Improving water quality in the Yellow Medicine River
Agricultural drain tiles with surface intakes are considered a significant delivery mechanism of nutrients to Minnesota River. Protecting those surface water inlets can reduce the direct path those nutrients have to the river. In addition, in agricultural fields with subsurface drainage, leached nitrate creates elevated nitrate levels in tile drainage water. These high nitrate concentrations can cause algae blooms that remove oxygen. To help remove nitrates leached into tile drains, wood chip bioreactors can be installed to remove nitrate from the tile water before it enters surface water. The goal of this project is to install 20 alternative intakes, 12 control drainage structures and one woodchip bioreactor.
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;
Bill Thompson - MPCA Project Manager and Research Scientist; Sonia Maassel Jacobsen - Hydraulic Engineer, NRCS; Bruce Henningsgaard - Principal Engineer; William P Anderson - Principal Engineer; Greg Eggers - Drainage Engineer, MN DNR; Jim Solstad - Hydrologist 3; Allan M. Kean - Chief Engineer, BWSR; Adam Birr - Impaired Waters Technical Coordinator;
Nicole Clapp
(d) $1,000,000 the first year and $1,000,000 the second year are for technical assistance and grants for the conservation drainage program in consultation with the Drainage Work Group, created under Minnesota Statutes, section 103B.101, subdivision 13, that consists of projects to retrofit existing drainage systems with water quality improvement practices, evaluate outcomes, and provide outreach to landowners, public drainage authorities, drainage engineers and contractors, and others.
Project Outputs:Install a wood chip bioreactor - Lower Yellow Medicine River Sub-watershed. Install 12 control drainage structures - Lower Yellow Medicine River Sub-watershed. Replace 20 open intakes with alternative intakes - Lower Yellow Medicine River Sub-watershed. Proposed Reductions:766 lbs/year Nitrogen 43 lbs/year Phosphorus 20 tons/year Sediment
Installed one bioreactor affecting 21.5 acres resulted in a reduction in nitrogen of 163 per year and a reduction of phosphorus of 2 pounds per year. 1 CAP130 plan was developed for landowner who installed bioreactor and control structures.
A Conservation Drainage Field Day and a Drainage Workshop was held. Approximately 114 people attended the field day and 80 people attended the workshop.
The source of additional funds varies from project to project, but generally consists of federal, local and non-public sources.