Mankato Area Environmentalists

Putting Green of New Ulm blends environmental education with mini-golf

Putting Green will be an environmental adventure park featuring an 18-hole miniature golf course located along the banks of the Minnesota River in New Ulm, Minnesota.

MPCA seeks citizen advice on improving water quality in the lower Minnesota River

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and the Minnesota River Board will be holding public meetings this spring seeking advice on how to reduce impacts on the Lower Minnesota River. The first meeting will be 7 p.m., Wednesday, May 28 at the Redwood Falls Community Center. The second meeting will be 1 p.m. Monday, June 2 at the Country Inn & Suites, Mankato.

The meetings will focus on pollution resulting from phosphorus discharges that reduce oxygen levels during periods when the river is at low flow. Following the initial meetings, an advisory committee will be established and will meet in late June and July. The MPCA is seeking nominations for advisory committee membership. Nomination forms will be available at the public meetings.

"The advisory committee will offer input on methods to reduce phosphorus. It will represent the Minnesota River Basin geographically, by various interests, and by phosphorus source," said Larry Gunderson, MPCA Minnesota River Basin coordinator.

Rivers and lakes can handle certain amounts of pollutants and remain "fishable and swimmable." But many waterways, including sections of the Minnesota River and tributaries, are overloaded with one or more pollutants including bacteria, nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), sediment, and mercury.

So far in the Minnesota River Basin, scientists have identified more than 80 lakes and 89 river reaches with pollution impairments. A single water body or river reach (about 20 miles) can have more than one impairment. A pollution impairment means the river or lake is not fishable and swimmable.

Citizens can have a voice in deciding how to remedy the impairments. The public meetings will focus on the dissolved oxygen problem in the Lower Minnesota River, from Shakopee to the mouth of the Minnesota River. Low dissolved oxygen can result in fish kills or harm to fish and other aquatic life. Low dissolved oxygen occurs when high amounts of phosphorus cause algae growth. When algae die, they are consumed by bacteria. Bacteria use the oxygen for consuming the algae that the fish and aquatic life need to survive.

Phosphorus loads during low water flow periods are of primary importance. During low flow conditions, the low oxygen situation also occurs. To solve this problem, wastewater treatment facilities, stormwater discharges or large feedlots will need reductions in phosphorus discharges. Contributions from general agricultural and urban runoff are limited during low flow conditions due to decreased runoff, although reductions will be needed from these sources also.

During high flow conditions, general agricultural and urban runoff sources contribute to turbidity and fecal coliform bacteria. Thus, these pollutant sources will carry a larger role in solving problems related to turbidity and fecal coliform bacteria as well as phosphorus in the Minnesota River, the Mississippi River and Lake Pepin. These efforts will be completed in coming years.

A recent study shows that reducing phosphorus levels will achieve the dissolved oxygen standard in the lower Minnesota River during low flow conditions. The study identifies one way of achieving the phosphorus reductions.

Sources of phosphorus include municipal wastewater treatment facilities that empty into the river, runoff from feedlot sites, runoff from farm fields, urban runoff, stormwater discharges from industries or municipalities, and failing individual sewage treatment systems. Information gathered at the meetings will help determine ways to reduce the phosphorus load from all sources.

For more information or for an advisory committee nomination form, contact Larry Gunderson, 651-297-3825. On the Web, visit Minnesota River Basin or Total Maximum Daily Loads and Minnesota's Waterways.

Don Gordon's articles now available online

Don Gordon is professor emeritus of biology at Minnesota State University, Mankato. He is an expert in organic gardening, vegetable gardening, landscaping, and growing fruit in the upper Midwest, and is a columnist for the Mankato Free Press.

Don is also the author of Growing Fruit in the Upper Midwest (get info about the book or buy online at amazon.com).

"Intensive Corn-Soybean Agriculture not Sustainable," says Professor Gyles Randall

Professor Gyles Randall, a University of Minnesota soils expert, says the problem of creating a sustainable agricultural system in the United States will continue to exist until this country:

1. Becomes aware that current agricultural practices are destined to create an ever increasing number of problems in the future, and
   
2. Decides to take action towards making agricultural systems truly sustainable—that is, producing efficiently without creating environmental degradation.