Gulf Hypoxia Program

Nutrient Reduction Progress Tracking Dashboard

This tool will track and display progress and performance metrics of multiple Missouri Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy initiatives. Tracking monitoring data and performance metrics side by side through this dashboard will enable our state-level water quality programs to:

• Better identify and prioritize target watersheds.
• Understand the performance of existing nutrient reduction strategy goals and initiatives.
• Enable better-informed decisions when planning and implementing nutrient reduction activities in the state.

The dashboard will be publicly available once complete. Other task force states and conservation partners will have full access to the information displayed on the dashboard, which may be useful in their own planning and conservation implementation initiatives.

Expanding Missouri’s Ambient Nutrient Monitoring

This expanded monitoring effort will add continuous nitrate and flow monitors to four U.S. Geological Survey water quality monitoring stations. The four stations were selected to better capture water quality conditions of key sub-sections of the Missouri, Mississippi and Grand rivers. These stations will monitor nitrate, temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity and pH levels. Data will be used to better quantify Missouri’s total nutrient loads and help in identifying priority watersheds for targeted conservation efforts.

Missouri Municipal Wastewater Nutrient Optimization Pilot

As the steward of Missouri's Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy, the department's Water Protection Program is implementing the Missouri Municipal Wastewater Nutrient Optimization Pilot Project. This pilot project includes implementing and evaluating nutrient optimization plans at participating municipal wastewater treatment facilities. These strategies optimize operational and maintenance practices at wastewater treatment facilities to reduce nutrient loads without requiring large capital expenses. Case studies and strategies implemented through the pilot project will be shared once the project is complete for voluntary implementation across the state and region.

Success of any optimization plan depends a great deal on the engagement level of the operators for the optimization project, the support provided at the facility’s management level, the equipment available for and frequency of additional in-plant testing, etc. For more information, visit Nutrient Reduction by Wastewater Treatment Optimization.

Gulf Hypoxia Outreach and Education

A new public education exhibit will be developed to expand public awareness about Gulf of Mexico hypoxia and collective actions that can be taken by all individuals to assist in reducing nutrient pollution to the Mississippi River and other Missouri waters.   It will also provide actions the public can take to help reduce their nutrient pollutant footprint. This new exhibit will showcase nutrient concerns from domestic wastewater, urban stormwater and agricultural stormwater. The department invites point source and nonpoint source stakeholders to collaborate and co-sponsor this outreach project. Email us at cleanwater@dnr.mo.gov. We would love to hear from you!

Refining Nutrient Reduction Models with Subsurface Nutrient Transport Measurement

Lincoln University will receive grant funding for a targeted research project that will create a better understanding of hydrologic flow paths and more refined nutrient tracking models. Thanks to this research, management practices will be better assigned to specific land use situations, which ultimately will lead to more accelerated nutrient loss reductions. Results from this effort will also be incorporated into watershed stewardship workshops designed to help beginning, limited-resource, minority and underserved farmers learn about best management practices for nutrient loss reduction.