Farmers Protecting Bridgewater Streams

Agricultural practices can have a significant impact on water quality and aquatic ecology. However, incorporating cover crops and reduced farm tillage can significantly improve aquatic environments. Since 2018, we have been partnering with farmers and St. Olaf College to increase the use of these practices in the Rice Creek watershed. Rice Creek is the westernmost brook trout stream in Minnesota that sustains itself. Our objective is to study the results of these practices on the watershed and further improve the quality of the aquatic environment.

IMPACTS

  • Increase understanding among farmers and others of the impact of cover crops on nitrate loading, stream water quality, fish habitat, and enterprise profit

  • Decrease nitrate and sediment loading into Rice, Heath, and Wolf Creeks

  • Remove nitrate impairment status from Rice Creek (to be verified by MPCA)

  • Increase cover crop practice implementation in Rice Creek subwatershed from 30% of tillable acres to 50% of tillable acres

  • Increase cover crop practice adoption in Wolf and Heath Creek sub-watersheds from 5% of tillable acres (estimated) to 10% of tillable acres

  • Create and promote awareness of the watershed benefits from cover crops and support cover crop practice adoption among non-farm communities

OUTCOMES

  • 30% less nitrate concentration in tiles draining fields with cover crops compared to fields with no cover crops

  • 22% lower nitrate concentration in Rice Creek compared to 2019 (55% lower compared to 2013), we are communicating with MPCA & MDA to possibly delist the creek for nitrate impairment

  • Annually preventing

    • >200 tons GHG emissions

    • >4000 lbs nitrate loading into Rice Creek

    • >200,000 lbs sediment loading into Rice Creek

WHAT’S NEXT

  • Continue to sample Rice Creek water quality data

  • Compile and send project update reports to relevant farmers

  • Help plan, promote, and host meetings designed to recruit farmers to the project and update members of the community on project progress

  • Construct and send mailer/digital flier on cover crop incentives to farmers within the 3 targeted sub-watersheds