Tag Archives: Water Quality

29Jul/24

Farmers and an extension educator standing in a farm field talking

Nebraska Extension Educator Focuses on the Connection between Water Quality and Health

July 29, 2024Public health, Water, Water Quality

Laura Nagengast grew up on a farm outside Bloomfield, Nebraska, a small farming community with a population of about 1,000 people. Surrounded by corn fields and livestock, as just a young girl Laura developed a strong interest in the environment and conservation practices. Little did she know her early years were so formative they would end up shaping her career. After high school, Laura attended college at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, where she studied Anthropology and Women Studies. She then advanced to graduate studies at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), obtaining a Master’s of Public Health degree. During her time at UNMC, Laura worked as a graduate assistant for the Water, Climate, and Health Program.

26Jun/24

A man kneeling in front of a well head collecting water

New Kansas State University partnership works to help locals know their water

June 26, 2024drinking water, Extension, private well water, Water Quality

Over 43 million people nationwide depend on private wells for drinking water. Kansas follows that trend, with more than 151,000 people sourcing drinking water from domestic private wells, according to the Kansas Geological Survey. Most citizens tout their well water as fresher and cleaner than chemically treated water from municipal water systems.

However, thinking your well water tastes better is very different than knowing your water is safe for consumption, according to Stacie Minson, an extension watershed specialist with the Kansas Center for Agricultural Resources and the Environment (KCARE) at Kansas State University.

05Jun/24

Man sitting in grass with a dog in front of a barn

Seven Recipients of Good Idea Mini-Grants to Implement Edge-of-Field Practices on Midwest Farms and Share Their Stories

June 5, 2024Agriculture, Conservation, farmer leadership, Water Quality

Seven teams of farmers and farm advisors have been awarded funding from Good Idea Mini-Grants, a program to encourage the implementation of edge-of-field conservation practices on farming operations in the Mississippi River Basin. Selected from amongRead More…

22Dec/23

Ohio Water Resources Center works with collaborators to help provide resources and eliminate misinformation in the face of East Palestine train derailment

December 22, 2023East Palestine, Emerging Contaminants, Extension, Water, Water Quality

The Ohio Water Resources Center is the federally authorized Water Resources Research Institute for Ohio. Components of our mission are (1) to enable and conduct state-relevant water-related research, (2) foster collaboration among academic investigators, governmental bodies, and water professionals, (3) train the next generation of water scientists, and (4) to educate the public on water resources.

28Jun/23

Ron talking to farmers in front of a corn field

Making a Difference for Kansas Water Quality

June 28, 2023Agriculture, Conservation, Extension, Soil Health, Water Quality, watershed management

Some of us measure a career in terms of years. Ron Graber, extension watershed specialist for Kansas State University, uses a whole different yardstick.

“When we start a career, we hope to make a difference,” said Graber. For him, that success is measured in innovative partnerships, successful management strategies, and improved water quality.

27Apr/23

Visual illustration of the nitrogen cycle

New Whitepaper Explores the Connection between Soil Health and Water Quality

April 27, 2023Extension, graphics, Soil Health, Water Quality

The Soil Health Nexus is excited to debut two new resources on the Soil Health Toolbox. Two Soil Health Nexus members, Francisco Arriaga, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Anna Cates, State Soil Health Specialist at the University of Minnesota, recently published a long-awaited whitepaper exploring the connection between soil health and water quality.

“While there has been a lot of work linking farm management practices with soil health or water quality, few have looked at the connection to both soil and water quality,” notes Cates. “Generally, management systems that lead to better soil health result in decreased risk to water quality, but that is not the case in all conditions or for all management systems. What works in one field for both soil health and water quality might not be the best option for another field. This whitepaper explores those intricacies so educators can better recognize and communicate when the relationship isn’t positively correlated.”

28Mar/23

People looking at a plant identifying different species

New Center offers Programs to Encourage Stewardship of Freshwater Lakes and Streams

March 28, 2023aquatic invasive species, Lakes, volunteer monitoring, Water Quality, watershed management

A new center focusing on Extension and research activities in the conservation and stewardship of Michigan’s lakes and streams is being developed by water professionals and Extension educators at Michigan State University. The Center for Lakes and Streams will consolidate the many programs MSU Extension and its partners offer to residents and user groups throughout the state and work with campus faculty and specialists, state agencies, other Universities, decision makers, agricultural producers and nonprofit, community, and riparian organizations to provide the most current information on the state of Michigan’s inland waters.

28Dec/22

Aerial shot of a marina on the show of Lake Erie.

Embracing Clean Water One Marina at a Time

December 28, 2022clean water, coastal resilience, green infrastructure, marina, Water Quality

What mental image comes to mind when you think of boating in Ohio? Perhaps it is sailing and powerboating on the shores of Lake Erie, or jet skiing on Alum Creek Lake outside Columbus, or maybeRead More…

29Nov/22

Rebecca North and students water sampling in summer 2023

Uncovering the mysteries of cyanobacteria in inland lakes

November 29, 2022climate, cyanobacteria, harmful algal blooms, Water Quality

Rebecca North grew up on the shores of the Bay of Quinte in Belleville Ontario, a picturesque location off the coast of Lake Ontario. Known as the ‘heart of the sea and the river’ it has reputation for sailing, walleye fishing, and harmful algal blooms or HABs. “I grew up swimming in the Bay as a kid. Now, people don’t even let their dogs near it,” notes North when she talks about her hometown. For North, growing up on the water instilled in her not only a love for water, but also a fascination with phytoplankton.

26Apr/22

People standing around a lysimeter installation

Wisconsin Discovery Farms Programs works to answer key questions when it comes to phosphorus runoff and nitrate leaching

April 26, 2022Discovery Farms, nitrate leaching, phosphorus runoff, Water Quality

When Amber Radatz took an internship with the Wisconsin Discovery Farms program in 2004, she had no idea how the experience would change her life. Dennis Frame – a co-founder of the Discovery Farms Program –Read More…