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THE DROP
A monthly e-newsletter from the North Central Region Water Network
April 2023
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Network News
Happy planting everyone! We are excited to see the telltale signs of spring and get out in the field. At the Network, we are looking ahead to summer with an in-person Network Leadership Team meeting next month, and a line-up of conferences, feild-days, and project meetings as the weather warms.
-Joe Bonnell and Anne Nardi, North Central Region Water Network
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Photo credit: University of Minnestoa Extension Nutrient Management Podcast
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Minimizing offsite phosphorus transport, while maintaining proper phosphorus for plant growth is a priority for watershed professionals across the region and nation. Tune into this webinar as we hear the latest research and case studies on phosphorus management. Register
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The Soil Health Nexus is excited to debut two new resources on the Soil Health Toolbox! Two Soil Health Nexus members, Francisco Arriaga, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Anna Cates, Assistant Professor and State Soil Health Specialist at the University of Minnesota, recently published a long-awaited whitepaper exploring the connection between soil health and water quality.
“While there has been a lot of work linking farm management practices with soil health or water quality, few have looked at the connection to both soil and water quality,” notes Cates. Read on
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Leadership Spotlight
Story by Joe Bonnell
As of May, 2023, I will have completed one year as Interim Director of the North Central Region Water Network (NCRWN). Also in May, the NCRWN Leadership Team will be meeting in Chicago to do some strategic planning around the future of the Network. I can’t think of a better time to reflect on twenty plus years of multi-state collaborative water programs and the invaluable role the North Central Region Water Network has and continues to play in facilitating regional collaboration. Read on
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In The News
Upcoming Events
HABs Hazard Response and Communications
May 2, 2023
Join the Great Lakes HABs Collaborative on May 2nd for a webinar on HABs Hazard Response and Communications. The presentation will feature speakers from across the basin as they discuss the process of local HABs testing and communications strategies to alert the public of findings. The webinar will last between 60-90 minutes with a fascilated Q&A to follow speakers. Register here
Outcomes Estimation Tools Webinar Training Series
May 3, 2023
With support from EPA and the Walton Family Foundation, American Farmland Trust is providing project managers with an Outcomes Estimation Webinar Series to aid in their quantification of outcomes associated with farm conservation practices. The webinars will be on the first Wednesday of each month starting May 2023 and will run through 2024. On Wednesday, May 3, we will kick off the series with AFT providing a: Walk-Thru of the Outcomes Estimation Tool Guide and Needs Assessment Results. The webinar will run from 12-1:30 pm ET. Learn more
UCOWR/NIWR Annual Water Resources Conference
May 5, 2023
Registration for the UCOWR conference in Fort Collins is now open. Registrationincludes all sessions on Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday, breakfast, refreshment breaks, welcome reception, and awards luncheon. Learn more
Nebraska Soil health School
June 27-28, 2023
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln, in partnership with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, is hosting a two-day Nebraska Soil Health School on June 27th and 28th. The event will take place at the West Central Research, Extension, and Education Center in North Platte for producers, ag professionals, UNL faculty and students, USDA NRCS employees, and others. The event will include talks on soil health principles, carbon markets, soil health practices, hands-on opportunities, and demonstrations. Lunch is provided on both days, and there is no fee to attend. In addition, certified crop advisors, Continuing Education Units will be offered. Pre-registration is required by June 20th. Learn more
Funding and Opportunities
Conservation Technology Information Center is Hiring Three Soil Health Specialists
CTIC is seeking applications for three (3) full-time, exempt Soil Health Specialist positions who will work remotely, one in each state of Minnesota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. If you thrive working directly with farmers and are passionate about soil health and supporting farmers in their ongoing effort to improve the economic and environmental stewardship of their operations AND you want to be a part of a small and dynamic team, this is the ideal position for you. Learn moreAnthropology/Sociology Postdoc Opportunity
Anthropology/Sociology Postdoctoral Position now available at Iowa State University, Agricultural, and Biosystems Engineering Department. The position must understand Midwest environmental issues, including conservation practices, water quality, and wildlife habitat. The role will work under Dr. Jacqueline Comito, Anthropologist and Manager of Research, Adjunct Assistant Faculty with the Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management. Learn more
Midwest Climate Resilience Conference - Call for session proposals and presentation abstracts
The Midwest Climate Resilience Conference seeks proposals for workshops, symposia, lightning talks, oral presentations, and posters that support the conference's goal to advance adaptation and resilience in the Midwest. The program should encourage critical reflection, dialogue, and active participation while reflecting innovation and diversity in session topics and speakers. The deadline for submission is June 9th, and review results will be shared with session organizers by July 31st. Learn more
News
PepsiCo's $216 million Investment for Regenerative Agriculture
PepsiCo announces a $216 million multi-year investment in long-term, strategic partnership agreements with three of the most well-respected farmer-facing organizations – Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI), Soil and Water Outcomes Fund (SWOF), and the IL Corn Growers Association (ICGA) – to drive adoption of regenerative agriculture practices across the United States. The combined impact of these three strategic partnerships is expected to support the accelerated uptake of regenerative practices on more than three million acres and deliver approximately three million metric tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions and removals by 2030. Read more
New Water Quality Trading Clearinghouse Launches to Make Water Quality Improvements Easier Across Wisconsin
Wisconsin Clearinghouse, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of RES (Resource Environmental Solutions), announced a first-of-its-kind partnership with the Wisconsin Departments of Administration and Natural Resources to act as the exclusive third-party administrator of the Wisconsin Water Quality Trading Clearinghouse. The Clearinghouse provides an efficient, streamlined process to connect sellers with buyers to help reduce pollutants entering surface waters in Wisconsin. Read more
Wiki-Watershed Toolkit
Are you looking to monitor & map your watershed? Check out WikiWatershed - a new toolkit developed by StroudCenter to support citizens, conservation practitioners, municipal decision-makers, researchers, educators, and students to advance knowledge and stewardship of freshwater collaboratively. The web tools offer rapid visualization of watershed data, advanced geospatial analysis capabilities, and science-based predictions of human impacts on stormwater runoff and water quality. Read more
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