North Fork Crow Watershed River FY2024 Watershed-Based Implementation Funding
The North Fork Crow River Watershed planning workgroup has based its comprehensive watershed management plan on seven planning regions. Each planning region has a list of prioritized resource concerns, measurable goals and implementation actions. Implementation actions are targeted in locations within each planning region, prioritized based on local concerns, programs, etc.
Watershed-Based Implementation Funds will be utilized to implement plan actions through installation of structural best management practices and land management practices, providing funding assistance for partner technical/engineering assistance and project development, filling known data gaps and increasing education and awareness for sealing abandoned or unused wells.
Well sealing, technical assistance funds and educational efforts will be utilized by the seven sub-watershed areas in the North Fork Crow River, while structural and non-structural ag BMPs have each been prioritized to targeted locations within each planning region. Subwatershed assessments will be completed within each planning region to refine PTMApp identified projects for implementation. Site data collected during the previous WBIF round of funding has been prioritized for practices including cattle exclusion, to reduce effects of in-stream erosion and sediment transport. Meeker County Ditch 47, part of the Middle Fork Crow River, will being construction on the first phase of a restoration project. Examples of structural practices utilized to meet sediment and phosphorus load reductions include grade stabilization structures, water and sediment control basins and grassed waterways; example non-structural practices to be applied include cover crops and conservation tillage. Utilization of these grant funds will provide estimated annual load reductions of 382 pounds of total phosphorus and 1354.3 tons of sediment, which will be achieved through the establishment of structural and non-structural practices. In addition to these estimated reductions, proposed projects will also result in a 3 acres of wetland restoration, 10 well sealings, 7 landowner workshops, and 3 storm water practices, as well as the completion of at least six feasibility or subwatershed assessment studies that will identify additional practices for implementation.
Annie Felix-Gerth
(a) $39,500,000 the first year and $39,500,000 the second year are for grants to implement state-approved watershed-based plans. The grants may be used to implement projects or programs that protect, enhance, and restore surface PreviouswaterNext quality in lakes, rivers, and streams; protect groundwater from degradation; and protect drinking PreviouswaterNext sources. Projects must be identified in a comprehensive watershed plan developed under the One Watershed, One Plan program and seven-county metropolitan groundwater or surface PreviouswaterNext management frameworks as provided for in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 103B, 103C, 103D, and 114D. Grant recipients must identify a nonstate match and may use other legacy funds to supplement projects funded under this paragraph. This appropriation may be used for: (1) implementing state-approved plans, including within the following watershed planning areas (see Chapter 40 Article 2 Section 6(a) (2) for the list of watershed planning areas: seven-county metropolitan groundwater or surface PreviouswaterNext management frameworks; and(3) other comprehensive watershed management plan planning areas that have a board-approved and local-government-adopted plan as authorized in Minnesota Statutes, section 103B.801. The board must establish eligibility criteria and determine whether a planning area is ready to proceed and has the nonstate match committed.
The proposed measurable outcomes include 11 acres of wetland restoration or enhancement, and practices targeting 1354.3 tons/acre of sediment, and 382 lbs/acre of phosphorus reduction.
LOCAL LEVERAGED FUNDS