Category Archive: Agricultural Runoff

Nov 25

Muddying the Waters…in Minnesota Rivers

Urban drainage, eroding bluffs and muddy water in the Minnesota River watershed—listen up: The river banks in the Minnesota River watershed are made up of sediment that gradually washes away. Erosion is a natural process, but in excess, sediment can block light to plants and smother aquatic life. Now, it’s happening at a surprising pace—with …

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Permanent link to this article: http://www.currentcast.org/agricultural-runoff/muddying-the-waters-in-minnesota-rivers/

Nov 22

What’s Up With Muck?

Some pretty stinky stuff is yucking up Great Lakes beaches—listen up. Is it really a coincidence that muck rhymes with yuck? This stinky, slimy stuff looks gross. But what actually do we mean by the word muck? Bretton Joldersma of Michigan’s Office of the Great Lakes, explains that muck is decaying aquatic vegetation and algae …

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Permanent link to this article: http://www.currentcast.org/agricultural-runoff/whats-up-with-muck/

Nov 15

Yes We Can, Reverse Algal Bloom Pollution

Harmful algal blooms are increasing in size and frequency—but they are reversible. Listen up: When swimming in the blue, stray away from the stinky green stuff known as algal blooms, which occur when large amounts of algae produce toxins. While water treatment facilities can successfully treat public drinking supplies, the toxins can cause liver damage …

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Permanent link to this article: http://www.currentcast.org/stormwater-management/algal-blooms/

Sep 06

Saving a Natural Water Filter: Mussels

Mussels have a bigger job than meets the eye. Listen up for the scoop on these clean water VIPs: They may not look like they’re up to much, but mussels actively filter contaminants along with their food, making them nature’s original water purifier. More than 300 types of mussels are native to North America. And …

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Permanent link to this article: http://www.currentcast.org/agricultural-runoff/saving-freshwater-mussels/

Jun 26

A farmland retirement program

The Farm Bill and water resources: The Farm Bill is a huge piece of legislation that not only influences the food on our plates. It affects the water in our rivers and lakes. For example, it supports the ‘Conservation Reserve Program,’ which protects up to 24 million acres of sensitive land. The program pays farmers …

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Permanent link to this article: http://www.currentcast.org/stormwater-management/a-farmland-retirement-program/

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