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~~ , Water Resources Center UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA Driven to DiscoverSM i ~S ~~ March 2009 1 WRC researcher gets 319 grant 2 Director's Corner ~ Legislative Update 4. E.coli research update S WRS Distinguished Visitor Program 6 Community News and Student News'`- ~ Publications and ReSOUrCeS The Water Resources Center is affiliated with the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences and University of Minnesota Extension. Water lies®urces Center University of Minnesota 1985 Buford Avenue St. Paul, MN 55108 612-624-9282 WRC researcher awarded grant to adapt new shoreline BMPs to climate change Barbara Liukkonen (WRC Education Coor- dinator) and fellow research partners, John Chapman and Bruce Wilson (BBE), Camilla Correl (Emmons & Olivier Resources), Miki Hondzo and Anne Lightbody (SAFE), Mary Blickenderfer, Shane Missaghi and Karen Terry (LTM Extension), were awarded full funding of a $208,700 319 grant proposal to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). The MPCA received 17 applications requesting nearly $3 million and awarded $1 million in grants. The project, Adapting Minnesota shoreland BMPs for Climate Change, will investigate guidelines adapting shoreline best management practices (BMPs) to potential effects of climate change. The possible effects of climate change have not been taken into consideration in current shoreland bioengineering practices. Even recently installed shoreland BMPs designed to protect water quality may need to be adjusted. This 319 project also addresses the effect of variable water levels on the success or failure of shoreland BMPs. The project has three major components: leader- ship for a statewide Climate Change Adaptation Working Group; coupled hydrodynamic lake mod- eling; and field experimentation. The Climate Change Adaption Working Group formed in June 2008 and will meet monthly to identify needs, 319 Grant Award continued on page 7 EPA chief scientist emphasizes environmental priorities ~~~ Promoting risk management over crisis management as a smarter use of resources, Dr. Pai-Yei VVnung highlighted the Obama administration's em~ironmental strategy during her presentation on the St. Paul Campus. Climate and energy, en- vironmental contaminants, homeland security and emergency response, and modernization of infrastructure are EPA priori- ties as established by the Science Policy Council in 2008. Dr. Whung emphasized the EPA's integrated science-based approach to policy-making and confirmed President Obama's admonition that politics should not trump hard scientific facts. Science must be the backbone for EPA policies, the EPA will follow the rule of law, and its actions must be transparent. Dr. Whung was in Minnesota to meet with WRC co-director Deb Swackhamer, chair of the EPA's Science Advisory Board. awards three grants i 2009 co .petition The Water Resources Center selected three research projects for funding in 2009. The projects study perfluroehemicals in urban stormwater, degradation of pesticides and resulting contamination of groundwater, and mercury entering the water system through leaf litter. L[rban stormwater inputs of perfluoro- chemicals Perfluorochemicals (PFCs) are used in many industrial polymers and commercial products from TeflonTM to ScotchgardTM. Despite the phase-out of these chemicals from. production, they are widespread in the environment and con- tinue to cause emrironmental and human health concerns. In 2007, several Twin Cities metropoli- tan lakes were labeled impaired for contamination with a suite of perfluorochemicals, primarily perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in fish. While Minnesota is home to 3M Corporation, which produced and disposed of many of these chemi- cals, many of the lakes listed as impaired have no connection to 3M's production or disposal. Because many PFCs were used in commercial products, wastewater is another potential source to surface waters, although none of these lakes WRC Grants continued on page 2 WY'CeLI ~.~~U Dr. Pai-Yei Whung and WRC co-director Dr. Deborah Swackhamer.