Watershed Task Force

The Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force was formed in 1997 in response to a federal lawsuit and was formalized through the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998. The role of the Task Force is to address concerns about the hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico attributed to the movement of nutrients from sources within the river basin. In 2001, the Task Force adopted an Action Plan to for addressing Gulf hypoxia. The Action Plan calls for establishment of sub-basin committees to more locally coordinate implementation of the Action Plan by major sub-basins within the Mississippi River basin.

Sub-basin Nutrient Committee

The Upper Mississippi River Sub-Basin Hypoxia Nutrient Committee (UMRSHNC) has been established as the sub-basin committee called for in the Action Plan for Reducing, Controlling, and Mitigating Hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. Its members include the Illinois Department of Agriculture, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Each of these agencies represents the interest of the respective state on the five-state UMRSHNC and on the Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force and the Coordinating Committee of the Task Force. Dean Lemke of the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship serves as the UMRSHNC Coordinator.

To carry out the responsibilities of the Action Plan for the Upper Mississippi sub-basin, a two-part strategy has been developed by the UMRSHNC.

• One is to facilitate and encourage technical networking between research/extension personnel of the five land grant universities, other research institutions, and technical agencies.
• The second part of the strategy is establishment of a broad-based input forum which can facilitate two-way communications between and within the primary stakeholder interests of the sub-basin.

Stakeholder Advisory Group

The goal of this forum, the Stakeholder Advisory Group, is to obtain input, network between, and formulate recommendations from the varied interests of the stakeholders of the five states. The primary role of the Group is to focus on issues relating to Gulf hypoxia, but secondarily the Group will consider local water quality concerns as they relate to Gulf hypoxia. Specific details of the roles and function of the Group are:

• Serve as the primary stakeholder input group for the Upper Mississippi River states concerning issues relating to the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone
• Obtain inputs from broad stakeholder interests on issues relating to hypoxia and the actions of the Upper Mississippi River states to reduce nutrient contributions to the Gulf
• Communicate issues of concern and recommendations back to the various stakeholder interests and organizations within the Upper Mississippi River states
• Develop recommended positions on issues of concern for consideration by the UMRSHNC governing body and the Task Force
• Represent stakeholder/agency’s constituent area and interest in discussions and development of recommended positions
• Provide leadership to communicate issues of concern and recommended positions back to constituent area or agency