Riparian Buffer Easement Program, Phase 3 (FY 2014/2015)

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2015 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$6,500,000
Fund Source
Clean Water Fund
Recipient
Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources
Recipient Type
State Government
Status
In Progress
Start Date
July 2013
End Date
July 2016
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Land Acquisition
Preservation
Restoration/Enhancement
Project Overview

This program is a part of a comprehensive clean water strategy to prevent sediment and nutrients from entering our lakes, rivers, and streams; enhance fish and wildlife habitat; protect groundwater and wetlands. Specifically the Riparian Buffer Easement Program targets creating buffers on riparian lands adjacent to lakes, rivers, streams and tributaries. Through the Reinvest in Minnesota Program (RIM) and in partnership with Soil and Water Conservation Districts and private landowners, permanent conservation easements are purchased and buffers established. In 1986, the Reinvest in Minnesota Resources Act was enacted to restore certain marginal and environmental sensitive agricultural land to protect soil and water quality and support fish and wildlife habitat. Utilizing the RIM conservation easement program, conservation easements on riparian lands are purchased. Lands that are targeted include new or existing USDA Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) contracts with cropping history. Participating landowners receive a payment to retire land in agricultural production and to establish permanent buffers of native vegetation. Buffer strips of native vegetation will be established on the easement acres. The program is targeted to critical CRP acres so these areas would be permanently protected instead of enrolled in short-term contracts. These buffers slow and prevent sediment from entering lakes, rivers and streams, reduce hydrologic impacts to surface waters and increase infiltration for groundwater recharge. Minnesota currently has just over 200,000 acres of CRP in buffer practices at various stages of their 10-15 year contracts, some soon to expire. The buffer initiative compliments other programs, both existing and yet to be developed, over the next 25 years.

Competitive Grant Making Body
Conflict of Interest Contact

Nicole Clapp

Legal Citation / Subdivision
Laws of Minnesota 2013, Regular Session chapter 137
Appropriation Language

(f) $6,500,000 the first year and $6,500,000 the second year are to purchase and restore permanent conservation easements on riparian buffers adjacent to lakes, rivers, streams, and tributaries, to keep water on the land in order to decrease sediment, pollutant, and nutrient transport; reduce hydrologic impacts to surface waters; and increase infiltration for groundwater recharge. This appropriation may be used for restoration of riparian buffers protected by easements purchased with this appropriation and for stream bank restorations when the riparian buffers have been restored.

2015 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$6,500,000
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

BWSR and SWCDs will work with private landowners to enroll approximately 80 riparian easements adjacent to lakes, rivers, streams and tributaries that will permanently protect more than 2,339 acres in 39 counties.

Source of Additional Funds

The source of additional funds varies from project to project, but generally consists of federal, local and non-public sources.
The source of additional funds varies from project to project, but generally consists of federal, local and non-public sources.

Project Manager
First Name
Bill
Last Name
Penning
Organization Name
Board of Water and Soil Resources
Street Address
520 Lafayette Road North
City
St Paul
State
MN
Zip Code
55155
Phone
(651) 297-1894
Email
Bill.Penning@state.mn.us
Administered By
Administered by
Location

520 Lafayette Road North
St. Paul, MN 55155

Phone
651- 296-3767