A Unique Solution to a Common Problem - Solving Agricultural Runoff into Two Great Water Bodies of the US

Agricultural runoff, excess nutrient loading, the development of algal blooms, and eventually hypoxia is not an isolated problem. Globally and within the US, areas downstream of major agricultural areas, such as the Gulf of Mexico, and the Great Lakes, show evidence of eutrophication and hypoxia. In thinking through innovation around reducing nutrient runoff, a central tenet emerges – coastal hypoxia is a coastal problem with an inland solution. The answer to hypoxia cannot simply be remove agriculture; that’s not a sustainable solution. The Mississippi Alabama Sea Grant demonstrated its grasp of this concept in funding a very small, yet ground breaking research and outreach project into low-grade weirs. The Mississippi State University program demonstrated how low-grade weirs, a simple management practice, tangibly has impacts to reducing nutrient runoff, but also increase on-farm nutrient retention maintenance requirements.  Furthermore, weirs have significantly increased in number in the landscape, and are tangibly connected to ditch practices in Ohio, where improved runoff water quality benefits the Great Lakes.  Low-grade weirs have opened the door to increased farmer participation, birthed an outstanding extension program called REACH (Research and Education to Advance Conservation and Habitat), and have showcased producer investment toward natural resource and ecosystem protection.