Illinois NLRS Program and Project Narratives

Saving Tomorrow’s Agriculture Resources, STAR, is a free nationwide tool to assist farm operators and landowners in evaluating their nutrient and soil loss management practices on individual fields. STAR’s goal is to encourage the continued adoption of conservation practices and recognize farmers for their commitment to improved water quality and soil health. For more information, see www.starfreetool.com

The Nature Conservancy, TNC, in Illinois is engaged in working with partners on implementation and long-term water quality monitoring in the Mackinaw River watershed to understand how implementation of conservation practices affects water quality at multiple scales, and to gain insights related to outreach, practice delivery, and partnerships that can inform TNC and partner work on other programs and in priority watersheds. This work includes both critical edge-of-field practices – the design and efficacy of constructed wetlands to treat tile drainage water – and stacked infield and edge-of-field practices and their synergies for water quality. The TNC’s research provides hard data on practice design and efficiency of these farm bill conservation practices that address nutrients in tile drainage water. Key partners for the Mackinaw River watershed project include the McLean County Soil and Water Conservation District, McLean County Natural Resources Conservation Service, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and Illinois State University. TNC has ongoing projects at the Franklin Research and Demonstration Farm in Lexington, and the Paired Watershed Study in the headwaters of the Mackinaw River. TNC also has con- ducted/hosted trainings on edge-of-field practices and, in 2021, published a roadmap for increasing the pace and scale of edge-of-field practice adoption and implementation. For more information, see www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/the-mackinaw-river-watershed.

The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning’s Local Technical Assistance Program supports communities in northeastern Illinois and aligns with the region’s current long-range plan — ON TO 2050 — and its principles of regional resilience, inclusive growth, and prioritized investment. Since 2012, the program has assisted communities in developing more than 200 projects with local governments, nonprofits, and intergovernmental organizations to address local issues at the intersection of transportation, land use, and housing, including the natural environment, economic growth, and community development. The program helps communities plan projects that build local capacity, engage marginalized groups, and connect local partners with implementing agencies and capital funding for infrastructure investments, including stormwater management. For more information, see www.cmap.illinois.gov/programs/lta.

The Precision Conservation Management program is an agricultural service program created to assist farmers with identifying the best management practices for their individual farming operations, conservation interests, and business goals. It is jointly managed by the Illinois Corn Growers Association and the Illinois Soybean Association. For more information, see www.precisionconservation.org.

Since 2012, the Illinois Nutrient Research & Education Council has been Illinois agriculture’s primary investment into nutrient research. The Council is created by state statute and works closely with a variety of stakeholders across Illinois. It supports the Illinois NLRS through targeted research requests for proposals and investments as well as education and outreach. Focus areas include: applying and understanding the 4Rs, capturing excess nutrients in the field, mitigating loss of nutrients to water supplies, and studying other nutrient management issues. For more information see www.illinoisnrec.org.

New in 2021-22, the Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association supports research on practices listed in the Illinois NLRS at permanent sites in Douglas County and Piatt County. This work is funded by the Illinois Nutrient Research & Education Council. IFCA staff helps to manage all practices at these sites, including implementing and managing nutrient applications, crop protection applications, tillage practices and cover crop seeding. Tile monitoring structures are used at both sites, enabling further insight into nitrogen and phosphorus losses from differing agricultural practices researched.

The Saturated Buffer Partnership is a five-year collaboration between Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Land Improvement Contractors Association Inc., Southern Illinois University Carbondale, and Illinois Natural Resources Conservation Service. The purpose of this partnership is to support saturated buffer installation, water quality monitoring of the practice, and outreach events. For more information, see www.illica.net/projects or www.ilfb.org/nlrspractices.

The Des Plaines River Watershed Workgroup is a voluntary, dues-paying organization with a mission to bring together a diverse coalition of stakeholders to improve water quality in the Des Plaines River and its tributaries in a cost-effective manner to meet Illinois EPA requirements. The workgroup conducts water quality and bioassessment monitoring and has partnered and sponsored member efforts within the watershed. The workgroup also contracted with Geosyntec Consultants to complete a Nutrient Assessment Reduction Plan. For more information, see go.illinois.edu/NLRS and drww.org.

Using funds awarded through the Illinois EPA’s Section 604(b) Water Quality Management Planning Grant program, DuPage County Stormwater Management completed a watershed-based plan for the East Branch DuPage River watershed. The East Branch DuPage River watershed spans more than 52,000 acres and is located in central DuPage County, with a small portion extending south into Will County. It has been classified as an impaired waterway by the Illinois EPA due to several pollutants, including total phosphorus, sediment/ siltation, dissolved oxygen, and aquatic algae. The Illinois EPA is reviewing the plan.

Illinois Corn Growers Association believes in recognizing early adopters and finding ways to support growth of cover crop acres across the state. They partner with various organizations and companies to provide financial support to growers in the form of direct cost-share dollars and incentives. For more information, see Ilcorn.org/covercrops.