GOMAEEN Online Digital Library | Reducing Nutrient Inputs | Current Activities:

Reducing Nutrient Inputs to Coastal Ecosystems

Current Activities:

The Nutrients Team has recently developed and distributed a Coastal Nutrient Reduction Strategy Template. 

  • Nutrient Reduction StrategyThis template identifies consistent, comparable approaches that states may use to develop State Nutrient Reduction Strategies. 
  • It promotes identification of opportunities for leveraging of resources and improved collaboration and communication among states.
  • The states of Mississippi and Louisiana are currently using the template in the development of their State Nutrient Reduction Strategies.  A workshop was recently held in which participants from the MS-Ohio River watershed were educated on these ongoing efforts.

Developing and Implementing State Nutrient Reduction Strategies.

  • Great Strides have been made in developing and implementing the Mississippi Delta Nutrient Reduction Strategies over the past several years. 
    • These strategies have been implemented in multiple watersheds and have been designed to reduce nutrient loadings to the Gulf of Mexico and to aid in the achievement of designated uses in the state’s water bodies.
    •  MS Delta Nutrient StrategyMany benefits of collaborative efforts have been realized with over $68 million in public and private resources committed to the MS Delta during 2010, to reduce nutrients. 
    • These strategies answer 4 key questions
          • What load reductions are achievable?
          • At what cost?
          • What are the benefits (socioeconomic and environmental)?
          • How do we implement the strategies?

Planning and Implementing Nutrient Sources, Fate, Transport, and Effects Studies across the Gulf of Mexico.

  • These studies will supply needed research and data collection activities to provide necessary data, information, and documentation to help develop nutrient criteria for Gulf of Mexico estuaries and marine waters. 
  • Gulf MapProjects apply a research framework in four different systems along the Gulf coast with varying water body systems and seasonal conditions
      • St. Louis Bay, MS
      • Weeks Bay, AL
      • Galveston Bay Estuary, TX
      • Mission-Aransas Estuary, TX

Improving coordination and leveraging of Gulf of Mexico Alliance and Gulf Hypoxia Task Force activities.

  • Successful “Farmer to Farmer Exchanges”, engaging upper and lower MS River Basin Farmers took place
    • In May, 2010, representatives from the MS agricultural, natural resource, research and regulatory communities traveled to Des Moines IA to participate in a conservation tour, highlighting IA’s voluntary approach to nutrient management in agricultural landscapes.
    • In July, 2010, MS reciprocated by hosting a similar conservation tour, which began in the MS Delta region and culminated with a Gulf fishing trip.
Farmer ExchangeFarmer Exchange