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The 2023 Biennial Report is the fourth update to the strategy
since its inception in 2015. Implementation of the NLRS is
guided by research to optimize nutrient loss reduction while
fostering deep collaboration and innovation across academia, the
private sector, non-profits, wastewater agencies, and local,
state, and federal government agencies. The report details the
progress of the State’s efforts to improve water quality by
reducing nutrient pollution, which affects both local waterways
and the Gulf of Mexico. It outlines initiatives in 2021–22 that
reduce nutrient loss across the agricultural, wastewater, and
urban stormwater sectors and stresses the multifaceted
challenges to addressing nutrient loss.
The NLRS is a collaborative effort involving a diverse group of
science, technology, and industry experts and stakeholders. The
NLRS has a goal of reducing nutrient pollution in Illinois’
waterways and the Mississippi River basin by recommending
practical, research-based actions, and best management
practices. The primary goal of the NLRS is a 45% reduction in
both nitrogen and total phosphorus loads, with interim targets
set at a 15% nitrogen decrease and a 25% total phosphorus
decrease by 2025.
“This Biennial Report showcases the commitment of the
agriculture industry to be good stewards of the land,” said IDOA
Director Jerry Costello II. “Through the works of the NLRS, the
Department learned the value of having a ‘boots on the ground’
conservation presence state-wide working directly with farmers
implementing in-field practices focused on soil health.”
“This report provides a candid update on the outcomes and
ongoing initiatives across all sectors, particularly in light of
the climatic challenges faced by Illinois and neighboring states
within the Mississippi River basin,” said Illinois EPA Director
John J. Kim. “Our collective endeavor is to integrate more
effective measures to curtail nutrient pollution. We remain
committed to the goals set out in the 2015 Strategy, and we are
resolute in our collaborative approach to confront and overcome
these environmental challenges.”
Nutrient pollution, primarily from excess nitrate-nitrogen and
total phosphorus, promotes algal growth and impairs local
ecosystems which can make water unsuitable for drinking,
recreation, fishing, and aquatic life. Excess nutrients also
contribute to the “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico where
aquatic life struggles due to depleted oxygen levels. Illinois
is one of 12 states with nutrient loss reduction strategies who
are members of the Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Task
Force created to address the issue.
The 2021-22 water quality measures present varied results. The
five-year average from 2017-21 shows nitrogen loads increased by
4.8% to 416 million pounds annually and total phosphorus loads
increased by 35% to 46 million pounds annually, when compared to
the 1980-96 baseline. River flow, or water yield, was 23% higher
than the baseline. Statewide nitrate-nitrogen and total
phosphorus loads have been highly correlated with water yield,
which itself is highly correlated with precipitation. Greater
runoff and drainage associated with climate change also tend to
increase river loads.
Throughout the state and across the nonpoint source (including
agriculture), point source, and urban stormwater sectors, NLRS
partners work to mitigate nutrient loss through at least 78
distinct nutrient loss reduction programs and projects.
Community outreach and engagement to educate the public and
encourage action are crucial components of the strategy. In
2021–22, source sector experts connected with 123,860 people at
1,080 community events. Topics included land management
practices such as cover crops, wastewater facilities
improvements, and stormwater tips for homeowners.
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In the agricultural sector, surface runoff and
subsurface drainage are the primary sources of nutrient loss. The
NLRS recommends a variety of in-field and edge of field practices to
reduce nutrient loss from these sources. During 2021–22,
conservation efforts jointly funded by the IDOA and Illinois EPA
successfully prevented 73,000 pounds of nitrogen and 30,000 pounds
of phosphorus from entering the state’s waterways. These efforts
included IDOA’s Partners for Conservation and Fall Covers for Spring
Savings programs, Illinois EPA’s Section 319 Non-Point Source
Pollution Control Program, and multiple U.S. Department of
Agriculture programs.
The point source sector is implementing strategies
such as optimizing operations of existing equipment, upgrades to
wastewater treatment facilities, and watershed-based approaches to
reduce nutrient loads. The Illinois point source sector decreased
its total phosphorus discharges by 6.2 million pounds or 34% since
2011, surpassing the strategy’s 2025 interim goals for the sector.
This is largely attributed to the Illinois EPA’s National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System permit program, which mandates
treatment facility improvements and optimizations.
In the urban stormwater sector, water quality
improvement efforts focus on managing runoff and reducing the
duration and intensity of flooding. In 2021–22, initiatives funded
by the Illinois EPA Green Infrastructure Grant program kept 1.2
million gallons of stormwater out of waterways through 11 Illinois
EPA funded projects. A majority, 70%, of communities with Municipal
Separate Storm Sewer Systems have adopted annual street sweeping and
leaf collection practices. The stormwater sector continues to
provide public education on nutrient loss reduction from public and
private property.
“Our partnership with NLRS allows University of Illinois’ research
scientists and outreach educators to engage with industry experts
and agricultural producers across the state, all in the pursuit of
enhancing the health of our waterways,” said Dr. Shibu Kar, Illinois
Extension Assistant Dean and Program Leader for Natural Resources,
Environment, and Energy. “The findings in this report underscore the
need to deepen our understanding of nutrient dynamics. It’s
imperative that we bolster our research efforts and foster stronger
ties with farming communities in priority watershed areas, ensuring
the widespread adoption of best management practices.”
A variety of factors contribute to rising nutrient loads, including
increased streamflow, legacy nutrients, nutrient management
practices, and unknown sources. The impacts of climate change,
particularly increased runoff and drainage, intensify river loads
and will require greater efforts to achieve the strategy’s water
quality goals.
Despite the ongoing implementation of nutrient loss reduction
practices by each sector, challenges remain. In particular, the
agricultural sector must rapidly adopt conservation practices on a
wider scale. Continued support for research, conservation
initiatives, and financial and technical assistance is critical.
More work is needed to encourage the voluntary
adoption of agricultural conservation practices and foster deeper
community engagement at the watershed level. Collaboration with
partner organizations remains essential to realizing the water
quality and implementation goals of the Illinois NLRS.
The 2023 NLRS Biennial Report and an executive summary are available
at
go.illinois.edu/NLRS. Print copies of the report and executive
summary are available upon request to
NLRS@Illinois.edu.
[Illinois Office of Communication and
Information] |
