Mustinka River Restoration - Phase II
The Mustinka River winds through five counties in west central Minnesota and empties into Lake Traverse, a border waters lake with excellent fishing and recreational opportunities. For several years, sections of the river have been negatively impacted from too much soil/sediment eroding from the land and washing away into the water. Excess sediment degrades aquatic habitat and feeds algae blooms.
This project continues a 2011 Clean Water Fund collaborative effort to develop a plan to reduce the amount of sediment washed into the river.
This grant will provide staff time and resources for project development and promotion of 1,875 acres of buffers and 515 acres of wetland restorations. Technical assistance will be provided to landowners for the enrollment of 90 contracts with a total of 1,150 acres of Continuous CRP buffers and 15 contracts with a total of 445 acres of wetland restorations within the entire project area. These conservation practices will work directly to keep soil in farm fields where it belongs, and out of the water. All projects will have a cumulative effect towards reducing the amount of sediment in the water. This project will keep approximately 16,000 tons of soil out of the water each year. That's about 6 percent of the total amount of soil reduction that is needed to clean up the river.
The 20-member BWSR board consists of representatives of local and state government agencies and citizens. Members are appointed by the governor of the state of Minnesota consistent with Minnesota Statutes 103B.101. Board members at the time the grant was made were: County Commissioner Appointees: Quentin Fairbanks; Tom Loveall; Brian Napstad; Soil and Water Conservation District Appointees: Paul Langseth, Louise Smallidge and Bob Burandt; Watershed District or Watershed Management Organization Appointees: Gene Tiedemann, LuAnn Tolliver and Todd Foster; Citizen Appointees: Paul Brutlag ; Gerald Van Amburg; John Meyer; Cities & Townships: Sandy Hooker -Township; Christy Jo Fogarty -Metro City; Keith Mykleseth -Non-Metro City; Agency: Chris Elvrum - Minnesota Department of Health; Rebecca Flood - Pollution Control Agency; Tom Landwehr - Department of Natural Resources; Matt Wohlman - Minnesota Department of Agriculture; Faye Sleeper - Minnesota Extension Service;
Wayne Zellmer -BWSR Grants Coordinator; Matt Drewitz -BWSR South Region Clean Water Specialist; Art Persons -MDH Planning Supervisor Drinking Water Protection; Jeff Hrubes -BWSR North Region Clean Water Specialist; Marcey Westrick -BWSR Metro Clean Water Specialist; Julie Westerlund -DNR Clean Water Coordinator; Robert L. Sip -MDA Environmental Policy Specialist; Anna Kerr -MPCA -Stormwater / TMDL Coordinator; Nick Proulx -DNR Central Region Clean Water Legacy Specialist; Karen Evens - MPCA -Watershed Projects Manager; Joshua Stamper -MDA Research Scientist, Pesticide & Fertilizer Management; Norman R. Mofjeld -MDA Hydrologist P.G. Well Management Section;
Nicole Clapp
(a) $13,750,000 the first year and $13,750,000 the second year are for pollution reduction and restoration grants to local government units and joint powers organizations of local government units to protect surface water and drinking water; to keep water on the land; to protect, enhance, and restore water quality in lakes, rivers, and streams; and to protect groundwater and drinking water, including feedlot water quality and subsurface sewage treatment system (SSTS) projects and stream bank, stream channel, and shoreline restoration projects. The projects must be of long-lasting public benefit, include a match, and be consistent with TMDL implementation plans or local water management plans.
Buffer strips: actively promote CCRP buffers on 1875 ac of land; enroll 90 contracts with a total of 1,150 acres of buffers. Erosion Control: install a total of 11 Water& Sediment Control Basins for: one restoration of gully erosion project Wetland Restoration: actively promote CCRP wetland restorations on 515 acres. No-Till& Minimum Tillage Promition: Promotion of new practices implemented on 40 new acres of croplaned. Proposed Reductions: 16,617 Se tons/year Sediment
This project resulted in estimated reductions of 516 lb. of phosphorus per year, 2.32 tons of sediment per year, and 261 tons of soil loss
The source of additional funds varies from project to project, but generally consists of federal, local and non-public sources.