70th SWCS International Annual Conference July 26-29, 2015 Greensboro, NC

1. Dobbins CreekTargeted Watershed Demonstration Project
Applying the EDF “Watershed Approach” and TWAIM
Joe Magner, U of M

2. Dobbins Creek: Targeted
BMPs
• MN Board of Water and Soil Resources = $1.5 M
• Cedar River Watershed District = $0.5 M
• U of M/CRWD, CWA Section 319 = $0.3 M
• Intensive Watershed Monitoring and Modeling (12HUC,
SWAT, GSSHA, Loading data – 15 years)
• Strong SWCD-Landowner connections

3. Water 2011, 3, 590-603; doi:10.3390/w3020590
water
ISSN 2073-4441
www.mdpi.com/journal/water
Article
Tailored Watershed Assessment and
Integrated Management (TWAIM): A Systems
Thinking Approach

4. TWAIM – the TWA…
• “NPS pollution is watershed system disequilibrium that
drives ecological dysfunction and weakens overall stream
system health, all with discernable links back to human
activity.”
• Define hydrologic pathways and processes,
• Priority Management Zones (ACPF does this!)
• Where are the strongest Treatment Train links?
• How can I explain this to….

5. TWAIM – the IM…
• Convey the concept of “Common Pool Resources”
• “The challenge of solving NPS pollution is not by just
attacking all apparent mini-point sources of pollution, but
by better understanding watershed natural dynamic
equilibrium [4,5] and the social awareness that water
quality affects the CPR.”
• “there is a limit to the number of land managers (public
or private) who identify themselves as neighbors and are
willing to work together for a common ecological or
water quality goal or CPR objective.”

6. Strategic Action Steps
• “The conservation specialist should become a student of
each landowner’s behavior, temperament and pursue
them in a relationship to win their confidence and trust.”
• “The MAP” creates an opportunity for dialogue,
• Seek permission to explore & validate,
• You then ask if they would like more details,
• Offer a tailored design….

8. Filter Strips (> above 10% slope)
Grass Waterways (DA > 5 ac)
RunoffRisk
Critical
VeryHigh
Ü
0 42
Miles
In-Field Runoff BMP's

9. Drainage Water Managment
Drained
YES
NO
Ü
0 42
Miles
Drainage Water Management
(Largest 1 m contour in
field must occupy >40%
of the field)

10. Pothole Treatment
MaxDepthCM
5 - 23
24 - 55
56 - 122
Pothole Watersheds
Ü
0 42
Miles

11. Nutrient Removal Wetlands
CoverType
Buffer
Wetland
Nutrient Removal Wetlands Watersheds
Ü
0 42
Miles
Nutrient Removal Wetlands

12. CoverType
WASCOB
Freeboard
WASCOB Watershed
Ü
0 42
Miles
WASCOB Placement

13. Riparian Function
Critical Zone
Deep Rooted Vegetation
Multi Species Buffer
Stiff Stemmed Grasses
Stream Bank Stabilization
Ü
0 42
Miles
Riparian Assessment