Glass half full: A framework for setting realistic water quality conservation targets.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Agricultural Science
• Water Resource Management

Background:

• The Lake Michigan Basin is a critical agricultural region supporting diverse ecosystems and endangered species.
• Quantifying water quality benefits from conservation practices is essential for effective environmental management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a framework for setting practical, watershed-level clean water targets.
• To quantify potential water quality improvements using accessible tools for conservation staff.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the US Environmental Protection Agency's Pollutant Load Estimation Tool.
• Modeled six conservation scenarios, including regenerative agriculture, in Hydrologic Unit Code-8 watersheds.
• Established baseline adoption rates using remote sensing data for cover crops and conservation tillage.

Main Results:

• The regenerative agriculture scenario showed potential for a 21% reduction in phosphorus loads and a 10% reduction in sediment loads.
• This scenario requires an additional 2640 km² of conservation and an investment of $260 million.
• Conservation investments from multiple stakeholders can yield substantial water quality improvements.

Conclusions:

• The developed framework is scalable and applicable to other regions with minimal data requirements.
• It provides a practical approach for guiding collective action toward water quality conservation goals.
• Demonstrated the tangible impact of conservation investments on water quality in the Lake Michigan Basin.