March 2006

Water experts converse on the future of water quality Lakes and rivers do not observe per capita water consumption. Add to this assumed to be harmful until proved safe. international boundaries. Issues of water the pressure of climate change, which [In the U.S.,] we wait until damage ap- quality and quantity in Canada and the has increased evaporation rates without pears and try to mitigate it after the fact,” U.S. are therefore continental, a point that increasing precipitation, became clear on February 28 as lead- resulting in a net loss ing Canadian freshwater expert David of water in regions fed Schindler and WRC co-director Deborah by glacial melt. This is Swackhamer engaged in a free-flowing especially evident, said discussion entitled, “Protecting Water Schindler, on the east- Quality for Future Generations,” the first ern slopes of the Rocky in this year’s series of Great Conversations Mountains, a region he sponsored by the College of Continuing knows well. “There is a Education. Ensconced in comfortable stream that used to sup- chairs on a stage resembling a living room port riverboat traffic, and in the University’s Ted Mann Concert now my friends are com- Hall, the two scientists spent an hour ex- plaining that they have to ploring water-related challenges in North carry their kayaks.” America, from global warming to toxic Schindler’s research contaminants to exotic species. helped introduce a ban Ninety percent of Canadians live of phosphorus in laundry Deborah Swackhamer (l) and David Schindler (r) participated in the first installment of the 2006 Great Conversations series. within 60 kilometers of the U.S. border, detergents and the wide- said Schindler, a region that is quite arid, spread use of water treatment plants to said Swackhamer, “while the scientists while the population in the western U.S. remove excess nutrients from surface wa- shake their heads and say, ‘So how can we is growing rapidly. We may feel water ters. Unfortunately, water treatment plants get ahead of the curve?’” Invasive species rich, but the U.S. and Canada comprise do not remove the emerging contaminants such as zebra mussels and spiny water only 12 percent of the world’s land surface that researchers now find accumulating flea further degrade water quality and area and receive only 12 perccent of its in fish and other aquatic organisms. “In threaten to disrupt the delicate ecology of precipitation. At the same time, the two Europe, they use the precautionary prin- countries rank first (U.S.) and second in ciple—chemicals with toxic “relatives” are Water experts continued on page 5 Call for abstracts issued by Minnesota Water 2006 and Annual Water Resources Conference 2 Director’s Desk The Minnesota Water 2006 and Annual and highlight research about Minnesota’s Water Resources Joint Conference, which water resources. The conference will pro- 3 WRC competetive will take place on October 24–25, 2006, vide an opportunity to address emerging at the Earle Brown Heritage Center in issues and present lessons learned and best grants awarded Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, has issued a practices discovered. It will facilitate interac- call for presentation abstracts and posters. tions among resource managers, researchers, 5 Digital geologic The call can be accessed on the WRC’s state and local agency staff, and other water Web site at http://wrc.coafes.umn.edu/. resources professionals, including consultants core software Abstracts are due by April 21, 2006. and practicing engineers. After a successful first year as a joint As more information about the confer- 6 Community News conference in 2005, the event will once ence becomes available, it will be featured in again present innovative and practical upcoming issues of the Minnegram and on water resource management techniques the WRC Web site. 7 Upcoming Events Minnegram March 2006 A new diatom species is discovered in our backyard by Mark Edlund, St. Croix Watershed Research Station and Department of Geology and Geophysics Most scientists dream of discovering something new, but November issue of the journal Diatom Research, we formally de- when the discovery happens in samples taken right under our scribed Hannaea superiorensis in a paper co-authored by Bixby, feet, it always comes as a surprise. Lake me, and Dr. E.F. Stoermer from the Univer- Superior, specifically the harbor in Grand sity of Michigan. Hannaea superiorensis Marais, is home to the newest species is easily separated from other members of described from Minnesota, a diatom called this genus by size alone; it is nearly twice Hannaea superiorensis. Back in 1992, I the size of other Hannaea species. Other stopped in Grand Marais on the way home lines of evidence supporting this new spe- from a Boundary Waters canoe trip and cies include its shape, ultrastructure, and collected a bit of periphyton coating the ecological preferences. rocks along the Coast Guard breakwall. While new species are often rare in Among the hundred or so diatom species number, Hannaea superiorensis is not. The in the collection was a long, boomerang- thick coating of periphyton that covers the shaped critter growing in pin cushion-like rocks in the wave zone of Lake Superior is Minnesota’s newest species, Hannaea colonies. It obviously belonged to the superiorensis, as seen through a microscope, is covered with billions of specimens of Han- genus Hannaea, but was much bigger than about 0.125 mm long and gently curved. naea superiorensis. Healthy populations any Hannaea species I had ever seen. of Hannaea superiorensis are found on A few years later, my colleague, Dr. Rebecca Bixby, currently the North Shore, around Isle Royale, the Keweenaw Peninsula, at the University of Georgia, joined the lab and took on a system- along northern and eastern Lake Superior, and in Canada’s Lake atic study of the genus Hannaea. I passed along the samples that Nipigon. We studied historical collections made in Lake Superior I had been taking from Lake Superior over the years and in the New diatom continued on page 4 From the Director’s Desk What have I been doing lately? I had a call the other day from a person I had not talked ment of Agriculture, U.S. Geologi- with for awhile. They asked a question something like “What cal Survey, and U.S. Environmental have you been doing lately?” It set me back because I did not Protection Agency (EPA). In addition, have a ready answer even though my sense is that I have never a number of WRC staff and faculty been busier in my life! I also thought it was pretty ridiculous associated with the WRS Graduate that I didn’t have an answer. Program have made reports on their So here is a sampling of what we have been doing lately. projects at these meetings and confer- We have continued to work closely with the Minnesota Pol- ences. This is increasingly important lution Control Agency on the science issues surrounding the as funding cutbacks and changes development of a TMDL for Lake Pepin, and with the Minne- continue to occur on a regular basis. sota River Sediment Reduction Panel, which in the early stages The Great Lakes Regional Water Quality team has pub- of a turbidity TMDL for the Minnesota River. lished the second progress and impact report covering regional Work has progressed on the Assessment of Stormwater activities involving Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Management Practices on Water Quality. Protocols to be used Michigan, and Ohio. Those projects have leveraged on a 5:1 for monitoring and assessment of stormwater management basis funds for research and outreach on water quality issues practices are being prepared. In the summer and early fall these across the region. The team continues to work with the state will be taken to local communities around the state for their 319 coordinators and EPA to develop social indicators for non- review prior to release. point source pollution watershed projects. The Mississippi-Mekong Partnership continues to develop. On top of this, we continue to take part in numerous task During the month of March, we have a visitor, Lilao Bouapao, forces and committees working on strategic efforts to integrate who hopefully will be working on a Ph. D. project with faculty the College of Natural Resources and College of Agricultural, here at the University of Minnesota. A delegation will be trav- Food, and Environmental Sciences eling to Laos in May to attend an annual flood forum to address into a new college. All these sig- ways to establish flood forecasts for the lower portions of the nificant efforts take time but are well Mekong River Basin. worth doing. It just shouldn’t be so Both Deb and I have been to national meetings reporting on hard to tell people what we do. research, education, and outreach efforts to the U.S. Depart- Jim Anderson, WRC Co-Director

Minnegram 2 WRC awards three grants in 2006 competition

The WRC is pleased to announce the northern freshwater lakes, they will iden- gal decomposition and hypoxic or anoxic selection of three research projects for tify five lakes in the Twin Cities metro- conditions can themselves be a solution to funding in the 2006 WRC grant competi- politan area where experimental plantings the problem of eutrophication. tion. The projects include a study on the will be conducted in summer 2006, with From their past research, Jim Cotner factors affecting lakeshore revegetation subsequent observation of the plantings (Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior) and success, the ecological stoichiometry and in the first summer and also in summer Tim LaPara (Civil Engineering) have microbial biodiversity effects on water 2007. They hope to answer such questions shown that the biomass stoichiometry of quality, and the development of a DNA as “Is bulrush survival and establishment microbial communities can play a key role marker to track source E. coli in water- affected by time or depth of transplant- in carbon decomposition and P cycling sheds. Funding for the projects is provided ing?” and “Is there an optimal combina- in surface waters. In this project, the pair by the Water Resources Research Institute tion of factors including time, water depth, proposes to apply principles of ecological program of the U.S. Geological Survey, and root development for establishment of stoichiometry to understand the impor- and the Minnesota Agricultural Experi- bulrush?” tance of microbial diversity to the elemen- ment Station through the WRC. With everyone from the Department tal composition of microbial communities and surface water quality. One unique aspect of this project is the emphasis on involvement of undergradu- ate students, who will aid in sampling seven kettle lakes of the Twin Cities and Itasca State Park. WRC grants continued on page 7

WRS Ph.D. students receive dissertation fellowships Water Resources Science (WRS) students Stanley Asah and Meghan Brown were awarded University of Minnesota Doctoral Dissertation Fel- lowships for the 2005–2006 academic year. The fellowships are given to This successful lakeshore restoration at Thompson Lake, using several species of bulrush and bur outstanding final-year Ph.D. candi- reed, will protect the shoreline from erosion and provide habitat for fish. dates making timely progress toward their degrees, and provide an opportu- of Natural Resources to private landown- Factors affecting revegetation success in nity to devote full-time effort for the ers interested in lakeshore restoration, the lakeshore restorations upcoming academic year. results of this study will have widespread Asah’s dissertation is titled Aquatic vegetation in the near-shore use, and may lead to the increased success “Individuals as Complex Adaptive environment provides habitat and refuge of future lakeshore revegetation and resto- Systems: Operationalizing Social- for fish and also protects the shoreline ration efforts. from wave impact, reducing erosion. Ecological Resilience Analysis of Because of this, successful revegetation of Ecological stoichiometry and microbial Indigenous Agriculture within the the near-shore environment is critical to biodiversity effects on water quality Lake Chad Basin.” He is advised by the overall success of lakeshore restoration A lake or stream that receives excess James Perry (Fisheries, Wildlife, and projects. However, little is known about nutrients, such as phosphorus (P), can Conservation Biology). The title of how or why some lakeshore revegetation experience excessive algae growth. When Brown’s dissertation is “The Distribu- efforts succeed while others fail. these algae die, their decomposition con- tion and Emergence of Bythotrephes Sue Galatowitsch (Horticultural sumes dissolved oxygen in the water, ad- Diapausing Eggs: Defining the Role Science) and Dana Vanderbosch (Water versely affecting other aquatic organisms of Cumulative Environmental Stress- Resources Science) are leading a project to and the entire ecosystem. This process ors in Dormancy.” She is advised by investigate the factors that affect the suc- is called eutrophication, and is a serious Donn Branstrator (Biology-UMD). cess of lakeshore revegetation. Focusing problem in Minnesota today. Interestingly, on soft-stem bulrush, a species common to the bacteria that are responsible for the al- 3 March 2006 NRRI expertise flows from Great Lakes to Great Rivers As scientists at UMD’s Natural Re- sensitive organisms—are remarkable Ely Field Station charged with execution sources Research Institute (NRRI) begin “tools” for monitoring disturbances in of NRRI’s portion of the Great Rivers to wrap up the successful Great Lakes river systems. Developing these tools Project, in close collaboration with scien- Environmental Indicators (GLEI) project, will be the first major task of this project. tists at the EPA’s Health & Environmental the great rivers of the Effects Research United States beg for Laboratory in Duluth. the same attention. “The samples The Environmental have already been Protection Agency gathered,” Reavie ex- (EPA) awarded NRRI plained. “Now, we’ll $840,000 over the spend the first two next five years to use years of the project some of their proven looking at more than research techniques a thousand samples on river systems. under the microscope. The Great Rivers It is excruciatingly Project will cover the detailed work, but it’s Upper Mississippi, important. In the end, the Ohio, and the we’ll have identified Missouri rivers and hundreds of species their watersheds. As and their ecology.” part of the Project, As with the GLEI NRRI hopes to an- project, the EPA swer questions such ultimately wants to be as “What areas are able to rank portions still pristine? What of the rivers from areas need pollution NRRI will identify indicator algae that can be used to rank the health of river reaches, such “good” to “highly remediation? How are as this reach of the Mississippi River above the Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam in degraded” based on human activities in Minneapolis. the various indica- the watersheds impacting water quality? Other indicators of environmental health, tors developed by the scientists. With Just how healthy are these ‘great rivers’?” like water chemistry, macroinvertebrates, clearly defined environmental quality data NRRI’s specialists in algae research fish, sediment, and vegetation, are cur- in hand, the EPA can understand what is at the Ely Field Station will tackle a large rently being developed by collaborating truly attainable for remediating the most portion of this comprehensive project. agencies. degraded areas.

Algae—microbiotic and environmentally Euan Reavie is the lead scientist at the Excerpted from a Natural Resources Research Institute news release.

New diatom continued from page 2 so special is that it is endemic to Lake this genus in the Asian rift lakes. Lake Superior; it is not a new exotic or inva- Baikal, the world’s largest lake, and Lake since the 1960s and found abundant popu- sive species. Endemic species are often Hövsgöl, Mongolia’s largest lake, are both lations of Hannaea superiorensis from the most vulnerable to pollution, climate home to undescribed species of Hannaea similar locations. change, and human impacts; they are the that are similarly adapted to live in the Hannaea superiorensis prefers the harbingers of ecological change. We long high energy wave zone of these cold lakes. high energy, well-oxygenated, cold waters ago learned our lesson in the Great Lakes The two Asian taxa are obviously different of Lake Superior’s wave zone. “The fact when it comes to how vulnerable endemic from the widespread Hannaea arcus and that Hannaea superiorensis is only dis- species are. The blue pike in Lake Erie, do not resemble the Lake Superior species, tributed along the shore of Lake Superior, the deepwater and shortnose ciscoes in except for size. The Mongolian species is and doesn’t live in rivers, supports the Lakes Michigan and Huron, and even a sometimes as large as our Lake Superior hypothesis that it may have speciated from diatom, Cyclotella americana, have gone specimens (125 µm long). As reported a close relative, Hannaea arcus, which is extinct in the Great Lakes. in the December 2005 Minnegram, new river-dwelling in western North America,” Finding a new species that has evolved regions of Mongolia are being surveyed Bixby said. Molecular analysis, analysis to thrive in Lake Superior’s unique physi- for new biodiversity discoveries by WRS of historical samples, and additional river cal and chemical environment has led faculty and students—it’s just a little surveys in the region may further support Bixby and me to search for new Hannaea harder than driving up to the North Shore this hypothesis. species in other large lakes in the world. to make our collections! What makes Hannaea superiorensis Currently we are focusing our work on Minnegram 4 CoreWall project creates access to digital geologic cores by Emi Ito, Limnological Research Center, Department of Geology and Geophysics, and National Lacustrine Core Repository and Analysis Labora- tory; and Paul Morin, National Center for Earth-surface Dynamics and Department of Geology and Geophysics Geologic cores are often taken one and environment for stratigraphic correlation, is an integrated system with access to two at a time, without the context of other visual core description, and data visu- numerous community databases, bringing cores taken in the same area. But imagine alization. Routine acquisition of digital meaning to the oft-used phrase “multi- if you had access to every core taken in a imagery has created an opportunity for proxy study.” At present, it takes months watershed or state, or every core drilled new ways to capture, collect, analyze, to years before any integrative interpreta- with public money. Access to this scale of and distribute scientific measurements to tion of multi-proxy data are attempted, data is the goal of CoreWall, a real-time the scientific community. These images often after individual researchers already stratigraphic correlation, core description, provide the basic template for all sediment have published papers based on just their own proxy data. In 2000, National Lacustrine Core Repository and Analysis Laboratory (Lac- Core) staff recognized the need for an integrated core data visualization system. Many of the features LacCore wanted were missing from existing systems. About two years ago, we started to work with the computer scientists at the Electronic Visualization Laboratory (EVL) at the University of Illinois at Chicago and with the Joint Oceanographic Institutions (JOI) to see if an integrated data visualiza- tion system that could display data as they were being acquired could be developed. EVL sent Arun Rao to LacCore to learn first-hand how we studied cores, and he produced prototypes of data visualiza- tion software. The early results were very promising and they were demonstrated at Geological Society of America and Ameri- Doug Schnurrenberger, former curator of LacCore, studies geologic cores using CoreWall software. can Geophysical Union meetings and at and data visualization software (and hard- descriptive work such as annotations about JOI. Last fall, LacCore, EVL, and others ware) system to be used by the marine, structures, lithologic variation, grain size submitted a multi-institution collaborative terrestrial, and Antarctic science commu- variation, bioturbation, chemical composi- proposal to the National Science Founda- nities. For the Minnesota water resources tion, and fossils. The integration of split tion. The CoreWall proposal was funded, community, this translates to the ability to core images with discrete data and images and in two short years, the completed take lake sediment core studies to the next of smear slides and thin sections provides software suite should be installed on the level, and the ability to visualize all the a robust approach to the description of newly refurbished JOIDES Resolution well log data for the state and its neighbors sediment cores. These records are perma- Drill Ship and at LacCore, benefiting all in three dimensions. nent, unaffected by drying and shrinkage scientists and students who come to us to Scientists who study lake sediment or subsequent sampling of the core, and study their cores. CoreWall will be distrib- cores have been wishing for an integrated accessible outside the core lab. CoreWall uted free of charge.

Water experts continued from page 1 hamer mentioned the simple act of turning While both scientists agreed that better off the tap while we brush our teeth, which communication between researchers and our lakes. Spiny water flea is so small that can save a couple of gallons. Schindler decision-makers is needed, they noted that fishing line has to be sterilized to remove suggested avoiding bottled water, which citizens can make a difference by contact- it, Schindler said. requires vastly more energy to produce ing their state and national representatives None of these problems is easy to and provides no greater safety than tap with their concerns. “Ten phone calls puts solve, but scientists have succeeded in the water, in most cases. “You think because it on their radar screens, and 100 calls past and continue to make progress pro- they are plastic the bottles are being helps make it law,” said Swackhamer. tecting our resources, Swackhamer said. recycled,” Swackhamer pointed out, “but Meanwhile, everyone can help. Swack- according to the statistics, they are not.”

5 March 2006 U of M Water Community News

establish a generalized phosphorus mass The Water Resources Science balance, and define major factors that University of Minnesota (WRS) graduate program received control phosphorus loading to a ditch Water Resources Science Program contributions to the Travel Grant Fund system for Rice Lake Wetland, near Degree Recipients from Bonestroo, Rosene, Anderlik Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. Together with Lindsay Anderson-Powers received & Associates and Barr Engineering the Forest Service, Bell and Tersteeg her Ph.D. in November 2005. Company. These generous are testing the effectiveness of buffering Her thesis was titled “Calibration contributions will be given as $500 seasonal ponds following the harvest of and Application of a New awards to WRS students for travel to adjacent upland forest. conferences. For more information on Paleotemperature Tool in Lacustrine contributing to the Fund, contact Jan David Gustafson (Water Resources Systems: TEX86 for Continental Sickbert at (612) 624-3283. Center) received the 2006 “Man of the Paleoclimate Reconstruction.” Year” award from the National Association Anderson-Powers was advised by of Wastewater Transporters on February The 2nd Agricultural Drainage and Tom Johnson (UMD-Geological 16, 2006 “in recognition and appreciation Water Quality Field Day was held Sciences and Large Lakes for [his] efforts and outstanding ability in August 19, 2005, at the Southwest Observatory). the onsite wastewater treatment industry Research and Outreach Center (SWROC). with a unique touch of levity.” The award Jason Ulrich received his M.S. Over 85 people attended the program, was presented at the 2006 Pumper & in December 2005. The title of which featured the installation of a water Cleaner Expo in Nashville, Tennessee. his Plan B paper was “Analysis of table management structure at the Hick’s Stream Health Indicators for TMDL Barb Liukkonen (Water Resources family farm near Tracy, Minnesota, Assessment in the Minnesota, Center and Sea Grant) presented a poster launching a cooperative research and St. Croix and Upper Mississippi at the 23rd Annual Red River Basin Land demonstration project. Proceedings of the River Basins of Minnesota.” Ulrich and Water International Conference in event are available through the SWROC was advised by Bruce Wilson Winnipeg, Manitoba, held January 11–13, Web site http://swroc.coafes.umn.edu/. (Biosystems and Agricultural 2006. The poster was co-authored by Bill Arnold (Civil Engineering) received Engineering). Vince Crary (UMN Extension Service), an Excellence in Review Award from Melinda Erickson (MnDOT and WRS the journal Environmental Science and Winfried Ksoll received his M.S. in alumna), James Linn (Animal Science), Technology. He also gave two talks at January 2006. His thesis was titled and Michael Murphy (Veterinary “Pacifichem 2005: The International “Growth and Persistence of Fecal Population Medicine). With the same co- Chemical Congress of Pacific Basin Indicator Bacteria in Lake Superior authors, she delivered an oral presentation Societies.” Epilithic Periphyton.” Ksoll was co- at the USDA-CSREES National Water advised by Randall Hicks (UMD- Rich Axler (Natural Resources Research Quality Conference in San Antonio, Texas, Biology) and Michael Sadowsky Institute) presented at the U.S. Department held February 5–9, 2006. Liukkonen (Soil, Water, and Climate). of Agriculture-Cooperative State and Eleanor Burkett (UMN Extension Research, Education, and Extension Service) delivered a poster presentation at Michael Donahue received his M.S. Service’s Tribal Water Quality Facilitation the USDA-CSREES conference. in January 2006. The title of his Grant Summit held October 17–19, 2005, The Natural Resources Research Plan B paper was “Inferred Sulfate in Polson, Montana. He also presented at Institute (NRRI) received $100,000 Reduction Rate and Associated the North American Lake Management from Ron Weber (UMD alumnus) Sulfur Isotope Fractionation from the Society meeting held November 9–11, to restore degraded streams in Lake Cariaco Basin.” Donahue was advised 2005, in Madison, Wisconsin. Superior watersheds. NRRI also received by Josef Werne (UMD-Chemistry Jay Bell (Soil, Water, and Climate) and a $35,000 grant through the National and Large Lakes Observatory). his graduate students Brandy Elf and Fish and Wildlife Foundation, which Dan Tersteeg have partnered with U.S. will complement the Stream Restoration Department of Agriculture agencies on Initiative. two research projects. Bell and Elf are Linda Weavers is a visiting professor in working with the Agricultural Research Civil Engineering on sabbatical leave from Service to describe the local hydrology, Ohio State University. Minnegram 6 Upcoming Events

Michigan State University on “Biomass WRC grants continued from page 3 October 24–25, 2006. Minnesota Supply and Biofuels: Some Perspectives” Development of a DNA marker gene Water 2006 and Annual Water and (2) Dr. Rick Cruse from Iowa State system to determine sources of fecal E. Resources Joint Conference. Earle University on the “Future Bioeconomy coli in watersheds Brown Heritage Center, Brooklyn and its Impacts on Soil and Water Center, Minnesota. Refer to page 1 for Resources.” Before the lectures there As part of the Clean Water Act and To- additional information. Conference will be brief comments from Minnesota tal Daily Maximum Load determinations, plans will be featured in the June State Representative Al Juhnke on the Minnesota’s waters are being surveyed issue of the Minnegram and on the “Importance of Bioenergy to Rural and classified according to their respective uses. One of many reasons for our state’s WRC Web site at http://wrc.coafes. Minnesota.” For more information, contact waters failing to meet the water quality umn.edu/ as they become available. Dr. Satish Gupta at [email protected], or at standards of these classifications is con- (612) 625-1241. tamination from fecal coliform bacteria. April 4–6, 2006. Remote Sensing July 25 & 27, 2006. Strip Tillage Expo: These bacteria can come from a variety of Across the Great Lakes: Observations, Tillage for Today and Tomorrow. sources, such as wildlife, malfunctioning Monitoring, and Action. Clarion July 25, University of Minnesota septic systems, discharge from sewage Riverside Hotel, Rochester, New Southwest Research and Outreach systems, or runoff from urban areas, York. This conference will provide Center, Lamberton, Minnesota; July feedlots, or manure-amended agricultural the opportunity to learn about remote 27, University of Minnesota Southern lands. To address this water quality prob- sensing tools, geospatial applications, and Research and Outreach Center, Waseca, lem, the sources of the fecal bacteria in a observing technologies that are being used Minnesota. Manufacturers will gather to lake or river must be identified. to study, monitor, and manage the Great demonstrate equipment for strip tillage Michael Sadowsky (Soil, Water, and Lakes-St. Lawrence River system. It will and associated operations. Speaker topics Climate) has proposed the use of the facilitate information exchange between range from equipment management to suppression subtractive hybridization technique to enrich for host-specific DNA policy makers, scientists, and engineers the results from two years of on-farm markers for E. coli originating from cows from around the Great Lakes region and trials across Minnesota comparing tillage and humans, which will provide a means beyond. For more information, visit the systems. Equipment vendors and other to identify the source of fecal bacteria in conference Web site at http://rdx.glc. organizations with conservation tillage- surface waters. In his past work, Sad- org/06/. related information who would like to owsky has successfully used this approach April 19, 2006. 4th Annual William E. participate are encouraged to reserve to identify DNA markers for E. coli Larson and Raymond R. Allamaras display space, preferable by May 1. More originating from geese in Lake Superior Lecture on Emerging Issues in Soil information is available on the WRC Web fecal bacteria. After identifying the fecal and Water. 335 Borlaug Hall, University site, http://wrc.coafes.umn.edu/. coliform DNA markers, he plans to use of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota. them to determine sources of E. coli in the The overall theme of the program will Minneopa Creek watershed. be “Defining a Future Bioeconomy.” Sadowsky believes this will provide This will be an expanded program with a cost-effective and accurate method to two speakers: (1) Dr. Bruce Dale from determine the sources of E. coli bacteria.

Minnegram is published quarterly by The University of Minnesota Water Resources Center Directors: James L. Anderson, Deborah L. Swackhamer Editors: Eric L. Otto, Tracy Thomas Wilson Article Submissions: Minnegram welcomes articles, letters to the editor, news stories, photos, and other materials for publications. Please address correspondance to: Minnegram Editor, Water Resources Center, 173 McNeal Hall, 1985 Buford Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108, E-mail: [email protected], Web site: http://wrc.coafes.umn.edu, phone: (612) 624-9282. The University of Minnesota is committed to the policy that all persons have equal access to its programs, facilities, an employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, or sexual orientation. This material is available in other formats upon request. Call the Water Resources Center at (612) 624-9282. Copyright © 2005 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.

7 March 2006 Publications and Resources

The Great Lakes Monitoring Inventory. Handbook for Developing Watershed Minnesota Wetlands Protection Report. Binational Executive Committee. 2005. Plans to Restore and Protect Our Waters. Minnesota Center for Environmental The Binational Executive Committee U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Advocacy (MCEA). 2006. The first annual has established an on-line basin-wide (EPA). 2005. A draft guide to watershed Report identifies some of the regulatory binational monitoring inventory to management to help various organizations failures that have caused wetland loss share information and to improve the develop and implement watershed plans and calls for action from legislators, coordination of monitoring activities is now available. The Handbook is policymakers, and citizens who care throughout the Great Lakes. The Great aimed toward communities, watershed about the state’s wetlands and natural Lakes Monitoring Inventory contains groups, and local, state, tribal, and federal heritage. The Report features nine on-the- information about over 1,000 monitoring environmental agencies. This Handbook ground case studies that illustrate how programs being conducted by Canadian contains in-depth guidance on quantifying current laws and enforcement issues can and U.S. federal, provincial/state, and existing pollutant loads, developing contribute to wetland destruction and loss. municipal agencies, academia, and estimates of the load reductions required The Report is available through MCEA’s non-governmental organizations. You to meet water quality standards, Web site at www.mncenter.org/mcea_ can access it at www.binational.net and developing effective management wetlands_initiative/. share information about your monitoring measures, and tracking progress once program, or find out about programs being the plan is implemented. EPA will be conducted by others in the basin. Should accepting comments and suggestions you have any questions, please feel free to on the document in the coming year to contact Brad Hill (Environment Canada) incorporate in the final version of the at [email protected], or (905) 319-7209. Handbook. The Handbook is available at www.epa.gov/owow/nps/watershed_ handbook/.

Address service requested

Minnegram March 2006