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The Center for Agricultural Impacts on Water Quality
Departments and Agencies Involved with the Center The Center's Research and Objectives For more information, contact: Introduction to the CenterWith the diversity of research and educational groups involved with water, none were closely focused on research concerning water quality relating to agricultural management practices. The Center for Agricultural Impacts on Water Quality (CAIWQ) was formed within the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station to focus on this important issue. Water is one of Minnesota's plentiful and valuable resources. Its high quality supports a very productive agricultural economy, an abundant fauna of fish and wildlife, and a large and profitable tourist industry. Water is a natural resource that should be protected and maintained at any cost. Agriculture is a major contributor to Minnesota's economy. At the same time, cropland is subjected to large inputs of agricultural chemicals. Minnesota ranks fifth in the nation in fertilizer nitrogen use and third in the use of pesticides. Pesticide use is predominately herbicides, but significant amounts of insecticides and fungicides are used in certain areas. The potential for transport of these chemicals into waters is great. Since these chemicals are applied in large quantities, and some of them are toxic at very low concentrations, water contamination has serious consequences. What is the Center's Role?
How does the Center Operate?The Center Director (Jim Anderson) is responsible to the Dean of the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences through the appropriate department head (currently Soil, Water and Climate). Faculty consists of interested faculty from a variety of departments, primarily within the College of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, but also from other colleges. Two committees - a faculty committee, which is concerned with technical, social, and economic issues, and an Administrative Oversight Committee, which is concerned with policy issues - are consultative to the Center and Center Director. Departments and Agencies Involved with the CenterThe Center provides an interdisciplinary approach to research and education programs. The Departments of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, Applied Economics, Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, Entomology, Horticulture, Soil, Water, and Climate, and the Branch Stations all have relevant expertise through their missions of fertilizer and pesticide usage and natural resource management. Individuals in other departments within the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, and from other Universities, Colleges, and Institutes also have relevant expertise to assist in solving water quality problems. The Center provides a way to apply this expertise to agricultural problems. The Lamberton, Morris, and Waseca Research and Outreach Centers cooperate with the center. USDA Agricultural Research Service, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, US Geological Survey, Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency are cooperating agencies. The Center's Research and ObjectivesResearch at the Center focuses on the basic behavior of chemicals and nutrients in the environment, the practices for responsible management of chemicals, and modeling of chemical behavior in the environment. Its objectives include minimizing groundwater contamination by agricultural chemicals, developing and improving managerial procedures that reduce agricultural chemical use, increasing our understanding of the behavior and longevity of agricultural chemicals in soil and groundwater systems, and assessing the social and economic impacts of management practices. Research Plan for 2001-2005The current research program is evaluating the impact of controlled drainage to mitigate nutrient loss; characterizing, quantifying, and integrating the processes of sorption, desorption, degradation, and transport of herbicides in soils; developing and disseminating farmer-led water quality initiatives; estimate the costs and benefits of water quality improvements; and continuing public education programming to increase adoption of BMP's. For more information on ongoing and previous research, please read the Research Plan. | ||
Water Resources Center · College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences · University of Minnesota Extension· University of Minnesota Twin Cities Campus. The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer. These materials available in other formats upon request. Privacy Policy. © 2004-2005 Regents of the University of Minnesota. Updated by umwrc@umn.edu. |
A cooperative center formed within the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station, Minnesota Extension Service, and the University of Minnesota to focus on research concerning water quality relating to agricultural management practices.