Quarry Creek Collaborative

This project will reduce sediment to the Minnesota River, control erosion and reduce sedimentation in a local DNR Protected Water and protect private land and public infrastructure. The County Road (CR) 6 ravine (Quarry Creek) cuts through the Minnesota River valley bluff in Blakeley Township. Active channel incision and erosion within the ravine has caused large amounts of sediment to be deposited under the bridge at CR 6 such that the road is frequently flooded and sediment has to be removed several times a year. The accumulated sediment is course particulate with most of the suspended sediment going into the Minnesota River immediately downstream.

Goals of the project are to:
- Reduce sediment export to the Minnesota River
- Reduce sediment maintenance needs at CR6
- Control property damage to land owners from ravine erosion and headcutting

Addressing erosion and sediment from near channel sources like Quarry Creek is important. MPCA and others have identified near channel areas as the dominant source to the Minnesota River, which in turn dominates sediment sources to the Mississippi River and Lake Pepin.