October 26, 2009

Illinois Awarded Competitive USDA Water Quality Funding
C-FAR research sets the foundation

URBANA--The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) this past week announced the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) has been awarded $660,000 for water quality research through its National Integrated Water Quality Program (NIWQP).  Illinois is one of twelve states awarded new 2009 funding to address critical water resource issues.  Illinois received the USDA’s maximum funding and largest grant for a single initiative among the twelve states.

Dr. Mark David, professor of biogeochemistry at UIUC, is the principal investigator of the USDA-funded research.  He served in a key capacity of the recently concluded C-FAR strategic research initiative focused on water quality nutrient standards. 

Dr. David says, “The C-FAR nutrient standards research and earlier C-FAR water quality studies allowed us to put forth a very formidable USDA proposal.  This was a highly competitive national program and we were able to utilize the extensive outcome-oriented C-FAR research in building a successful proposal.”

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack said, “Cities, communities and rural areas across the nation depend on a safe and abundant supply of water for drinking and cooking.  This research [through the NIWQP] will play a vital role in our understanding of the part water plays in the ecosystem and developing tools and strategies to effectively manage our water resources.”

The UIUC USDA-funded research is entitled “Reducing Nitrate Losses in Tile-Drained Agricultural Watersheds: Integration of Biophysical and Social Sciences with Extension and Education.”  The research team indicates they will be working with an active watershed group that includes a wide range of stakeholders in all phases of the project.

Dr. George Czapar, water quality coordinator for University of Illinois Extension, provided leadership for the C-FAR-funded water quality nutrient standards program and is a co-investigator on the USDA-funded research team.  Dr. Czapar says, “Having had the opportunity to lead the recent C-FAR nutrient standards work, I know firsthand that the success of our collaborative project was critical to our being awarded this national funding.  This work will continue to expand Illinois’ role as a national leader in water quality research and outreach.”

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