Minnesota Trout Unlimited Coldwater Fish Habitat Enhancement and Restoration, Phase 10
Minnesota Trout Unlimited and its partners, chapters, and volunteers enhanced habitat for trout, as well as other fish, game and wildlife, in or along more than 9 miles of coldwater streams around the state. We adapting to challenging conditions caused by the pandemic by shifting budget from small projects using hand labor (which was largely unavailable for the past 3 years) to very large scale projects utilizing heavy machinery and extensive habitat materials.
We enhanced habitat on 11 different stream reaches. The scope of work varied to match the site conditions, watershed characteristics, and address the specific population limiting factors.
Severely degraded or unstable stream sections received comprehensive, large-scale habitat enhancements to restore stream function and in-stream trout habitat. These included intensive projects on the South Branch Whitewater River near St. Charles, Wisel Creek near Harmony, Pine Creek near Nodine, Hay Creek near Red Wing, Beaver Creek west of Caledonia, and Winnebago Creek southeast of Caledonia. These projects required extensive grading and modification of stream channel patterns to create habitat-filled, stable channels and restored floodplains.
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted labor availability and prevented implementation of smaller scale projects around the state. We adapted by shifting resources to larger scale projects in southeast Minnesota. Comprehensive habitat enhancement could be, and was, completed on these streams because they required less DNR involvement and did not rely on extensive hand labor. We had originally planned to complete several with later phases of funding, but we accelerated implementation of them to ensure that all Phase 10 funding would be utilized creating high quality habitat within the grant period.
In southeast Minnesota, we also completed 4 miles of work along Badger Creek, Gribben Creek, Mill Creek, and the South Fork of the Root River. These project sites had cold water temperatures and decent in-stream habitat but suffered from the negative effects of dense corridors of buckthorn, boxelder and other invasives. Here significant habitat gains were realized by removing these invasive trees and shrubs, which do a poor job holding streambanks. We removed invasive trees and shrubs and seeded corridors with grasses and forbs. This allows native grasses and forbs, which better secure soils, to become reestablished and lets beneficial sunlight reach the stream beds and boost stream productivity.
Although we could not implement the small-scale projects in the northern forested areas due to labor disruptions, by pivoting to southeast Minnesota we completed more large-scale projects than originally planned.
$2,291,000 the second year is to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Minnesota Trout Unlimited to acquire permanent conservation stream easements using the payment method prescribed in Minnesota Statutes, section 84.0272, subdivision 2, and to restore and enhance habitat for trout and other species in and along coldwater rivers, lakes, and streams in Minnesota. Up to $20,000 is for establishing a monitoring and enforcement fund as approved in the accomplishment plan and subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 97A.056, subdivision 17. A list of proposed land acquisitions and restorations and enhancements must be provided as part of the required accomplishment plan.
The projects enhanced degraded habitat for fish and wildlife in and along 9 miles of coldwater streams and rivers which historically supported naturally reproducing trout populations that are highly valued by anglers. While trout are the apex predator and key indicator species in coldwater systems, a host of rare aquatic and riparian species uniquely associated with these systems also benefited from the habitat work. The enhanced habitat will also provide great recreational opportunities for anglers and citizens.
NRCS, DNR and TU