TIMES

SESSION DESCRIPTION

9:00 am

Registration and Continental Breakfast

10:00 am

MORNING PLENARY

Welcome – Dr. Alison Bressler, University of Michigan Water Center (UMWC)

Opening Remarks
Tim Boring, Director, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD)
Phil Roos, Director, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)
Steve Chadwick, Senior Great Lakes Wetlands Advisor, Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
Michelle Selzer, WLEB Strategist, MDARD

Updates on Best Management Practices Outreach and Implementation
Thad Cleary and Brittany Santure, EGLE
Megan DeLeeuw, MDARD
Randy Knapik, DNR

Water Quality Updates
Point Sources - Phil Argiroff and Tom Asmus, EGLE 
Water Quality Monitoring - Gary Kohlhepp, EGLE

11:25 am

Networking Break – move to breakout sessions

Track 1

Track 2

Track 3

11:40 am

Updates on High Density Water Quality Monitoring in the WLEB
Learn more about WLEBs new high density water quality monitoring project being funded by Michigan’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Erb Family Foundation. The session will overview select water quality data – including total and soluble phosphorus – from Spring 2025 precipitation event(s) along with a real-time continuous data viewer.

Tom Zimnicki, Alliance for the Great Lakes  
Ed Verhamme, LimnoTech  
Jeremiah Asher, Michigan State University Institute of Water Research (MSU IWR)

Ecological Nutrient Management in the WLEB
Learn about on-farm research linking agricultural management to soil health indicators and water quality outcomes in Michigan's portion of the WLEB. Provide feedback on preliminary results and the design of the next phases of the collaborative Healthy Soils, Healthy Waters project.

Jennifer Blesh and Brendan O’Neill, University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability

Social science perspectives on transforming agricultural landscapes into wetlands
Explore the crucial role of landowner engagement in wetland restoration efforts in the Western Lake Erie Basin. Speakers will delve into research on landowner attitudes and share insights from a collaborative study with Michigan DNR, Michigan State University, and Ducks Unlimited. Participate in a dynamic discussion on overcoming barriers and seizing opportunities for successful wetland restoration.
Meg Vona and Emily Pomeranz, MSU Department of Fisheries and Wildlife 
Barb Avers,  DNR
 

12:30 PM

Networking Lunch followed by Keynote
Keynote: What Lake Erie’s past can tell us about its future  Dr. Laura Johnson, Chief Science Officer, MDARD

1:50 pm

Wetlands at Work: Designing for Wildlife and Water
Discover how partnerships drive innovative solutions for complex wetland restoration in Michigan’s Western Lake Erie Basin. Learn from the collaboration between the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Ducks Unlimited, and LimnoTech as they design a multifunctional wetland to improve water quality, reduce flooding, and enhance wildlife habitat. Dive into expert insights on balancing diverse project goals for lasting success.
Alex Wieten, Kali Rush, and Timm Appleton, Duck's Unlimited 

Understanding Legacy Phosphorus in the Western Lake Erie Basin
Learn about what science can tell us about legacy phosphorus in agricultural watersheds. Dr. Mike Brooker will discuss the factors that influence P loss, how collaboration with the agricultural community can help identify high-risk fields, which BMPs are most effective, and how the implementation of these practices can be achieved voluntarily. This session will provide ample time for you to ask WLEB phosphorus experts your legacy phosphorus questions in fields and waterways.  
Dr. Mike Brooker, Ohio State University

Social Science Panel - TBA

2:40 pm

Break

2:50 pm

Water Management for Water Quality and Crop Yield
Attend this session to learn about innovative strategies for managing water to enhance water quality and crop yield. This session explores ways to improve the performance of controlled drainage systems in minimizing nutrient loss, discusses the benefits of drainage water recycling for nutrient reduction based on research conducted in Iowa, and examines the effects of this technique on crop yield and nutrient loss in Missouri.

Ehsan Ghane, MSU Extension
Chris Hay, Hay Water Solutions, LLC 
Kelly Nelson, University of Missouri

Moderator: Alison Bressler, UMWC

Performance-based Conservation Adoption Program: Accelerating Nutrient Reduction in the WLEB
Attend this session to learn about the new performance-based conservation practice adoption program being developed at MSU and funded by MDARD. The session will describe the importance of using performance as the driving measure for conservation practice adoption, how the program will work, how it is connected to the other WLEB projects like the Nutrient Tracking Dashboard, and the proposed timeline for development and implementation of the program.   

Tim Boring, MDARD
Jeremiah Asher, MSU IWR 

Social Science Panel - TBA

3:50 pm

Adjourn