Reducing Sediment in Cascade Creek
High sediment levels in streams are prevalent throughout South Eastern Minnesota. Installing proven and cost-effective conservation practices that collectively reverse these impairments while also meeting flood protection and ecosystem support goals are needed. The purpose of this project is to design, construct, and maintain two retention structures and restore approximately one mile of failed stream bank. This project integrates objectives of Olmsted County, the Department of Natural Resources and City of Rochester into a common project.
This project will also create community engagement and education opportunities to demonstrate the selected design, construction and maintenance practices to local engineers, land owners, technical staff and interested citizens in an effort to encourage these practices throughout the Cascade Creek sub-watershed and the Zumbro River Watershed. Uniquely, this project will be supplemented by a separately funded project to measure the long-term downstream impacts to ecosystem health and assess project effectiveness in reducing turbidity levels and flood peaks.
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;
Wayne Zellmer -BWSR Grants Coordinator; Matt Drewitz -BWSR South Region Clean Water Specialist; Art Persons -MDH Planning Supervisor Drinking Water Protection; Jeff Hrubes -BWSR North Region Clean Water Specialist; Marcey Westrick -BWSR Metro Clean Water Specialist; Julie Westerlund -DNR Clean Water Coordinator; Robert L. Sip -MDA Environmental Policy Specialist; Anna Kerr -MPCA -Stormwater / TMDL Coordinator; Nick Proulx -DNR Central Region Clean Water Legacy Specialist; Karen Evens - MPCA -Watershed Projects Manager; Joshua Stamper -MDA Research Scientist, Pesticide & Fertilizer Management; Norman R. Mofjeld -MDA Hydrologist P.G. Well Management Section;
Nicole Clapp
(a) $13,750,000 the first year and $13,750,000 the second year are for pollution reduction and restoration grants to local government units and joint powers organizations of local government units to protect 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 (SSTS) projects and stream bank, stream channel, and shoreline restoration projects. The projects must be of long-lasting public benefit, include a match, and be consistent with TMDL implementation plans or local water management plans.
2 retention structures - south branch cascade creek. Streambank restoration - south branch cascade creek. Proposed Reductions: 87 ft3/sec Hydrology, 4,080 lbs/year Phosphorus and 2006 tons/year Sediment
This project resulted in estimated reduction of phosphorus by 107 lb. per year, 90 tons of sediment in the water per year, and reduced soil loss by an estimated 209 tons per year.
The source of additional funds varies from project to project, but generally consists of federal, local and non-public sources.