Research and Extension
The Minnesota Office for Soil Health (MOSH) is a collaboration between the Board of Water and Soil Resources and the University of Minnesota Water Resources Center. Base funding is from the Clean Water Fund of the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment; and the Water Resources Center. Its mission is to protect and improve soil resources and water quality by developing the knowledge, skills and abilities of local experts to more effectively promote sustainable soil and land management.
Stormwater Research Program (SWRP) focuses on research and technology transfer (Extension education) to industry professionals, practitioners, and managers at all levels of government and within private industry to prevent, minimize, and mitigate the effects of runoff from the built environment.
Watershed Innovations (WINS) amplifies work from UMN scientists conducting high-impact, interdisciplinary research at the intersection of water, land, and people.
Water Resources Research Act (WRRA) Program: The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the National Institutes for Water Resources, supports an annual call for proposals to focus on specific water priorities. Any investigator at an accredited institution of higher learning in Minnesota is eligible to apply through the Water Resources Center.
Research is a critical part of the Onsite Sewage Treatment Program (OSTP) and includes evaluating unique waste streams such as contaminants of emerging concern, facilities such as campgrounds and rest areas to evaluate how well they are performing, and how to best limit impacts to the environment and public health.
The Private Well Education Program empowers private well users through education, community engagement, and hands-on support. It serves the nearly 1.2 million Minnesotans who rely on private wells for their drinking water by fostering informed decision-making and encouraging stewardship of Minnesota’s natural resources.
Training and Courses
The Onsite Sewage Treatment Program (OSTP) protects public health and the environment by improving wastewater treatment through research-based workshops, as well as outreach to homeowners, small communities, professionals and policy-makers. Since 1973 OSTP has been educating professionals and the public in safe, cost-effective and environmentally sound wastewater treatment practices.
Nitrogen Smart is an educational program for producers that covers fundamentals and advanced topics to maximize the economic return on nitrogen investments while minimizing nitrogen losses.
Groundwater Basics: The course is open to the public but is designed for water resource managers and planners within local governments and their partners. The material is also intended for decision-makers at the local level, such as county board members.
The Watershed Specialist Training (WST) program delivers an online training course for current and aspiring water resource professionals and supports ongoing networking among alumni. These professionals are part-managers and part-technicians who help develop and implement stormwater plans, TMDL plans, county water plans, and watershed plans.
Conferences and Speaker Series
The Minnesota Water Resources Conference is the premier event for Minnesota water resources professionals and one of the largest such gatherings in the nation. The conference brings together researchers, practitioners, and water resource professionals from across the state to share cutting-edge science, engineering solutions, management insights, and practical approaches to manage water resources.
The Soil Management Summit (SMS) is a farmer-oriented event dedicated to practical soil management in Minnesota. Experienced farmers, researchers and consultants speak on a variety of soil management topics
The Minnesota Stormwater Seminar Series provides an opportunity to learn about the most recent research, discoveries, and case studies around urban stormwater management specifically for an audience of stormwater practitioners, professionals, and researchers. Seminars include a presentation, panel discussion, and Q&A with participants.
The Minnesota stormwater pond research and practice symposium brings urban stormwater pond practitioners, professionals, policy leaders, and researchers from public and private sectors together to summarize the state of the science and implementation of ponds as a stormwater management practice.
The Headwaters Lecture Series brings internationally known water resources scholars to campus to discuss frontier research issues with the University of Minnesota's water community.
Education and Workforce Development
The Water Resources Science (WRS) Graduate Program produces scientists with strong technical skills, a holistic understanding of the hydrologic cycle and associated ecosystems, and an understanding of the interplay between the bio-physical sciences and the social sciences in developing and implementing public policies related to water.
The Water Resources Center has two different programs that provide funding for graduate students: Watershed Innovations (WINS) grants and Water Resources Research Act Program (WRRA) student internship grants.