Managing for Water Sustainability - talk from April 4, 2022

Minnesota is a state famous for its water resources, yet there are problems.  Conflicting demands are lowering groundwater levels, impacting wetlands and trout streams.  The Minnesota DNR is using an approach that brings together local interests to find solutions that fit for the area.   On  April 4, 2022, Jason Moeckel, Manager of the Inventory, Monitoring and Analysis Section of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources spoke to LWV UMRR on managing for water sustainability.  ​

“In the urgency room you get a little bit more time to analyze the situation, you do a little bit of triage, try to figure out where to focus your resources,”  Moeckel says.  Minnesota is at the 'urgency' stage of water use conflicts.  Our concern as LWV UMRR is water sustainability and what policy choices can be made to better manage the resources we have.  These problems face all the states in the Upper Mississippi basin, and are compounded by contamination that makes the water unusable. 

In this meeting we examined Minnesota's approaches to sustainable water management, the successes and areas where more work is needed.  Water diversions  are another concern, such as the proposed "Water Train" that was averted in Minnesota.  Jaon's talk address these outside threats as well as the everyday threats to water sustainability.​

Minnesota is using a combination of approaches in the areas where water conflicts occur.  These are documented on the DNR website at this link.  The report, "Definitions and Thresholds for Negative Impacts to Surface Waters", set the basis and makes excellent reading!    This report examines the hydrologic linkages between surface and ground water, and how both must be managed together to achieve water sustainability.    

Water Scarcity in the News: 
Here are some recent articles from around our region:

Even in water-rich Michigan, no guarantee of water for all:  
https://www.startribune.com/even-in-water-rich-michigan-no-guarantee-of-enough-for-all/600150817/

Iowa sand mining company abandons appeal to export Iowa groundwater:
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/2021/11/24/fracking-sand-mining-company-abandons-appeal-export-iowa-groundwater/8747390002/

Just 50 miles from Lake Michigan, groundwater is running out:
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/environment/ct-illinois-water-supply-lake-michigan-aquifers-20210226-27j6lwnyjndjhg4ux5ek42qcxu-story.html​  (This is an excellent article with a lot of information on groundwater in Chicagoland.)

Citing drought, US won't give water to California farmers:
​https://www.startribune.com/citing-drought-us-wont-give-water-to-california-farmers/600149788/

Drastic water use changes proposed to steady White Bear Lake levels:
​https://www.startribune.com/drastic-water-use-changes-proposed-to-steady-white-bear-lake-levels/600148582/

State leaders have the power to help families with polluted wells:
​stevenspoint.news/2021/10/23/state-leaders-have-the-power-to-help-families-with-polluted-wells/

You pray for rain...
​https://www.mprnews.org/story/2021/08/03/you-pray-for-rain-low-rivers-stressing-irrigators-recreationists-and-potentially-critters