Pine River Watershed Protection and Lake Phosphorus Reduction Initiatives
The Crow Wing (CW) and Cass County Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) and Cass and CW Counties will implement the following Pine River Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan and County Water Plan Action Items:
1.Complete 20 Forest Stewardship plans and 20 best management practices for approximately 2,000 acres in high priority lakeshed (as identified in Table 7.4, page 90) based off Pine River Forest Landscape Plan and Riparian Adjacent Quality scoring mythology.
2.Inventory Stormwater inputs and culverts for Upper Whitefish and Clamshell and City of Pine River.
3.Install 16 stormwater or shoreline buffer practices around Pig, Clamshell, and Big Trout Lakes.
4.Culvert inventory and provide cost-share funds to townships to replace existing culverts.
5.Host four workshops for contractor, service providers, and individuals on chloride management. Train 60 people in best management practices to reduce chlorides. Cost-Share with one local government to upgrade equipment to reduce chloride usage.
6.Seal over 30 wells in high priority locations for surficial sand aquifers
7.Partner with 13 landownesr to complete grazing management plans and best management practices within the Upper Whitefish Watershed.
The 2019 Cass and CW Counties property tax assessment reports that the Pine River Watershed contains over $6.5 billion dollars of property values. To ensure this area retains its value, this project will implement a targeted and high priority BMPs. This project reflects the lessons learned from SWCD's $ 1.2 million Targeted Watershed projects; which included use of media resources, site preparation, design components, communication, oversight of contractors, site inspections, and project evaluation. The SWCD believes that if runoff and protection problems are not addressed within Pine River Watershed that the water visibility will continue to decrease, negatively altering the quality of life and economic vitality of Cass and CW Counties.
Marcey Westrick
[Watershed Based Implementation Funding 2020] (a) $13,591,000 the first year and $13,375,000 the second year are for performance-based grants with multiyear implementation plans to local government units. The grants may be used to implement projects that protect, enhance, and restore surface water quality in lakes, rivers, and streams; protect groundwater from degradation; and protect drinking water sources. Projects must be identified in a comprehensive watershed plan developed under the One Watershed, One Plan or metropolitan surface water management frameworks or groundwater plans. Grant recipients must identify a nonstate match and may use other legacy funds to supplement projects funded under this paragraph.
This project will increase 5,024 acres of protection for lakes, groundwater, habitat, and forest by one percent. The installed practices will reduce phosphorous by an estimated five percent of the total lake goals (as identified in Table 7.5, page 9)
LOCAL LEVERAGED FUNDS