Clean Water Research Projects

The following table summarizes the projects funded by the Clean Water Fund. A more detailed description for each project is available using the project title links.

Active Projects

Project Title	Recipient	Funds Awarded ($)	MDA Project Manager
Adjusting corn nitrogen rates using a preplant nitrate test to reduce potential for N loss in South-Central and Southeastern Minnesota	Dan Kaiser and Fabian Fernandez - University of Minnesota	258,000	Aicam Laacouri
Evaluation of four irrigation scheduling methods and their impact on corn production and nitrate leaching in the Central Sands region	Vasudha Sharma - University of Minnesota Extension	124,005	Jeppe Kjaersgaard
The Minnesota Cover Crop Guide	Anna Cates - University of Minnesota Extension	111,709	Aicam Laacouri
Real-time crop sensing and modeling for improved water quality	David Mulla - University of Minnesota	100,000	Aicam Laacouri
Cover crop effectiveness in a series of farm BMPs, 2012-2019	Christian Lenhart - University of Minnesota	64,286	Aicam Laacouri
Integrated landscape management for agricultural production and water quality	Jeffrey Strock - Southwest Research & Outreach Center	365,780	Heather Johnson
Improved design, performance, and implementation of saturated buffers	Gary R. Sands - University of Minnesota	190,923	Heather Johnson
The Cover Crops, Water, and Nitrogen Nexus: How do they impact corn and soybean production and the environment?	Axel Garcia y Garcia and Jeff Strock - Southwest Research and Outreach Center	450,223	Heather Johnson

Completed Projects - Cover Crops, Perennials, or Vegetative Cover

Project Title	Recipient	Funds Awarded ($)	MDA Project Manager
Dual-purpose cover crops and onsite retention of water and nutrients	Frank Forcella - University of Minnesota	266,156	Luke Stuewe
Improvement of field pennycress germplasm for use as a winter annual cover and oilseed crop	James Anderson - University of Minnesota	215,930	Jeff Berg
Water quality enhancements in corn cropping systems through optimization of cover crop establishment technologies	M. Scott Wells - University of Minnesota	243,910	Heidi Peterson
Optimizing establishment of corn in cover crops and living mulches to maintain yield while reducing nitrate losses	Julie Grossman - University of Minnesota	232,244	Heidi Peterson
Winter Rye Best Management Practices to Reduce Loads of Sediment and Nutrient to Minnesota Surface Waters	Multiple Researchers - University of Minnesota	249,008	Bob Patton and Mark Zumwinkle

Completed Projects - Phosphorus, Nitrogen, or Sediment

Project Title	Recipient	Funds Awarded ($)	MDA Project Manager
Measuring and modeling watershed phosphorus loss and transport for improved management of agricultural landscapes	Jacques Finlay - University of Minnesota	297,419	Luke Stuewe
Assessment of rate and timing of phosphorus application in corn-soybean rotations on the potential for phosphorus loss to surface waters and tile	Daniel Kaiser - University of Minnesota	224,773	Jeppe Kjaersgaard
Comparison of real-time N stress sensors and remote sensing from unmanned aerial vehicles for precision management of N fertilizer and improvement of water quality	David Mulla - University of Minnesota	448,953	Jeppe Kjaersgaard
An Integrated Sediment Budget for the Root River, Southeastern Minnesota	Patrick Belmont - Utah State University	227,658	Kevin Kuehner
Sediment Budget for Greater Blue Earth Basin and its Response to Changes in Drainage and River Discharge	Karen Gran - University of Minnesota-Duluth	180,000	Heidi Peterson
Tracing Sediment Sources with Meteoric 10Be: Linking Erosion and the Hydrograph	Patrick Belmont - Utah State University	65,298	Adam Birr

Completed Projects - Conservation Practices

Project Title	Recipient	Funds Awarded ($)	MDA Project Manager
Agricultural Best Management Practices (BMP) Handbook for Minnesota Update	Chris Lenhart - University of Minnesota	65,600	Heidi Peterson
Nutrient Removal in Agricultural Drainage Ditches	Jeff Strock - Southwest Research and Outreach Center University of Minnesota	404,112	Heather Johnson
Controlled Drainage and Bioreactor- Research and Demonstration Site	Kathy Smith - Martin County SWCD	119,396	Heidi Peterson
Evaluation of Nutrient Retention Basins for Treating Drainage from Agricultural Landscapes	Jeff Strock - Southwest Research and Outreach Center University of Minnesota	183,910	Mark Dittrich
Field Evaluation of Controlled Drainage and Woodchip Bioreactors in Reducing Contaminant Losses from Farmed Fields	John Moncrief - University of Minnesota	237,760	Mark Dittrich
On-Farm Evaluation of Treatment Methods for Excess Nutrients in Agricultural Subsurface Tile Drainage	Dean Current - University of Minnesota (CINRAM)	312,248	Heidi Peterson
The Agricultural BMP Handbook for Minnesota	Joel Peterson and Tom Miller - Emmons & Oliver Resources, Inc.	94,500	Adam Birr

Completed Projects - Conservation Planning

Project Title	Recipient	Funds Awarded ($)	MDA Project Manager
Ag BMP Assessment and Tracking Tool	Stephanie Johnson - Houston Engineering Inc.	102,466	Adam Birr
Assessment and Selection of Sentinel Watersheds for Addressing Impaired Waters	Bruce Wilson and John Neiber - University of Minnesota	106,125	Heather Johnson
Evaluation of Best Management Practices in Impaired Watershed using the SWAT Model	David Mulla - University of Minnesota	160,000	Adam Birr
Identifying Priority Management Zones for Best Management Practice Implementation in Impaired Watersheds	Greg Wilson - Barr Engineering	571,719	Heidi Peterson
Priority Setting for Restoration in Sentinel Watersheds	Chris Lenhart - University of Minnesota	288,650	Heidi Peterson
Targeting Best Management Practices to Critical Portions of the Landscape	David Mulla - University of Minnesota	95,000	Adam Birr and Barbara Weisman
Validation of the Minnesota Feedlot Assessment Runoff Model (MinnFARM) for use in Assessing TMDLs	Bruce Wilson - University of Minnesota	67,700	Rob Sip

Completed Projects - Water Quality Sampling

Project Title	Recipient	Funds Awarded ($)	MDA Project Manager
Evaluation of Acetochlor Losses to Tile Drainage	Gyles Randall - University of Minnesota	30,000	Ron Struss
Evaluation of Alternative Surface-Water Monitoring Protocols for Use in Agricultural TMDL Load Allocation and BMP Evaluation	Dennis Busch - University of Wisconsin - Platteville	32,300	Adam Birr
Feasibility of an On-Farm Water Quality Program in Minnesota	Jim Anderson - University of Minnesota Water Resources Center	48,500	Bruce Montgomery

Completed Projects - Microbiology

Project Title	Recipient	Funds Awarded ($)	MDA Project Manager
Optimizing Woodchip Bioreactors to Reduce Nitrogen and Phosphorus in Subsurface Drainage Water	Carl Rosen - University of Minnesota	200,000	Jeppe Kjaersgaard
Analyzing and Optimizing Denitrification in Agricultural Surface Waters	Jessica Kozarek - St. Anthony Falls Laboratory University of Minnesota	396,935	Heidi Peterson
Developing a DNA Marker for Bacteria from Cattle, Swine, and Poultry Manure	Michael Sadowsky - University of Minnesota	240,000	Adam Birr
Growth, Survival and Genetic Structure of E. Coli found in Ditch Sediment and Water at the Seven Mile Creek Watershed	Michael Sadowsky - University of Minnesota	192,804	Adam Birr

Learn More

Clean Water Research Program