Mississippi River Basin Water Resource Weekly News

~Most of the Water News - None of the Spin~

Nitrate in the Mississippi River Basin Surface Waters Now Tracked and Accessible in Real Time 

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) now makes nitrate water concentration information available from select Mississippi River Basin stations, and from a total of 86 sites nationwide.  Within the Mississippi River Basin, nitrate remote monitoring stations have been set up at several main stem and large tributary locations, and at other locations throughout the River Basin.  USGS recently used the remote monitoring data from the Mississippi River at Baton Rouge, Louisiana to evaluate nitrate loading model performance compared to loads actually measured in the lower River.  They summarized those results in this article, appearing in the November 4 issue of Environmental Science and Technology.  You can read more detail about this technology advancement here.

December 3 Deadline to Submit Proposed WRRDA Flood Protection, Navigation and Ecosystem Restoration Projects

Among other things, the 2014 Water Resources Reform and Development Act ("WRRDA") authorized a process for approving and potentially funding flood protection, navigation and ecosystem restoration projects related to the nation’s aging waterways' system. Title V subtitle C of WRRDA, the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (or "WIFIA") provides financial support for infrastructure and related costs, public-private funding initiatives and other innovative credit arrangements, and authorized federal grants to help fund pilot projects.  The Army Corps of Engineers is currently accepting proposals from non-federal entities for feasibility studies and modifications to authorized water resources development projects.  Proposals will be accepted through December 3. In February 2015, the Corps will publish an Annual Report to Congress listing proposed projects, which then may advance to be authorized and funded by Congress.  To find out more, see this blog post and this Federal Register notice.

How the U.S. Mid-Term Elections Turned Out in the Mississippi River Basin

The nation's long electoral marathon is over, a minority of the voting population having spoken. Those voting gave control of the U.S. Senate to Republicans, while the Republican majority in the House grew (presently, a handful of House races, two Senate races and one Governor's race are too close to call).  Here is a link to our overview of the Congressional and gubernatorial election results in the Mississippi River states, and a snapshot of key races elsewhere in the River Basin.  There you will note there that some senior GOP Senators from the Mississippi River Basin now poised to chair several key, water-related Committees in the next Congress.

Noteworthy @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week  

Water Quality -

• USGS Environmental Science and Technology article on tracking nitrate loading downriver to the Gulf of Mexico ow.ly/DVFr5 (also see summary, above)
• USGS now makes available nitrate levels at select Mississippi River Basin stations and 86 sites nationwide ow.ly/DVGJy
• Six years after a Tennessee coal ash spill, and following a lawsuit and court order, federal coal ash regulations are closer to reality http://ow.ly/DJ7AS
• DTN's "Web of Water" series looks at some of the concerns farmers have about Waters of the U.S. rule (article #1) http://ow.ly/DNbmm; (article #2) http://ow.ly/DRQVx; (article #3) http://ow.ly/DXN2X and (article #4) http://ow.ly/DXMOO
• Nutrient Pollution: A Persistent Threat to Waterways; Environ Health Perspect; DOI:10.1289/ ehp.122-A304 http://ow.ly/DJ8wz
• Montana Department of Environmental Quality report: Majority of Montana’s waters impaired http://ow.ly/DJ9Et
• West Virginia DEP: September drilling accident contaminated groundwater in Doddridge County http://ow.ly/DOCrT
• Company settles with EPA; will pay penalty, restore streams damaged by dredged or fill material in West Virginia http://ow.ly/DRUaV

Water Resource Management (Floodplains, Dams, Navigation, Wetlands, Flooding, Supplies, etc.) -

• December 3 Deadline for Parties to Submit Proposed Flood Protection, Navigation and Ecosystem Restoration Projects http://ow.ly/DUNbU
• U.S. Geological Survey: Water use across the U.S. drops to the lowest level in 45 years http://ow.ly/DUO5c
• Battle lines drawn in what likely will be a West vs. East fight over using Missouri River water in Kansas http://ow.ly/DJgGC
• Dakota County, Minnesota intends to update old dam http://ow.ly/DOAVd
• Will influence the future of Mississippi River navigation: Uncertainties Surround Nicaragua's New Waterway Project http://ow.ly/DVanZ

Agriculture -

• Special Annals of Applied Biology issue: Crop Nitrogen Use Efficiency Virtual Issue - September 2014 http://ow.ly/DXI1F
• USDA announces proposed changes to its Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), seeks public comments http://ow.ly/DRXEc  Also see: http://ow.ly/DUFYa (E and E article and related NSAC blog post)
• Agriculture shapes the Mississippi River Basin, and these micro and macro trend shifts will shape agriculture http://ow.ly/DN8uF
• USDA's Conservation Reserve Program enrollment plunges to 7-year low as corn acreage expands http://ow.ly/DODZT
• Worst rail delays in more than a decade are impeding crop shipments in the Midwest, sending grain prices up sharply http://ow.ly/DNalH
• With over 12,500 acres growing the squash cultivar, Illinois growers account for over 75% of all U.S. pumpkins harvested for processing http://ow.ly/DJ2br
• Organizations and universities announce creation of the Task Force on Antibiotic Resistance in Production Agriculture http://ow.ly/DUY1z
• Opponents of proposed Callaway Co., MO confined animal feeding operation cite possible health, environmental effects http://ow.ly/DVcon

Climate and Weather -

• US drought update: dryness continues across Minnesota, Arkansas and northwest Louisiana; recent rains ameliorate Missouri dryness http://ow.ly/wmTdv
• NOAA Climate Prediction Center drought outlook for November: south-central Plains and Ohio Valley should see ample rains http://ow.ly/q3yAx
• UN's IPCC: rapid carbon emission cuts vital to stop severe impact of climate change http://ow.ly/DIWgS
• Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.): IPCC climate change report is ‘extreme’ and would ‘cripple’ global economy http://ow.ly/DRRuV
• Climate change an opportunity for Iowa farmers http://ow.ly/DOC0N

In the Cities -

• Memphis leadership is standing their ground in face of opposition to improved biking and walking infrastructure http://ow.ly/DRGse
• New Brookings Institution interactives show trade flows of goods among 75 largest U.S. markets and 25 largest global markets, Including Mississippi River port cities http://ow.ly/DUVvU

In the States-

• North Dakota voters soundly defeated a measure Tuesday that would have set aside oil and gas tax revenue for land conservation efforts http://ow.ly/DS0AO
• Across the country, Republicans will control 68 of 98 partisan state legislatures next year http://ow.ly/DVhQQ

Gulf Coastal Region-

• U. S. EPA’s Gulf of Mexico Program partnership accepting nominations for the 2015 Gulf Guardian award http://ow.ly/DJkb7
• Levee authority, two oil companies release copy of $50,000 wetland damage lawsuit settlement agreement http://ow.ly/DOBBu

Forestry -

• 88-foot, 13,000-pound, 2014 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree cut from Chippewa National Forest in north central Minnesota http://ow.ly/DJf7b

Resource Development -

• University of Wisconsin, Madison scientists discover new way to break down woody waste left after plant-based fuel manufacture http://ow.ly/DOEOr
• Republicans will have the Senate votes in 2015 to green-light construction of the controversial Keystone XL pipeline http://ow.ly/DRLeF
• Falling oil prices make fracking for oil less lucrative http://ow.ly/DRX72
• Louisiana added 225 jobs in the biofuels industry during the third quarter http://ow.ly/DXZkL

Federal Budget -

• Work is already underway on an omnibus government funding bill for the lame duck session of Congress beginning November 12 http://ow.ly/DIY0I

Events - Information on all past and future events listed here each week can be viewed in the on-line calendar, located above and to the right (and here as a stand-alone calendar)

• EPA and USDA Public Listening Sessions on Pollinator Strategy; November 12 and 17, Washington, D.C. area http://ow.ly/DUOwC
• 2014 National Clean Water Law Seminar: conference focused on municipal clean water legal, regulatory challenges, Nov. 19-21, St. Petersburg, FL http://ow.ly/DJ4yk
• Save the date: December 11 December 9 (date change) Great Waters Webinar: "Time to End the Slime – Addressing Nutrient Pollution" 3 PM EST http://ow.ly/DXJAc
• Society for Ecological Restoration Midwest-Great Lakes Annual Chapter Meeting, March 27-29, 2015, Chicago, Illinois http://ow.ly/DJaDp
• 4th Biennial Symposium of the International Society for River Science, La Crosse, Wisconsin, August 23–28, 2015 http://ow.ly/DRMbQ

e-Newsletters, Publications, Journals, Multimedia  -

• Green Lands Blue Waters update highlighting Mississippi River Basin continuous living cover on agricultural land http://ow.ly/DN98L
• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's Feedlot Update - Nov. 5, 2014 http://ow.ly/DUC4d
• Water Environment Federation November Stormwater Report - ow.ly/DVEso
• Ohio Wetlands Association's November newsletter ow.ly/DVDme
• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's Waterfront Bulletin for November 2014 ow.ly/DVlMl
• NW PAssages E-Zine ~ November 2014; Exploring Greenways and Recreational activities in Northwest Pennsylvania http://ow.ly/DXIuf
• Montana Watershed Coordination Council's Watershed News, November 6 http://ow.ly/DXIKw
• Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy November 5 TUWaterWays e-newsletter http://ow.ly/DXNAq

Other news-

• U.S. House plans votes on 2 bills to increase transparency in scientific process behind environmental rules http://ow.ly/DXNnt
• Position Announcement: University of Minnesota Extension - Aquatic Invasive Species Extension Educator http://ow.ly/DKbhC
• Geological anomolies in landscape may have been caused by meteorites at Jeptha Knob in Kentucky and in the middle of Tennessee http://ow.ly/DKsHC

Politics and People-

• Earl Emmitt Everett, Democrat in race for U.S. House seat in eastern Oklahoma, dies from car accident injuries http://ow.ly/DODsf
• President chooses Kentucky's Lieutenant Governor Jerry Abramson as liaison to state and local governments ow.ly/DVN4R
• Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) won't be announcing any plans to leave Congress soon, despite a flurry of speculation http://ow.ly/DQWRL
• Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: no matter who wins Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, Pennsylvania's prognosis is bleak ow.ly/DJLqS

Mid-term Elections

Women in Congress over time
(click to enlarge)

• Next year there will be 100 women in Congress for the first time http://ow.ly/DROxv (graphics to the right)
• Here is the Freshman class of the 114th Congress http://ow.ly/DUCQP
• Here is a list of potential GOP Senate Committee chairmen or chairwomen likely to take the gavel in the 114th Congress http://ow.ly/DRKCw
• Anticipating House and Senate committee changes in the 114th Congress http://ow.ly/DUOWy
• The Big picture - control of the House and Senate by-the-numbers http://ow.ly/DQXlC
• U.S. Senate Election Results (interactive map): http://ow.ly/DQYjm
• U.S. House Election Results (interactive map): http://ow.ly/DQYyL
• 2014 Governor Election Results (interactive map): http://ow.ly/DQYJm

Your Moment of Zen -

Gray Fox