Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient (Hypoxia) Task - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient (Hypoxia) Task - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient (Hypoxia) Task Force History and New Direction: Tracking Progress Towards Our Goal NEMW Institute Congressional Briefing Katie Flahive, US EPA January 31, 2018 epa.gov/ms-htf Hypoxia Task

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Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient (Hypoxia) Task Force

History and New Direction: Tracking Progress Towards Our Goal

NEMW Institute Congressional Briefing Katie Flahive, US EPA January 31, 2018 epa.gov/ms-htf

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Hypoxia Task Force Background

  • Formed by EPA in 1997; legislatively authorized in 1998 HABRHCA Law
  • At the Task Force’s request, an interagency committee convened by the White House Office of

Science and Technology Policy completed an Integrated Assessment, which served as scientific basis for a 2001 Action Plan with goal: reduce size of the Hypoxic Zone to <5000 sq km by 2015

  • Focused on reducing nitrogen loads to the gulf via the Mississippi River
  • Science Reassessment 2004-2007:
  • Considered phosphorus a co-driver of the hypoxic zone
  • Convened four science symposia, outcomes submitted to EPA Science Advisory Board panel for

consideration

  • Science Advisory Board recommended a dual N and P strategy; estimated a 45% reduction

needed in both N and P to reach goal; urged “directionally correct” progress toward goal rather than continued debate over goal revision

  • 2008 Action Plan included commitment by states to develop and implement Nutrient

Reduction Strategies with continued federal support

  • In 2015 the Task Force reaffirmed its goal with a new 2035 target date; adopted interim,

20% N and P load reduction targets for 2025; committed to enhanced tracking of progress

  • 2014 HABHRCA required EPA to submit to Congress biennial reports on behalf of the

HTF, describing progress towards the goal; 2015 and 2017 Reports to Congress complete

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Science Based Goal

Coastal Goal By 2035, reduce 5-year running average size

  • f the Gulf hypoxic zone to 5,000 km2

Interim Target 20% reduction of nitrogen and phosphorus loading by 2025

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From Nancy Rabalais (LSU/LUMCON)

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Nit itrogen and Phosphorus Loadin ing Sources in in th the Mis ississip ippi i and Atchafala laya Riv iver Basin in (M (MARB)

USGS SPARROW model estimates of sources of TN and TP transported from Mississippi River Basin to the Gulf of Mexico (Robertson and Saad 2013)

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Mississippi River Basin

  • US Army Corps of Engineers
  • US Environmental Protection Agency
  • US Department of Agriculture
  • US Geological Survey
  • National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

  • National Tribal Water Council

Five Federal Agencies plus Tribes: 12 State Agencies: Each state is represented by one of

Agriculture agency, Environmental Quality agency, or Natural Resources agency

Hypoxia Task Force Members

HTF States

  • Arkansas
  • Missouri
  • Iowa
  • Tennessee
  • Minnesota
  • Indiana
  • Ohio
  • Louisiana
  • Illinois
  • Mississippi
  • Kentucky
  • Wisconsin

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HTF Priority Activities

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Nutrient Reduction Strategies

  • All 12 states have developed strategies
  • Focus on implementation in state

priority watersheds Tracking progress towards the goal

  • Point Source Measures Report
  • Nonpoint source (NPS) Measures
  • Federal Accomplishments and revised

Federal Strategy, 2016 Continue to build and leverage partnerships, including with Land Grant Universities

  • SERA-46 Priorities for Collaboration

Communicating Progress

  • 2017 Report to Congress
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Federal Agency Efforts to Support States

  • Improving both MARB and Gulf monitoring data and modeling

approaches to help demonstrate progress

  • Continuing research on the impacts and relationship between

nutrients and hypoxia to inform management strategies

  • Targeted delivery of federal funding for conservation systems and

watershed planning to support state nutrient reduction strategies

  • Develop and improve technical tools to help support state strategy

implementation

  • Expanding outreach and partnerships with organizations
  • Support states in implementing their nutrient reduction strategies

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Quantify and Track Progress

Measuring & Modeling Hypoxic Zone

  • NOAA Cruise,

Gliders, Models Measuring Biennial Loading Trends

  • Point Source

Measures

  • NPS Measures

Monitoring WQ Trends

  • WQX: EPA, USGS

& state data

  • Monitoring

Collaborative Modeling Regional & State Loading Trends

  • SPARROW
  • SWAT
  • State models

Modeling Decadal Basin Loading Trends

  • USDA CEAP
  • SPARROW

Tracking Progress Towards Our Goal

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Tracking Progress: Annual TN and TP loads in the MARB transported to the Gulf of Mexico from 1980 to 2015 (USGS 2017)

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Forging State and Basinwide Connections & Partnerships to Implement Nutrient Reduction Strategies

  • In 2014, established MOU with Land Grant Universities in

each HTF State; these LGUs formed a committee for collaboration , “SERA-46” (see next slide)

  • Farmers and Agricultural Organizations: HTF members seek

to encourage farmer-led actions that improve water quality and enhance ecological benefits and services

  • Businesses, e.g., the Midwest Row Crop Collaborative, a

coalition of ag/food industry and conservation NGOs seeking to accelerate sustainable ag practices while meeting production goals

  • Cities and Communities, including municipal wastewater

agencies and the communities they serve

  • Other NGO Conservation Organizations seeking to restore

and enhance natural resources in the MARB, e.g., The Nature Conservancy

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For More Information: 2017 Report to Congress

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HTF State Engagement & Perspective

  • Iowa
  • Co-chair HTF w/ EPA
  • Development of Strategy
  • Transition to Implementation
  • Progress Tracking
  • State Perspectives
  • NPS Measures workgroup
  • Farm Bill Letter
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Iowa Update

  • Strategy Released in 2013
  • Collaborative, science-based assessment
  • Iowa Legislature established Water

Quality Initiative

  • Leveraging resources (RCPP, private $, other

federal funding, and landowners)

  • Engage partners, build capacity and overcome

barriers to scale-up

  • Accountability and tracking

(www.nutrientstrategy.iastate.edu/documents)

  • 2018 Legislative Session passes longer-

term sustainable funding.

  • Nearly $300M over the next 12 years to

advance Iowa NRS.

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Leadership from the States

  • All states developed their own Strategies
  • Engaged stakeholders
  • Targeted watersheds
  • Similarities between states, but still unique to

each.

  • HTF provides opportunity for states:
  • Lead efforts tailored to the state
  • Work across borders
  • Learn from each other
  • Successes, lessons learned
  • Greater coordination with federal partners
  • Improved collaboration with land grant

universities

  • Common measures and tracking progress while

preserving state individuality

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Background on NPS Measures Workgroup

  • NPS Measures

workgroup tasked with identifying a common measure

  • Impact
  • All States could reasonably

report on.

  • Not the only measure.
  • Use to report and track

progress, but also to help inform and improve implementation.

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Background on NPS Measures Workgroup

  • 1. Practices implemented:

1.

State and/or Local-level

2.

Federal-level

3.

Private/NGO-level

  • Categories/parameters

identified

  • Consistency of NPS Framework

among states

  • Identified challenges and

barriers

  • Walton Family Foundation Grant
  • Completed Final Draft of

NPS Measures Progress Report

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Private data

  • Framework reportable for: NGOs, Agribusiness, Individual

Landowners/Farmers

  • Partnerships
  • Aggregate data, low resolution, statistically based
  • Appropriate for broad scale/variable practices
  • Surveys (land use, tillage, 4Rs), Mapping (structural,

“visible”), other data collection methods

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HTF State Member Recommendations

  • n Farm Bill

Letter sent on behalf of HTF state members:

  • Encourage greater emphasis

and funding on practices to limit losses of nutrients

  • Encourage expansion of

engagement from partners to help prioritize and implement programs

  • Prioritize and expand

investments in applied on-farm research and monitoring.

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SERA-46

Land Grant Universities Working Collaboratively with the Hypoxia Task Force

Amanda Gumbert, University of Kentucky Beth Baker, Mississippi State University

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Role of Land Grant Universities (LGUs) in U.S.

Teaching Extension

Morrill Act, 1862 Teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts. Smith Lever Act, 1914 Provide education to adults

  • ff-campus that is relevant,

understandable and practical. Hatch Act, 1887 Provide federal funds to state land grant colleges to create agricultural research facilities.

Research

Jan 31, 2018 Northeast Midwest Institute Congressional Briefing

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What is SERA-46?

Land-grant universities (LGUs) provide research, teaching, and extension programs in the agricultural and related sciences, serving the people of their respective states.

  • Southern Extension and Research Activities committee

number 46; includes both Southern and North Central Regions of the US

Jan 31, 2018 Northeast Midwest Institute Congressional Briefing

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USDA-NIFA coordinates multistate efforts via regional committees Strong linkage/coordination with Hypoxia Task Force

Jan 31, 2018 Northeast Midwest Institute Congressional Briefing

12 LGUs in Mississippi River Basin

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SERA-46 Goal

Promote effective implementation of science- based approaches to nutrient management/conservation that reduce nutrient losses to the environment.

Jan 31, 2018 Northeast Midwest Institute Congressional Briefing

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LGU Expertise in Addressing Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia

Jan 31, 2018 Northeast Midwest Institute Congressional Briefing

Soil Scientists Engineers Economists Social Scientists Ecologists

NRCS-USDA

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Benefits of LGUs Collaborating with HTF

  • Multi-institutional teams focus on regional

issues and solutions

  • Multi- and trans-disciplinary approaches to

problem solving

  • Integration of research and extension

Jan 31, 2018 Northeast Midwest Institute Congressional Briefing

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Priorities for Collaborative Work

Developed May 2015 Revised September 2017 Three Focus Areas

  • 1. Strengthening Networks
  • 2. Conservation Systems

Research and Outreach

  • 3. Monitoring and Tracking of

Progress

Jan 31, 2018 Northeast Midwest Institute Congressional Briefing

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Progress

Strengthening Networks - Identify common attributes and gaps across state nutrient reduction strategies. Conservation Systems Research and Outreach - Assist in the optimization of cover crop practice performance. Conservation Systems Research and Outreach - Translate science in tile drained areas into accessible information for states to adopt into policies to address nutrient use and movement, particularly with corn and N.

Jan 31, 2018 Northeast Midwest Institute Congressional Briefing

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Progress

Conservation Systems Research and Outreach - Create a network of watershed practitioners and farmer leaders to strengthen the effectiveness of nutrient management strategies.

Jan 31, 2018 Northeast Midwest Institute Congressional Briefing Photo courtesy University of Kentucky

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Progress

Monitoring and Tracking Progress – Using Social and Civic Engagement Indicators to Advance Nutrient Reduction Efforts Delivery

  • Established active work group: social and environmental

scientists from the 15 HTF and GOMA states.

  • Facilitated numerous webinars; hosted “Applied Research

Symposium: The Social Dimensions of Nutrient Reduction”; developed synthesis report.

  • Established website: Human Dimension in Water

https://h2o.ssrc.msstate.edu/

Jan 31, 2018 Northeast Midwest Institute Congressional Briefing

Rogers’ Innovation-Decision Process Model

Image: http://farmertofarmer.blogspot.com/2016/08/the-innovation-decision-process-in.html

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Valuable Collaborations

  • Direct farmer and farm advisor interaction
  • Extension audiences
  • State Departments of Agriculture
  • Some states have records of success
  • Iowa State University a resource for science, research, technology,
  • n-farm practices
  • State and Federal agencies represented by Hypoxia

Task Force membership

  • Other multi-state committees
  • SERA-17, NC-1190, etc.

Jan 31, 2018 Northeast Midwest Institute Congressional Briefing

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Continued Work

  • MARB Nonpoint Sources Nutrient

Reduction Measurement Framework

  • Facilitate dialogue between SERA-46

members and state HTF members

  • Cross-MARB communication of

science directly to state agencies for translation into their nutrient reduction policies and programs

Jan 31, 2018 Northeast Midwest Institute Congressional Briefing

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Future Efforts and Needs

  • Expand economics shared priority

around on-farm economic tools, costs, and benefits – work has begun, funding needed.

  • Expand research and education
  • n multifunctional agricultural

landscapes that provide a broad suite of societal and ecosystem services – working group identified, funding needed.

Jan 31, 2018 Northeast Midwest Institute Congressional Briefing

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Funding

US EPA Competitive Funds Walton Family Foundation

Future $

Jan 31, 2018 Northeast Midwest Institute Congressional Briefing

USDA-NIFA Funds (Matching State Funds)

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For More Information

http://northcentralwater.org/sera-46/ https://www.epa.gov/ms-htf/hypoxia-task-force- partnerships

Jan 31, 2018 Northeast Midwest Institute Congressional Briefing

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Thank You!

Jan 31, 2018 Northeast Midwest Institute Congressional Briefing