Title: Development of Water Quality Model to Support Fox River Implementation Plan
Speaker: Cindy Skrukrud and Rishab Mahajan
The Fox River in Illinois is listed as impaired for water quality by Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. The Fox River Study Group (FRSG) is a diverse coalition of stakeholders working together to preserve and enhance water quality in the Fox River watershed. FRSG has undertaken a multi-phased approach to address the water quality impairments in the Fox River. This approach includes intensive water quality monitoring and development of a water quality model to support the Fox River Implementation Plan (FRIP), which is the roadmap to eliminate the water quality impairments (FRSG 2015).The presentation will discuss the development of a water quality model for 98 miles of the Fox River from Stratton Dam to Dayton, IL. The water quality model is being used to identify the management actions to improve the water quality in the Fox River.

Title: Promoting Soil Health - On-Farm Costs, Risks, and Rewards
Speaker: Jamie Patton
Changing a farming system to improve soil health may involve a number of infrastructure, input, and human capital investments. Like with any business change, we have to ask, “What is the return on investment?”. In this session, we will broadly explore the potential economic and social on-farm costs, risks, and rewards of adopting soil health management practices in our area. We will also discuss how companies, municipalities and communities are supporting the soil health movement, both regionally and nationally.