Southeast Minnesota Stream Restoration Projects

Overall Project Outcome Results:
The overall objective of this project was to accelerate stream restoration in Southeast Minnesota by building the capacity of county and federal conservation staff and private citizens to implement future projects.

Early European settlement and agricultural practices from the 1850's to the 1930's led to wide scale erosion, flooding, and altering of streams and valleys in Southeast Minnesota. Many of the streams today still have steep eroding banks, incised channels, and poor in-stream habitat. Annual sedimentation coming off streambank ranges from 250 to 1000 tons per mile and is responsible for as much as 85% of the total sediment load that enters the stream.

One of our primary goals was to have eight showcase stream restoration projects; we were successful in having eleven. Our other primary goal was to educate and train volunteers and professionals about the various techniques and the planning involved in implementing a stream restoration project. Through a combination of 12 workshops, 4 symposiums, and 8 in-the-field demonstrations over 45 volunteers were trained on how to install various habitat practices for fish and non-game species, and contributed over 2,300 volunteer hours working on stream restoration projects. Projects were completed in four of the seven targeted counties, and approximately 3 miles were restored.

Volunteers and contractors installed over 100 different habitat structures for trout, and non-game species of fish, turtles, birds and frogs. Cost of designs, permits, materials, earth moving, and professional oversight of the projects was close to half a million dollars. Environmental and Natural Resources Trust Fund dollars contributed $188,535, with Trout Unlimited Chapters, County and Federal agencies contributing over $357,447.

Project Results Use and Dissemination
Over the three year period of this project we more than quadrupled the educational and informational events we proposed for in our original plan. Promoting, educating and accelerating stream restoration projects were accomplished through a variety media formats:

• 41 Workdays - involving volunteers clearing brush, installing habitat for fish and nongame species, seeding and mulching grade banks.
• 6 News releases - on completed projects.
• 8 Newsletters - newsletters to volunteers, county, state and federal employees.
• 4 Driftless Symposiums - regional symposium on riparian and watershed management.
• 2 Driftless Stream Bus Tours - free tour for professionals and volunteers of recently completed projects.
• 7 In-the-field workshop - for volunteers on how to seed, mulch and install fish and non-game habitat practices.
• 4 Minnesota Great Waters Fly Fishing Expos - handouts, talks, displays on cold water stream restoration projects.
• 2 Television Programs - on cold-water stream restoration.
• 5 Stream Restoration Project Planning Workshop - 2-day workshop for volunteers on how to organize projects, write grants, workdays, easements, etc.
• Conducted one tour for Outdoor Writers Association - Southeast MN streams.
• 7 Presentations to MN TU chapters on cold water stream restoration.
• 12 Presentations to County and Federal employees of Southeast Minnesota on cold water stream restoration.
• Presentations to Winona State students and St. Paul Fisheries graduates.
• Presentation at the Lakes and Rivers Conference in Rochester.
• 4 presentations in MN at the American Fisheries Association conference.
• 6 Local Work Group meetings (meeting of local Soil and Water Conservation Districts and Natural Resources Conservation Service) to plan on where spending of federal Farm Bill dollars will be directed.
• 42 Hand guides on habitat practices for trout and non-game species to volunteers, county, state and federal employees.