Fall Nitrogen Fertilizer Application Restrictions

This Vulnerable Groundwater Areas Feature Class illustrates quarter sections that meet at least one of 3 conditions across the state. <br/><br/>The first condition includes soil mapping units (SSURGO) where the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) has determined where coarse textured soils exist. “Coarse textured soils” means soils that are sand, loamy sand, fine sand, loamy fine sand, coarse sand, loamy coarse sand, very fine sand, loamy very fine sand, single grained, or any of these textures with the following textural modifiers: gravelly, cobbly, channery, and flaggy based on the United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Web Soil Survey. <br/>The second condition is whether Karst is present as the dominant condition. The determination of areas with karst features is based on a map developed by the Department of Natural Resources Pollution Sensitivity of Near-Surface Materials (Adams, 2016).<br/>The third condition is whether shallow bedrock (NRCS) is located near the land surface. The determination of shallow bedrock is based on the Sensitive Soils for Nutrient Management report within the USDA NRCS Soil Survey Geographic Database (SSURGO). Within that report, the USDA NRCS considers soils with bedrock within 40 in (102 cm) to be sensitive from a nutrient management perspective. The adoption of this definition for shallow bedrock was selected by MDA based on recommendations from the then USDA NRCS Staff. <br/><br/>Additionally, areas were removed if they fell into the "Very Low" sensitivity rating from the DNR sensitivity map. <br/><br/>There are three excluded areas: <br/>1.) If an area is in a county with less than 3% cropland - (USDA, NASS Census of Agriculture 2012) <br/>or <br/>2.) If an area is within the climate exclusion area (NASA and Spring Frost free dates: MN Climate Office/NOAA) <br/><br/>The climate exclusion is based on boundaries (unless otherwise stated) comprising at least 50% of the leaching index area and spring frost free dates contiguous isolines (i.e. bullseyes not included) based on the Leaching Index (LI) and the Spring Frost Free Dates(SFFD) criteria below. <br/>- If the SFFD is on or after May 22 and the Ll is less than or equal to -12 and <br/>- If the SFFD is on or after May 29 and the Ll is less than or equal to -10 and <br/>- If the SFFD is on or after June 5 and the Ll is less than or equal to -6 and <br/>- For Clearwater County the area north of Highway 2 will be excluded from areas considered vulnerable and <br/>- For Wilkin County, the area north of Highway 210 will be excluded from areas considered vulnerable. <br/><br/>Additionally, Fall Nitrogen Fertilizer Application will be restricted in Drinking Water Management Areas (DWSMAs) that have nitrate concentrations at or greater than 5.4 mg/L provided by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). These restrictions apply specifically in the areas of the DWSMA that are rated moderate, high and very high vulnerability. The restrictions do not apply to areas rated low and very low vulnerability in the DWSMA and have been removed from the DWSMA area in this package. Approximately 603 acres have also been removed from the Verdi DWSMA since it was outside of the Minnesota State boundary. <br/><br/>