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THE DROP
A monthly e-newsletter from the North Central Region Water Network
October 2024
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Network News
Happy Halloween! We had a great trip to Minneapolis for the Climate, Water and Equity Workshop earlier this month. Colleagues from over 20 1862, 1890 and 1994 institutions gathered to discuss how we can better tackle climate-related vulnerabilities and inequities. Together, we created 8 culturally-grounded action plans outlining how we can better work together moving foward.
For those of you working with undergraduate students, applications are now open for the fourth year of the Watershed Management Research and Outreach Undergraduate Internship Program. Undergrads are paired with extension mentors across the region for summer internships working in water-related outreach, research, and programming. Please share this announcement with the undergraduates in your network!
-The North Central Region Water Network team
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Nitrogen loss to groundwater can lead to environmental and human health concerns - from increased cancer risk, birth defects, and blue baby syndrome to harmful algal blooms. But not enough nitrogen can cause crop yield and quality loss. Tune into this edition of The Current Webinar Series as we discuss recent research on BMPs to reduce nitrate leaching and methods to calculate potential nitrate loss so you can better optimize N inputs. Register now
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Dr. Sushant Mehan, an Assistant Professor and Extension Water Resource Engineer Specialist at South Dakota State University (SDSU), has rapidly become a key figure in advancing water resource management and natural resource engineering. Through his work, Dr. Mehan has fostered collaborative relationships with stakeholders across South Dakota and beyond, focusing on practical solutions that address immediate water management challenges in the face of weather extremes. Read on
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This past summer seven undergraduate students from across the US participated in Watershed Management Research and Outreach Internship Program. The program, which just completed its third year, places undergraduate students with Extension mentors at land-grant institutions across the North Central Region. The goal of the program is to help students develop extension and applied research skills across disciplines to enable them to succeed as future water resource professionals. Learn more
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In The News
Upcoming Events
Are We Losing A Lot of Nitrogen During Denitrification Hot Moments in Agricultural Soils?
November 6, at 12:00 PM CT
Tune into this Iowa Larning Farms Webinar featuring Francois Birgand with North Carolina State University. RegisterBiological Approaches to Nutrient Management
November 20, 2024, at 2:00 PM CT
Tune into this edition of the Soil Health Nexus Digital Café as we hear from Brian Dougherty with Understanding Ag as he discusses biological approaches to nutrient management and improving water quality. Register
Integrating Climate into Extension Programming Update
December 16, 2024, at 1:00 PM CT
Illinois Extension has developed a short online course for all interested Extension educators and specialists who wish to incorporate climate change into their existing programming. The course started in early 2024 and has gone through two cohorts. Climate Specialist Duane Friend will provide an update on the course, how it is being received, and talk about its use in other states. Register
Funding and Opportunities
Opening the Tap: Accessing EPA's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Water Assistance Programs
Opening the Tap is geared towards local community members and professionals alike who are working to improve access to clean drinking water and basic sanitation services no matter their needs or where they're located. This resource outlines Environmental Protection Agency programs established or funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) that provide financial or technical assistance for the many barriers to drinking water or basic sanitation. For some communities, this barrier comes from non-existent water infrastructure. In others, existing infrastructure is no longer able to function as intended because it is in dire need of repairs or upgrades or is threatened by disruptive events ranging from deep freezes and droughts to cyberattacks. Learn more
University of Nebraska Extension Educator Position - Water Cropping Systems - Water Quality
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is seeking an Extension Instructor or Open Rank Extension Educator. This position is based in Lincoln, NE, with a statewide accountability region. This position will provide strong leadership for focused, comprehensive educational programs for excellence in water quality. The position will focus on issues related to surface and groundwater quality, current and emerging nonpoint source contaminants (e.g. nutrients, atrazine, PFAS, etc.), and watershed management. A primary role of this position will be to serve as a liaison between the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) Clean Water Act (CWA) 319 program and Nebraska Extension. The deadline to apply is 11/20/2024. Learn more
Stormwater Research Program Funding Opportunity - University of Minnesota
The 2024 Minnesota Urban Stormwater Research Request for Proposals is now available. The University of Minnesota Water Resources Center, in collaboration with the Minnesota Stormwater Research Council, invites pre-proposals to help advance urban stormwater practices and management. Researchers are encouraged to submit pre-proposals by 5:00 pm CST on November 10, 2024. Learn more
News
USGS-led study estimates lithium in groundwater that can be used for drinking water - USGS
Ongoing research by health organizations has linked the low-level occurrence of natural lithium in drinking water to positive human-health outcomes such as reduced suicide mortality and other mental-health benefits in addition to potential negative outcomes such as autism and thyroid hormone levels. There are limited data, however, on where and at what concentrations lithium occurs in drinking water, or on what levels can lead to different health impacts. Learn more
USDA Developing Roadmap to Tackle PFAS on Farmland
Farmers have reported health problems and livestock deaths linked to PFAS contamination, and producers in some states have had to shutter operations entirely after the discovery of “forever chemicals.” The U.S. Department of Agriculture is developing a “research roadmap” to address PFAS in agriculture and prevent so-called “forever chemicals” from contaminating food production. The department’s Agricultural Research Service held a three-day workshop bringing together more than 150 interagency researchers, universities and state partners to identify key solutions to the emerging threat of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances on farmland. Learn more
Water Quality Research is 'Team Sport': Partnerships with Private Sector Help Get Ideas on the Ground - Iowa Nutrient Research Center
Water quality researchers usually get the credit for their ideas and the grants they secure to study the ideas' potential. Less likely to be acknowledged are those who help take the ideas from paper to practice. "So much of our research depends closely not only with state and federal agencies but also with private sector engineers and contractors to help get ideas on the ground," says Bill Crumpton, a professor of ecology, evolution, and organismal biology at Iowa State University, a well-known scientist who studies wetlands and water quality. "We work with them to evaluate planned projects, to tweak and test our ideas, and to find ways to improve designs." Learn more
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