Agricultural Practice Effectiveness For Reducing Nutrients In The Red River Basin Of The North

Adopting agricultural beneficial management practices (BMPs) is critical to reducing nutrient runoff into and improving water quality of the Red River and, ultimately, Lake Winnipeg. At the same time, the impacts of these BMPs on other resource concerns, such as flooding, habitat, and soil health, must be considered. Recent research, however, suggests that the effectiveness of many BMPs in cold climates such as the Red River Basin (RRB) differs from warmer regions where much of the body of knowledge has been developed. It is critical to summarize scientific research on BMP effectiveness in cold regions prior to approaching the agricultural community about implementing BMPs that reduce nutrient loading into the Red River.