Off to Hennepin

I have never been to the fine town of Hennepin. Tomorrow will be my first visit. It is a field trip of sorts, to review the efforts of The Wetland Initiative. They are looking at nutrient farming.

There is a huge 'Dead Zone' where the Mississippi River empties into the Gulf of Mexico. Evidence points to fertilizer as the culprit, specifically Nitrogen. The goal of nutrient farming is to reduce excess nutrients in our rivers and streams. The attempt is to develop water quality credits that can be traded that will compensate the 'farmers'. Some people question whether this amounts to creating a license to pollute. To the contrary, this will help nutrient contributors, such as a water treatment plant, to improve water quality flowing downstream. Maybe the day will come where the 'Dead Zone' will disappear and we will have much healthier rivers and streams.

A side benefit to the nutrient farming, is that it necessarily restores wetlands and increases habitat that has long been lost for fish, amphibians, water fowl, etc. Another is that wetlands do a better job of recharging the aquifers and might assist in providing for the water needs of a developing area. I will post more after my tour.