Mississippi River Water Resource News for the Week

UMRCC Directory of Resource Managers in the Upper Mississippi River Basin

The Updated 2010 issue of the Upper Mississippi River Conservation Committee's (UMRCC) Directory of Resource Managers in the Upper Mississippi River Basin is now available to download from the UMRCC home page.  This extensive (fifty-page) and broad-ranging resource includes up-to-date contact information for Upper Mississippi River Basin stakeholders from the federal and state government, scientific, education and NGO communities, and is a valuable River Basin reference to keep handy on your computer.  You can view the UMRCC home page and link to the Directory here, or download the Directory as a pdf file, directly here. 

Effects of Emerging Contaminants on River Basin Walleye

A new study by researchers at St. Cloud State University has found that, while walleye in the Mississippi River are consistently exposed to emerging contaminants such as pharmaceuticals, those chemicals are apparently not affecting reproduction of the sport fish. Read more on the study at this Minnesota Public Radio site.

Conservation Reserve Program Land Sign-up Deadline Nears
Time is running out for landowners to sign their land up to be enrolled in USDA's Conservation Reserve Program ("CRP") in what is the first CRP sign-up in four years.  CRP is a voluntary program that assists farmers, ranchers and other agricultural producers to use their environmentally sensitive land for conservation benefits.  Producers enrolling in CRP plant long-term, resource-conserving covers in exchange for rental payments, cost-share and technical assistance.  The sign-up deadline is August 27.  Read more details here.

Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week:
USFS- Ecosystem services at risk from suburban development http://bit.ly/ap6rta
Damaged ecosystems amplify adverse impact of floods http://bit.ly/9Omh4z 
Scientists: Greenland Ice Sheet Faces 'Tipping Point in 10 Years' ~ New Orleans goes under in that scenario http://bit.ly/9maGGZ
Mississippi River levees need work to defend against 100-year storm surge http://bit.ly/abGxgv
EPA approves revised IA water quality standards & verifies designated uses for 64 IA water body segments http://bit.ly/aFTjox
MN Pollution Control Agency approves new TMDL for Lower Minnesota River re: Low Dissolved Oxygen http://bit.ly/bFJmr9 
Southern IL U gets DNR contract to study establishing new fishery to harvest & market invasive Asian Carp http://bit.ly/bISVqC
Indiana angler exploring Wabash River encounters hundreds of Asian carp http://bit.ly/ar8lPL
Kaskaskia River Watershed Showcase scheduled for Aug. 26 in Arthur IL http://bit.ly/bre532
‘Last remaining farm’ in Bloomington MN near Mall of America purchased http://bit.ly/bNWeFy
A new conservation vision for Lower Kickapoo River Valley (tributary to Wisconsin River) http://bit.ly/aUokJZ
Federal court order could stop farmers from planting Roundup Ready sugar beets next spring http://bit.ly/csOghK (pdf file)
EPA continues to clamp down on small & medium-sized cattle feeding operations for Clean Water Act violations http://bit.ly/9WXh0s
Unusual weather across Midwest setting wetness & heat records & impacting farming http://bit.ly/cDqZC4
Researchers compare children's hospital visits & rainfall in WI & find link w/ sewage/waterborne disease http://bit.ly/dvvqxV
Zebra mussels in Lake Minnetonka (MN) are here to stay http://bit.ly/9VNC11
Proposed slaughterhouse in East Moline IL environmentally controversial in Quad Cities http://bit.ly/9cjJCI
Opponents request delay of Supervisors’ vote on hog farm expansion proposed near Eldridge, IA http://bit.ly/cBDM1S
Consumers like farmers but have doubts about large-scale farming practices; IL farmers respond with PR push http://bit.ly/9UKPkr
IA Citizens for Community Improvement calls for strong rules to protect IA waterways from CAFOs http://bit.ly/9jCG1T
Army Corps Of Engineers In US history; oldest & largest engineering organization but also most controversial http://bit.ly/ddspkF
RT @agville: [MN] Farmers offer their thoughts on the 2012 farm bill http://bit.ly/cQrPKO
Washington U in St. Louis: Invasive species enable other species to disrupt environment http://tinyurl.com/2c82qrd
The link between anglers and the invasive didymo alga http://nyti.ms/aID7Rt
RT @EDF_Louisiana: New York Times editorial: Restoring the Gulf http://nyti.ms/caTntM #oilspill [the crisis is not over]
RT @River_Restore: Enhance value of rural & wide open land while preserving natural resources – "Field Sport Concept" http://conta.cc/dpFx02
Minnesota-Wisconsin Invasive Species Conference 2010 registration open http://bit.ly/b4bQPb November 8-10, 2010
St Paul MN planners seeking public comment on how best to use the land along Mississippi River http://bit.ly/a2pGfb & http://bit.ly/ccY3m8
Gulf of Mexico life exhibit returns to National Mississippi River and Aquarium in Dubuque http://bit.ly/a69hBM
Study: Controlling urban growth & increasing forestland most effective ways to decrease runoff & flooding http://bit.ly/aWD6tS