Implementation of Permanent Easements and Associated Nutrient Load Reductions

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1 Minnesota Nutrient Reduction Strategy Agricultural Sector/BWSR RIM Program Measure Implementation of Permanent and Associated Nutrient Load Reductions Measure Background Visual Depiction The map in

1 1 Minnesota Nutrient Reduction Strategy Agricultural Sector/BWSR RIM Program Measure Implementation of Permanent and Associated Nutrient Load Reductions Measure Background Visual Depiction The map in Figure 1 shows the percentage of agricultural area in permanent conservation easements made through the Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM) easement program, administered by the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR), in each 8 digit-huc. Figure 2 shows the aggregated annual acreage of permanent conservation easements and annual RIM costs associated with permanent easements from Figure 1. Percentage of permanent conservation easements of total agricultural acreage by 8-digit HUC. wq-s1-80n2

2 Minnesota Nutrient Reduction Strategy Agricultural Sector/BWSR RIM Program Measure Figure 2. Aggregated annual RIM permanent conservation easement acreage and annual RIM funding.

2 2 Minnesota Nutrient Reduction Strategy Agricultural Sector/BWSR RIM Program Measure Figure 2. Aggregated annual RIM permanent conservation easement acreage and annual RIM funding. Measure Description This measure focuses on implementation trends for permanent easements on eligible agricultural land acquired through RIM. Agricultural land eligible for RIM easements are defined in the RIM Eligibility Handbook ( Figure 1 shows the percent of agricultural acreage within each 8-digit HUC that has permanent easements through the RIM program. The 8-digit HUCs with the highest percentages of agricultural land acquired for permanent easements through RIM are located in the Upper Mississippi River basin (primarily due to the small amount of agricultural land) and the Minnesota River basin. According to Figure 2, the aggregate acreage of permanent conservation easements through RIM increased from , but remained relatively steady until 2007, when an increase in acreage occurred until present. This increase has been primarily due to funding secured through the Legacy Amendment and increases in Capitol Investment (bonding). The trends in funding mirror the trends in acreage. Table 1 below shows the estimated percent nitrogen and phosphorus removal associated with permanent conservation easements. Table 1. Estimated nutrient removal efficiencies for conservation easements Best Management Practice Phosphorus Removal (%) Nitrogen Removal (%) easements a a. Iowa State, 2013; MPCA, 2013; MPCA, 2004

3 3 Minnesota Nutrient Reduction Strategy Agricultural Sector/BWSR RIM Program Measure Associated Terms and Phrases To better understand this measure, it is necessary to understand a few program specific terms and phrases. The Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM) Resources Law of 1986, Minnesota Statutes, sections 103F.501 to 103F.531, as amended, states: " It is the purpose of [the program] to keep certain marginal agricultural land out of crop production to protect soil and water quality and support fish and wildlife habitat. It is state policy to encourage the retirement of marginal, highly erodible land, particularly land adjacent to public waters, drainage systems, wetlands, and locally designated priority waters, from crop production and to reestablish a cover of perennial vegetation." Definitions used in this measure are as follows: Agricultural Land: According to the RIM Eligibility Handbook, agricultural land means land devoted for use as pasture or hayland or to the production of horticultural, row, close grown, introduced pasture, or introduced hayland crops, or to growing nursery stocks, or for pasturing domestic livestock or dairy animals, or for use as animal feedlots, and may include contiguous land associated with the production of the above. : the acquisition of limited rights in land for conservation purposes. Landowners who offer the state a conservation easement receive a payment to stop cropping and/or grazing the land, and in turn the landowners establish conservation practices such as native grass and forbs, trees or wetland restorations. The easement is recorded on the land title with the county recorder and transfers with the land when the parcel is sold. Most easements purchased by the state are perpetual (forever). Some eligible lands may be enrolled under limited duration easements (not less than 20 years), depending on programs available. The focus of this measure is on permanent/perpetual conservation easements. Marginal Agricultural Cropland Area: Land with crop history that is composed of class IIIe, Ive, V, VI, VII, or VIII land as identified in the land capability classification system of the United States Department of Agriculture. Target There is no specific numeric target for this measure to date. Baseline Covers pre data Geographical Coverage Statewide, major basin, 8-digit HUC

4 4 Minnesota Nutrient Reduction Strategy Agricultural Sector/BWSR RIM Program Measure Data and Methodology Methodology for Measure Calculation BWSR manages a RIM program database to track specific information related to RIM land acquisitions over time. A variety of RIM reports are made available on the BWSR RIM website To develop the map for this measure (Figure 1), data from BWSR s RIM Spatial Dataset derived from the RIM database were downloaded from the RIM website. Using this data, information on permanent conservation easements were isolated from other easement types, including the associated acreage, location, cost, and start date. This information was then compiled by 8-digit HUC and compared to the total agricultural acreage in each HUC, derived using land use/land cover data, focusing on coverages for pasture/hay and cultivated crops. This information was then mapped using GIS to show total conservation easement acreage in each 8-digit HUC as a percentage of the total agricultural acreage by 8-digit HUC within each major basin. To develop the bar graph (Figure 2), data on acreage and funding associated with permanent conservation easements from BWSR s RIM database were downloaded from the RIM website. This information was placed into an Excel spreadsheet and graphed. Data Source Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources Data Collection Period 2000 through (data in the Spatial Dataset spans ) Data Collection Methodology and Frequency Using the RIM database, BWSR staff track the following information: type of easement, acreage, county, start date (i.e., date the easement is recorded at the courthouse), and funding source (i.e., paid or donated). Data from the RIM database is uploaded to the RIM website twice yearly in May and September. Supporting Data Set Table 2 contains the acreage under permanent conservation easements through RIM by 8-digit HUC, as well as the total agricultural acreage by 8-digit HUC derived through the dataset.

5 5 Minnesota Nutrient Reduction Strategy Agricultural Sector/BWSR RIM Program Measure Table 2. Acreage under permanent conservation easement through RIM and total agricultural acreage from by 8-digit HUC to derive percent agricultural acreage under conservation easements within each 8- digit HUC HUC Pasture/Hay 2006 Cultivated Crops Total Agriculture BWSR Percent % , , % ,220 5,999 70, % , , % ,309 1,799 19, % % ,996 13,773 85, % ,768 4,334 34, % ,101 11,026 65, % , , ,859 5, % ,738 7,696 28, % , , ,975 1, % , , , % , , ,816 2, % , , ,444 6, % , , ,821 1, % , , , % , , ,722 5, % , , ,917 8, % ,082 52, , % , , ,524 1, % , , ,807 4, % , , ,883 4, % , , ,965 7, % ,850 1,066,063 1,113,913 23, % , ,106 1,017,623 22, % , , ,038 6, % , , ,134 13, % , , ,870 14, % , , ,737 8, % , , ,203 7, % , , ,684 8, % , , ,078 7, % ,976 7,517 31, %

6 6 Minnesota Nutrient Reduction Strategy Agricultural Sector/BWSR RIM Program Measure HUC Pasture/Hay 2006 Cultivated Crops Total Agriculture BWSR Percent ,858 14, , % ,826 54, , % , , , % , , , % , , ,868 5, % , , , % , , ,488 1, % ,186 2,201 16, % , , ,248 2, % ,875 20,885 48, % ,517 88, , % ,009 7, % , , ,552 2, % , , ,852 1, % ,630 36, % , , ,161 6, % ,181 46, % , ,399 1, % , , ,013 1, % , , ,339 2, % , , ,437 1, % , , ,576 1, % , , ,144 3, % , , ,193 1, % , , ,351 4, % , , , % ,785 10,170 80, % , , , % , , , % , , , % , , , % , , , % , , , % , , , % , , , % %

7 7 Minnesota Nutrient Reduction Strategy Agricultural Sector/BWSR RIM Program Measure HUC Pasture/Hay 2006 Cultivated Crops Total Agriculture BWSR Percent , , % ,302 1,709 4, % ,148 4,619 12, % ,390 6,281 24, % ,767 3,072 25, % ,124 5,839 11, % ,308 13,892 26, % ,224 48,459 78, % ,990 16,237 18, % , , , % , , ,315 1, % , , % Caveats and Limitations Acquisition of agricultural land for conservation easements through RIM is dependent on available funding. BWSR does not track nutrient load reductions associated with easements under RIM, although BWSR is interested in doing so in the future. Not all agricultural lands are eligible for conservation easements under RIM. Specific eligibility criteria are contained in the RIM Eligibility Handbook. This measure assumes that all agricultural lands within an 8-digit HUC are eligible for purposes of the analysis, due to the challenge in spatially defining marginal agricultural land because this definition is based on land productivity. Therefore, the percent of agricultural land under conservation easements within each 8-digit HUC are likely lower than if the measure were to assess the percent of eligible agricultural land under conservation easements within each 8-digit HUC. There is the possibility for a small overlap between agricultural land reflected in the CRP program indicators and this measure for RIM. However, BWSR has stated that this overlap is not significant. Future Improvements Improvements to this measure will be made over time. Ideally this measure will be able to focus on RIM eligible agricultural lands within each 8-digit HUC rather than all agricultural acreage to assess implementation trends. In addition, it would be helpful for BWSR to incorporate a mechanism for estimated nutrient load reductions associated with RIM conservation easements as part of the RIM database. BWSR is considering doing this in a future version of the RIM database.

8 8 Minnesota Nutrient Reduction Strategy Agricultural Sector/BWSR RIM Program Measure Financial Considerations Contributing Agencies and Funding Sources This measure tracks the annual funding associated with permanent conservation easements acquired under RIM. BWSR establishes payment rates on an annual basis. Payment rates vary for land with a crop history versus land without a crop history. The basis for BWSR s payment rates are described in the RIM Eligibility Handbook ( References Iowa State University Iowa Science Assessment of Nonpoint Source Practices to Reduce Nitrogen and Phosphorus Transport in the Mississippi River Basin. May Section 2 of the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy developed by Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. MPCA Detailed Assessment of Phosphorus Sources to Minnesota Watersheds. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, St. Paul, MN. 280 pp + appendices. MPCA D1 Nitrogen Sources to Land and Waters - Results Overview. DRAFT 2013 (Dave Wall, David J. Mulla, and Steve Weiss, MPCA). Measure Points of Contact Agency Information Tim Koehler, RIM Coordinator Tim.koehler@state.mn.us Polly Remick, Senior Easement Acquisition Specialist/RIM Database Coordinator Polly.remick@state.mn.us

Minnesota Water Quality and Habitat Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (MN CREP) Overview February 14, 2017

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