Farm Runoff – Page 10 – Clean Water Warrior

Lake Superior – Optimal Conditions For Low Algae Levels

I have been told that, should one venture somewhat off-shore of Lake Superior — let’s say a mile or two — it would be possible to dip one’s cup into the water, and freely drink from the lake. I have not tried it, and would not encourage the practice, but I believe it.

I am not alone. Naturally Superior has this to say on the subject: Lake Superior is the cleanest of the Great Lakes,and many people drink the water regularly (even in their homes). On a trip, the decision is yours. For your safety we bring a high quality water filter or boil our water.

There may be several reasons to explain Lake Superior’s pristine waters, and veritable absence of algae blooms but, according to Robert Sterner, a Minnesota Sea Grant researcher and Limnologist, there are three primary factors:

One variable is latitude. A more northern latitude means a shorter growing season and less carbon input into the lake’s system from plants like algae.
Another variable is geology. Granitic-rock covered by pine forests doesn’t contribute much phosphorus to the lake.
The third thing Sterner emphasized is the lake’s homogeneity. “It’s mostly deep, it’s mostly cold and it’s mostly offshore,” Sterner said. “It lacks extensive nearshore mucky bays.”

And there you have it. If you haven’t visited Lake Superior, the trip is worth it. It is a global treasure that ideally benefits from what many of us would consider less-than-ideal weather conditions.

Elkhart & Fox – Two Lakes, Too Different

I was visiting Elkhart Lake, WI recently, with the notion that this may be a sensible re-location spot for Clean Water Warrior. There is no doubt, the lake and the community are in many respects idyllic. A too-small, yet quaint village, abutting a beautiful world-class lake — Elkhart Lake is truly a destination for freshwater fans. And, as it turns out, race fans. The community’s Road America venue brings in over 100,000 people every racing weekend throughout the summer months. Not bad for a town with a population of 967.

Elkhart Lake has some terrific tourist history, too, dating back to the days of Al Capone. But its greatest asset may be its spring-fed water source, its incredible depth of nearly 120 feet, and the absence of farming or industry on its shores. Private residences, most valued at over $1,000,000, with responsible, updated septic systems surround the lake. This almost ensures that Elkhart Lake will remain clean and algae free for years to come.

Contrast that with poor Fox Lake, in Fox Lake WI — a neighbor less than 60 miles to the Southwest. Fed by creeks that empty into it after meandering through industrial parks and farms, and possessing a depth of no more than 20 feet, Fox Lake is almost doomed to its status as one of Wisconsin’s most at-risk lakes. What can be done to improve Fox Lake’s lot? Start with the farms. Wherever a 75-foot grass buffer does not exist between cropped land and creeks, create that space. Extend dramatically the distance between farms, and the lake itself. And eliminate any yard pesticide usage by lake dwellers.

Are these suggestions a solution all by themselves? No. Some conditions will simply always work against Fox Lake. But wherever implemented, they cannot hurt.

No-Till Farming A Viable Piece To Cleaner Water & Better Farming

I just got back from a trip to Winona, MN, a lovely college town along the Mississippi River. Located in the southeastern part of MN, Winona itself – because it is a river town – does not look like a community influenced by agriculture. But it is.

Farms abound in the areas around it, and according to research conducted by North Carolina State University (NC State), the mighty Mississippi is prone to the runoff that these farms can create.

No_till_farming_mn — No-till farming in MN.

The effect upon the Gulf of Mexico is, to put it mildly, damaging.

But as always, better farming practices are out there. Along with the grass buffers that have been presented here in previous blogs, no-till farming is for some farmers (and environmentalists) another exciting option.

It is working for Winona area farmer Bill Dunlay, according to this 2012 (dated, yes, but still pertinent) report from the Mississippi River – Winona Watershed News.

Dunlay’s land is hilly, and susceptible to erosion. Commenting on the benefits of no-till, Dunlay gets to the point. “It saves a ton,” he says. Dunlay notes he saves on fuel, equipment costs, time and soil.

All while losing nothing in yields, he says.

It is widely known that no-till farming dramatically reduces soil erosion and, because of improved water retention, crops actually require much less watering per acre. This is a terrific benefit for areas that experience less-than-normal rainfall in a given year.

Dunlay says that no-till may not be for every farmer, but it is worth a serious look for many. He has converted all 250 of his acres to the no-till method, and the results speak for themselves.

Tricky Connection to Climate Change & Farm Runoff

Projections for massive algae blooms in Lake Erie are once again grim for 2016, and a part of the problem is something that cannot be controlled: climate change.

According to this article in Toledo Blade, research from the American Geophysical Union suggests that blooms in Lake Erie may double in intensity over the next 100 years, even if nutrient runoff from farms is reduced by 40%.

algal-bloom-iowa — Algae Blooms in IA, 2011.

Given the troubling contribution climate change makes to algae blooms in Lake Erie, and across the planet, a question begs answering which secondary research here has not yet produced.

How much does climate change account for the creation of algae blooms?

Clearly, the relationship between nutrient runoff and climate change is profound. Runoff can be controlled. Climate change cannot. If there is a sweet spot that will secure fresh surface water across the planet, despite the changes, it must be found. Apparently, reductions in nutrient runoff by 40% will not be enough.

What, then, will be? Without a deep and longstanding commitment between farmers and entities (like Clean Water Warrior) that can help them implement best-practices, this question will unfortunately go unanswered.