2019 St. Croix River Escarpment Gully Stabilization
The St. Croix River escarpment has been a focal point for the Chisago Soil and Water Conservation District over the past 8 years, and continues to be one of the leading areas of Chisago County in terms of phosphorus reduction projects to Lake St. Croix. Of the original inventory, 16 of the 36 gullies have been stabilized. This application includes the stabilization of 5 gullies. These projects will reduce the phosphorus loading to the St. Croix River by at least 50 pounds per year and sediment loading by at least 50 tons per year.
The St. Croix River escarpment has been a focal point for the Chisago Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) over the past 8 years, and continues to be one of the leading areas of Chisago County in terms of phosphorus reduction projects. In 2011, an inventory of actively eroding gullies located between the southern border of Wild River State Park south to the Chisago/Washington County line found 36 severely eroding, high priority gully locations. Since this time, the Chisago SWCD has installed over 15 best management practices with a phosphorus reduction of over 365 pounds per year along the St. Croix River escarpment. Gullies that were not discovered in the original inventory effort have been found as the Chisago SWCD staff has been working in the area. Word of mouth has been effective in bringing other landowners and producers forward seeking assistance for erosion concerns that are located on their properties along the escarpment. Of the original inventory, 16 of the 36 gullies have been stabilized. The Chisago SWCD continues to contact the landowners of the remaining inventory gullies, and has made progress in some cases. This application includes the stabilization of 3 of the originally identified gullies, 1 newly discovered gully, and at least 1 additional project that is under development. These projects will reduce the phosphorus loading to the St. Croix River by at least 50 pounds per year and sediment loading by at least 50 tons per year.
Annie Felix-Gerth
$6,882,000 the first year and $12,618,000 the second year are for grants to protect and restore 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 projects and stream bank, stream channel, shoreline restoration, and ravine stabilization projects. The projects must use practices demonstrated to be effective, be of long-lasting public benefit, include a match, and be consistent with total maximum daily load (TMDL) implementation plans, watershed restoration and protection strategies (WRAPS), or local water management plans or their equivalents. A portion of these funds may be used to seek administrative efficiences through shared resources by multiple local governmental units.
The projects implemented with this grant will reduce the total phosphorus loading by 50 pounds per year and sediment loading by 50 tons per year.
This project has resulted in an estimated annual reduction of 716.51 lbs of Phosphorus, 712.66 tons of Sediment, 2344.9 tons of Soil Loss,
LOCAL LEVERAGED FUNDS