Stearns County Ditch 26 Drainage Management

Stearns County Ditch 26 (CD 26) is a 20 mile channelized section of Getchell Creek, a primary tributary to the Sauk River that is impaired for turbidity, E.coli and aquatic macroinvertebrate bio-assessment. The Stearns County Ditch 26 Drainage Management Project will address the stormwater runoff concerns identified within this public drainage system. Alternative intake structures to manage nutrients and mitigative measures will be taken to retain water on the upland properties and minimize flow rate and velocity. Combined techniques of bioengineering and other innovative techniques will target reductions of upland nutrient contributions through the drainage systems, as well as minimize the effects of sediment contribution to Getchell Creek and the Sauk River. CWF dollars will be utilized to provide financial assistance to landowners for BMP implementation and technical assistance.