AUTHORS: Beth Baranski - Jo Daviess County, Illinois
ABSTRACT: Residents in the farthest northwest corner of Illinois are using shared learning combined with cooperative and voluntary problem solving to address local water resource management issues. A long-term, volunteer-based effort has been used to establish working relationships between individuals and entities impacting water resources in the county. The collaborative efforts between scientists, local non-profits and a farmer-led group have resulted in a project design that serves as a scalable model for addressing water resource management issues.
Jo Daviess County is located in the "Driftless Area." Bypassed by ice-age glaciers, the rugged landscape is characterized by erosional valleys that have been cut down through this karst terrain. In the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy, agriculture is cited as the primary source of nutrients lost to the Mississippi River. The complex hydrogeology and steep slopes in this area make attempts to understand and address run-off and nutrient loss issues difficult. However, much work has been done to establish the character and function of the hydrogeology and to quantify the anthropomorphic impact on both surface and ground water quality.
Inspired and supported by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services Watershed Leaders Network/Fishers and Farmers Partnership, a farmer-led group was formed in the Galena area to work on water resource management issues. There has been a movement in the agricultural community to pursue the resolution of water quality issues, but it seems clear that the best conversations take place on this topic when "soil health" is the focus. The potential environmental benefits have increased dramatically, and improved dialogue has resulted in many unanticipated social benefits.
