Big Fork Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) Update - Itasca SWCD

The purpose of this contract is to expand data collection efforts, public participation efforts, and provide technical assistance in targeted areas of the Big Fork River Watershed for the Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) Project. A key aspect of this effort is to develop implementation strategies for targeted areas of the watershed to help state agencies, local governments, and other watershed stakeholders determine how to best proceed with restoring and protecting the watershed. The goal of this project is to identify and prioritize targeted restoration and protection areas where there are data gaps within the Big Fork River Watershed to maintain and enhance water quality. Through an increased technical agency partnership, this contract will support research, monitoring, analysis, and planning activities to develop strategic implementation and protection management practices in targeted locations of the watershed. This contract will also support public outreach and education to inform the public of the WRAPS process and educate on various relevant restoration and protection strategies. The strategies developed through this project will be integrated into an updated Big Fork River WRAPS Report and provide the foundation for future implementation projects that have been requested by the Itasca County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD).