Linking Nutrient Reductions to Receiving Water Responses

While the water sector has made significant investments in nutrient control, there is a need for increased availability of data and information on effective practices, expanded engagement with key stakeholders, and additional mechanistic understanding of linkages between management practices and water quality and ecosystem responses. This project addressed an important knowledge gap in nutrient management by collecting available information on nutrient controls, implementation of total maximum daily loads, water quality, and ecosystem responses. A web-based benchmarking tool was developed that can be used to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different regulatory and management actions. The tool integrates information from a variety of reputable data sources related to nutrient management, permitting, best management practice implementation, and receiving water responses. Published in 2025.