Lower Mississippi River Sub-Basin Committee on Gulf Hypoxia
Sub-Basin Committee Mission Statement
Lower Mississippi River Sub-basin Nutrient Reduction Strategies (PDF) (39 pp, 575K, about PDF)
Action Plan for Reducing, Controlling, and Mitigating Hypoxia in the Northern Gulf of Mexico (PDF) (36 pp, about PDF)
Symposium: "Nutrient Loading & Removal in the Lower Mississippi River," June 1-2, 2006.
Steering Committee
Supporting Member
Agriculture Coalition for the Environment
Focus Watersheds
At its initial meeting in February 2003, the LMR SBC decided that each state would select a focus watershed project as part of the sub-basin committee workplan. Due to lack of funding for new projects at that time, these selections were made from projects already underway, following a list of suggested criteria. These included the use of widely applicable BMPs and the existence of available baseline data for the project. The projects each focus on a diverse problem affecting nutrient loss and runoff, including drainage, erosion, sedimentation, and wetland loss.
The LMRSBC states selected the following Focus Watershed Projects:
- Arkansas - Bayou Bartholomew
- Louisiana - Cabin Teele
- Louisiana - Coulee Baton
- Mississippi - Lake Washington
- Missouri - St. Francis River
- Tennessee - Dry Creek Watershed/Hatchie River
2005 Activity Summaries
Bayou Bartholomew:
A nine-element watershed plan, which will help prioritize and direct funding to 12-digit watersheds within the drainage basin, has been submitted to EPA for review; Arkansas Natural Resources Commission, USGS, Arkansas DEQ, Louisiana DEQ.
Cabin Teele:
The USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) completed GIS mapping of the watershed, along with compilation of crop, field, and fertlizer information for the past ten years; collection of background data is beginning. LSU Agriculture Center and School of the Coast & Environment applied for a USDA CSREES grant in March (declined).
Coulee Baton (Vermillion Basin):
Adopted as a new micro-watershed project by USDA NRCS and Industry-Led Solutions, following model developed by the Texas Institute for Applied Environmental Research (TIAER); formed a monitoring group to focus on the major impacts in the watershed (residential, pasture, rice, sugar cane); this watershed was impacted by Hurricane Rita in September.
Lake Washington:
MS Department of Environmental Quality continued monthly nutrient monitoring (begun in November 2002); completed a Water Quality Assessment, formation of Water Implementation Team, and development of Watershed Implementation Plan; and engaged in ongoing education and outreach efforts with stakeholders.
St. Francis River:
NRCS and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources worked with local landowners on timing of fertilizer application and irrigation; work continued on 319 projects in the watershed; the St. Francis River was selected as a USDA CEAP watershed. (Missouri also selected the North Fork of the Salt River as a focus watershed for the Upper Mississippi River Basin.)
Dry Creek Watershed/Lower Hatchie River:
TN Department of Agriculture formed the Hatchie River Alliance with local and state partners (TN Dept. of Environment & Conservation, Nature Conservancy, Chickasaw-Shiloh Resource Conservation & Development, W. TN River Basin Authority, University of Tennessee Knoxville, UTK Ag Extension Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, other cooperating agencies and organizations). Ongoing stakeholder education and an increased focus on small tributaries were main actions in 2005.
Lower Mississippi River Sub-basin Activities
Programs and Projects that are contributing to reduction of nutrient loading to the Mississippi River and Hypoxia in the Gulf
Listed by State: Arkansas | Louisiana | Mississippi | Missouri | Tennessee
Arkansas
Agricultural Conservation & Management Programs:
Lower Arkansas River Watershed
Potash & Phosphate Institute
"Best Management Practices for Fertilizer: Cotton"
Fertilizer BMPs for Midsouth Cotton
Tributary Watersheds
Arkansas Watershed Advisory Group
The Nature Conservancy - Benson Creek-Bayou DeView
Buffalo National River Watershed Partnerships:
Improving Swine Waste Management/Local Watershed Assistance to Dairy Farmers
Section 319 Success Stories III
Illinois River Watershed Partnership
White River Basin Project
Fact Sheet; Landscape Atlas of Ecological Vulnerability U.S. EPA - Landscape Ecology (2 pp, 1.6MB, about PDF)
Habitat Conservation, Protection, and Restoration
"Present and Proposed Conservation Efforts in the Active Floodplain of the Lower Mississippi River: Arkansas" - Summary Map
Lower Mississippi River Conservation Initiative
Lower Mississippi River Conservation Committee
Arkansas Wetland Reserve Program
Ducks Unlimited Arkansas Habitat Projects in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley
Fourche Creek Watershed, (PDF) (22 pp, 476K, about PDF)
The Fourche Creek Wetlands Non-point Pollution and Threats
Research and Scientific Studies:
"An Ecological and Habitat Vulnerability Assessment of Arkansas' White River Basin"
R. Lopez, D. Heggem, US EPA
EPA/600/R01/040
May 2001
EPA Office of Research and Development
Louisiana
Agricultural Conservation & Management Programs
Flat River and Red Chute Bayou Watersheds
Bayou Plaquemine Brule
Bayou Queue de Tortue Watershed
Section 319 Success Stories III
Louisiana Master Farmer Program
Louisiana State University Agriculture Center
Habitat Conservation, Protection, and Restoration
Bayou Pierre Carbon Offset Project
BAYOU PIERRE CARBON OFFSET PROJECT (PDF) (2 pp, 88K, about PDF)
Caernarvon Freshwater Diversion Project
Ducks Unlimited: Map of Wetland Restoration Projects in Louisiana (JPEG)
Major Municipalities
Baton Rouge Consolidated Sewer District
Research & Scientific Studies
Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries
Offshore Hypoxia Monitoring Project
USDA Agricultural Research Service Soil & Water Research Unit,
Louisiana State Univeristy, Baton Rouge
http://www.ars.usda.gov/main/site_main.htm?modecode=64-13-00-00
Tributary Watersheds
Ouachita River Basin
http://www.wlf.state.la.us/pdfs/experience/Ouachita.pdf (4 pp, about PDF)
Red River
Conservation Habitats & Species Assessments
LA-CWCS-Dec 2005
http://www.wlf.state.la.us/pdfs/experience/Red.pdf (4 pp, about PDF)
Mississippi
Agricultural Conservation & Management Programs
USDA Conservation Security Program Watersheds
2005 CSP Watershed - Lower Big Black River
http://www.ms.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/
Habitat Conservation, Protection, and Restoration
"Present and Proposed Conservation Efforts in the Active Floodplain of the Lower Mississippi River: Mississippi" - Summary Map
Lower Mississippi River Conservation Initiative
Lower Mississippi River Conservation Committee
http://www.lmrcc.org/MRCI.htm
Ducks Unlimited Mississippi Habitat Projects in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley
http://www.ducks.org/Page1666.aspx
Wetlands Reserve Program - Mississippi
http://www.ms.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/MSWetlandsReserveProgram.html
Research & Scientific Studies:
ARS Papers"Nutrient Through Flow, Deposition and Assimilation in Agricultural Drainage Ditches:
When and How Do Nutrients Move?"
Society of Wetland Scientists, 11/30/05
Authors: Kroger, R.; Holland, M. University of Mississippi; Cooper, C.; Moore, M., ARS
http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?seq_no_115=185872
"A Comprehensive Stream-Riparian Corridor Model to Study the Impact of Riparian Buffers on Channel and Edge-of-Field Processes: Simulation of Streambank Hydrology"
Federal Interagency Hydrologic Modeling Conference, 10/15/05
Authors: Langendoen, E.; Simon, A.; Pollen, N.; Williams, R.; Lowrance, R.
http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?seq_no_115=186415
Bogue Phalia Watershed - Fact Sheet 2005-3050
May 2005
Contacts: R.Coupe (rhcoupe@usgs.gov), P. Capel (capel@usgs.gov)
http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2005/3050
"Streamflow and Nutrient Data for the Yazoo River Below Steele Bayou Near Long Lake, Miss., 1996-2000"
Runner, Turnipseed, Coupe, USGS
Water-Resources Investigations Report 02-4215; 9/02
http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/
Yazoo River Basin Hydrologic Observatory (Proposal)
http://www.olemiss.edu/sciencenet/Yazoo/poster/YazooHOPoster_V05_quarter_size.pdf (1 pg, 8MB, about PDF)
Tributary Watersheds
Big Black River Basin Watershed Management
MS Department of Environmental Quality
http://www.deq.state.ms.us/mdeq.nsf/page/WMB_Big_Black_River_Basin
Yazoo Joint Water Management District
129, Stoneville, MS 38776
(662)-686-7712
http://www.ymd.org
Missouri
Agicultural Conservation & Management Programs
< !-- #EndLibraryItem -- >-->Habitat Conservation, Protection, and Restoration
"Present and Proposed Conservation Efforts in the Active Floodplain of the Lower Mississippi River: Missouri" - Summary Map
Lower Mississippi River Conservation Initiative
Lower Mississippi River Conservation Committee
http://www.lmrcc.org/MRCI.htm
Ducks Unlimited Missouri Bootheel Partners Program
http://www.ducks.org/Missouri/MissouriConservation/1460/MissouriBootheelPartnersProgram.html
Ducks Unlimited Missouri Habitat Projects in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley
Major Municipalities
Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD)
Lower Meramec River Wastewater Treatment Plant/Meramec River Wetland Demonstration Project
Research & Scientific Studies
Tributary Watersheds
Tennessee
Agricultural Conservation & Management Programs
Effects of Agricultural Practices on Water Quality in West Tennessee
USGS Tennessee Fact Sheet
Habitat Conservation, Protection, and Restoration
Ducks Unlimited Tennessee Habitat Projects in Mississippi Alluvial Valley
Hatchie River Preserve
William B. Clark Conservation Area
The Nature Conservancy
Lower Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge
Major Municipalities
Tennessee Water Sentinels, Memphis, TN
Research & Scientific Studies
Tributary Watersheds
Sub-basin Committee Meetings
- Meeting Notes, Vicksburg, MS, September 19, 2006
- Meeting Notes, New Orleans, LA, May 31, 2006
- Meeting Notes & Presentations, Memphis, TN, December 2, 2005
- Meeting Summary & Presentations, Tunica, MS, June 13, 2005
- Meeting Notes, Memphis, TN, November 3-4, 2004
- Meeting Notes, Baton Rouge, LA, March 16, 2004