Impact Targeting: Applying Conservation tools to the worst erosion areas for maximum sediment/nutrient reductions

The purpose of this award is for the grantee to address the following two Natural Resource Component concerns: water resources by addressing two sub-topics: 1) nutrient, pesticide, and pathogen transport to surface and groundwater; and 2) sediment transport to surface water; and soil resources by addressing the sub-topic of erosion reduction. The Agricultural Stewardship Division of the State of Michigan will develop a system that employs High Impact Targeting (HIT) to the Application of Conservation Tools to High Risk Erosion Areas for Maximum Sediment Reductions from agricultural lands in the Great Lakes Basin. Phase 1 includes development of this system as a web-accessible (online), interactive GIS tool to enable quick and widespread dissemination of this tool to target those risk areas with the greatest potential to deliver sediment loadings that degrade water quality. This tool, as a prerequisite for precision conservation, will be designed for use by field staff or landowners in four Michigan watersheds to target high risk areas to reduce soil erosion and adverse levels of sediment loadings to receiving waters. An advanced interpersonal and online learning model will be developed by the Institute of Water Research and applied to education outreach. This model will support attitudinal and behavioral changes necessary to implement appropriate BMPs on targeted high-risk erosion areas. This regional model can be expanded to other Great Lakes Basin states.