Protecting Drinking Water Sources in Southern Washington County
The goal of this project is to protect drinking water quality in areas of rural southern Washington County that are vulnerable to groundwater contamination from nitrogen fertilizer. As part of this project, the Washington Conservation District will provide technical and financial assistance to agricultural landowners in these vulnerable groundwater areas to increase the implementation of nitrogen fertilizer best management practices and alternative management tools. Activities may include nonstructural and structural practices, such as increased continuous cover (diversified crop rotations, perennial crops, cover crops), retired cropland (conversion to native vegetation), and others identified to reduce nitrate leaching. The Washington Conservation District will work toward implementing up to 10 nitrogen fertilizer best management practice/alternative management tool projects on over 200 acres of agricultural land within the project area, and reach over 200 community members through education and engagement in groundwater pollution prevention and drinking water protection activities. The anticipated outcome of this project is to make progress on reducing the amount of nitrate leaching into groundwater that serves as a drinking water source for private wells in southern Washington County.
Agencies partnering with the Washington Conservation District are Washington County, East Metro Water Resource Education Program, South Washington Watershed District, Valley Branch Watershed District, City of Cottage Grove, Denmark Township, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Minnesota Department of Health, University of Minnesota, Minnesota Land Trust, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and local landowners.
Annie Felix-Gerth
(b) $16,000,000 the first year and $16,000,000 the second year are for grants to local government units 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 this money may be used to seek administrative efficiencies through shared resources by multiple local governmental units. Up to 20 percent of this appropriation is available for land-treatment projects and practices that benefit drinking water.
This project will result in up to 10 nitrogen fertilizer best management practice/alternative management tool projects on over 200 acres in the project area, and educating/engaging over 200 community members in drinking water protection activities.
Grant funds were used for this project installed 5 agricultural best management practices on 225 acres of land and engaged over 500 community members.
LOCAL LEVERAGED FUNDS