Under the leadership of Dr. Jerry Hatfield, USDA-ARS-NSTL, the national MSEA effort, Agricultural Systems for Environmental Quality (ASEQ), recently held water quality briefing sessions with ARS, Congressional and government leaders, and other USDA personnel. The Mississippi Delta MSEA Project was represented by Dr. Jonathon Schreiber, ARS-NSL; Dr. Jonathan Pote, MSU; and Mr. Richard Rebich, USGS. The purpose of these meetings was to inform research/program managers and Congressional staff on: (1) Effectiveness of USDA water quality programs as a result of interagency cooperation and multi-disciplinary research, (2) Need for continuation of USDA water quality programs, and (3) The USDA/MSEA water quality program as a good model for future environmental and educational efforts in times of diminishing budgets.

On Wednesday (March 13^th), a "dry run" was held at ARS Headquarters in Beltsville, MD with the ARS-National Program Staff, along with some of the Beltsville water quality scientists. The major thrust of the presentations was on results from the original Midwest MSEAs over the past five years. The new MSEAs were adequately introduced by Dr. Hatfield in an excellent wrap-up presentation.

The congressional briefing on Thursday (March 14^th) went well. Senator Kerrey of Nebraska did not attend, but one of his staffers was there. The good thing about this meeting was the wide range of congressional aids and representation from government agencies that were there to hear the presentations. Dr. Horn, the new Administrator of ARS was there, as well as Under-Secretary of Agriculture, Dr. Stauber. Several high-ranking representatives from NRCS, ARS, and FSA were also present. The MSEA program was very well received as a project that delivered what it promised, and is one of the better examples ever of interagency and interstate cooperation. I am excited about this as I think that this is even more so for our MSEA project. After the congressional briefing the ASEQ group met back at the Holiday Inn for further discussions. Apparently the MSEA group from Missouri is handling much of the ground work to get the correct wording for the legislative language to get funding to CSREES for MSEA-type projects. They are currently working on a statement of testimony for congressional support of MSEA-type projects. Dr. Scott Knight of ARS-NSL, and also our Delta MSEA Project, was tapped to chair the Watershed and Wetland working group of ASEQ.

The presentation on Friday (March 15^th) morning was to more staffers (fairly high level) from CSREES, NRCS, FSA, and EPA. Once again, the MSEA approach was well accepted as a lot of bang for the bucks, and applauded as an excellent example of inter-agency cooperation. At this meeting Richard Rebich, USGS, presented a 3 to 5 minute summary of our MSEA project and did an outstanding job. There was much interest in our project, and a lot of questions were asked. Overall, the ASEQ group was feeling pretty good about their efforts to restore additional funding to CSREES for water quality MSEA-type projects. Dr. Hatfield thought the President's new budget was said to be very friendly to ARS. Dr. Hatfield indicated that he was working very hard within ARS to get increased funding for MSEA programs. He had placed the MSEA program in nomination for a "National Award".

An additional water control structure was recently completed at Beasley Lake watershed. The structure consists of a 14-foot-wide berm across the east end of the lake with a slotted-board riser in the approximate center of the berm. First burndown of the winter wheat cover at Deep Hollow lake watershed was completed in mid-March. Roundup Ultra was applied conventionally using the special hooded sprayer built by Hanks/Bryson and crew at Stoneville. Bo Sloan and his crew with the USDA Animal Damage Control Unit at Stoneville are assisting the project by helping with beaver control at Beasley Lake. They are in the process of installing specially-designed drop pipes in two of the three beaver dams. The third dam will be dynamited and the beavers controlled by trapping and other methods.

Schreiber, J. D., R. A. Rebich, and J. W. Pote. 1996. The Mississippi Delta Management Systems Evaluation Area (MSEA) Project. Proc. 6^th Fed. Interagency Sed. Conf. Vol. 2: VIII-91-95.