MRC
Partnership & Outreach Team
Provide a process for actions which are openly transparent, inclusive, and comprehensive, which offers flexibility, to evolve, and provide opportunities which do not compete with other actions in the system.
Actions/Activities
Progress
Jack Lauer (MNDNR) & Scott Sparlin (CCMR Executive Director) - Partnership & Outreach Team Member - Met Aug 3, 2017 DNR Regional Headquarters to explore action ideas regarding two of the Minnesota River Congress’ adopted and prioritized policy statements. This was done as a follow up meeting and recommendations from a prior meeting with MNDNR Fisheries staff in the upper part of the Minnesota Basin.
Resolutions
Projects/Supporting
1
Increase Soil Organic Matter Adopted
Be it resolved that the Minnesota River Congress support the development of an initiative to increase soil organic matter in the top six to eight inches of soil by 1% over the next ten years in 50 percent of the annual cropped fields across the basin.
Be it further resolved that as a first step toward this initiative, $150,000 be awarded annually from the Clean Water Fund, for the next ten years, to the MN Extension for acquiring a staff person, and their supporting needs, who can develop and deliver education, research and training to agronomists, farmers and others on methods focused on increasing soil organic matter to reduce water quality impacts from row crop agriculture and increase crop productivity.
2
Streams Flow Control Adopted
Be it resolved, that the Minnesota River Congress: Recommends all Federal, State, Tribal, local and non-Government entities who work with any aspect of natural resources which affect the Minnesota River system to increase and support current efforts to implement practices which currently exist such as managed drainage and other conservation drainage techniques, which will decrease wildly fluctuating rate flows in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd order streams that feed the Minnesota River System. And furthermore to aggressively seek adequate human and financial resources required to do so by appointing one state agency as the lead agency responsible for coordinating a unified initiative to accomplish these actions collectively.
6
Ecosystem Services Adopted
Be it resolved that the Minnesota River Congress support the development of an initiative, in collaboration with Conservation Marketplace Midwest (CMM), to measure, account for and aggregate ecosystem services within the MN River Basin.
Be it further resolved that the CMM and MN River Congress identify and develop programs with potential ecosystem service buyers within the MN River Basin.
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