the Midwest to decrease transport of excess nutrients through the Mississippi River drainage basin to the Gulf of Mexico. EPA and USGS have reported this source of nitrate-nitrogen as one of the major contributors to the persistent formation of the large hypoxic zone ("dead zone") in the northern Gulf of Mexico off the Louisiana and Texas coasts.
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State Nutrient Reduction Plans Workshop
The Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force released the 2008 Action Plan as a product of a four-year reassessment of the 2001 Action Plan. The 2008 Action Plan greatly increases accountability and specificity through the inclusion of state-led nutrient reduction strategies and complementary federal strategies. The state-led nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) reduction strategies are expected to promote effective conservation practices and management approaches, track progress, and promote effective communications to increase awareness of Gulf Hypoxia and opportunities to be involved. This workshop will share information and lessons learned Federal/State/local nutrient reduction efforts, innovative private sector initiatives, and existing programs through interactive presentations and discussions. Topics such as water quality trading, ecosystem services and effectiveness monitoring will be covered at the workshop. Opportunities for working with organizations, companies, and foundations who are also doing their part to move forward on Gulf hypoxia will be discussed.
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