Technical Assistance for Sauk River Watershed-Mississippi River Basin Initiative

The Sauk River watershed was selected to participate in the federal Mississippi River Basin Initiative (MRBI) program in 2010 to decrease nutrient contributions to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. The MRBI program provides federal cost share funds to landowners to install conservation practices.
Unfortunately, the federal program does not provide sufficient funds for contacting landowners and designing projects. The Sauk River Watershed District's (SRWD) pursued Clean Water Funds to provide this technical assistance to area residents considering conservation practices. Technical staff will assist in selecting the most cost effective practice, develop a design plan and generate an operation and maintenance plan.
The MRBI program will address the nutrient and sediment loading concerns highlighted in the Getchell-Unnamed-Stony Creek TMDL, Sauk Lake TMDL, and the Sauk River Chain of Lakes TMDL. However, without technical assistance landowners are less likely to participate in the program. The goal of this project is to provide local residents an opportunity to make a difference in the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico by guiding them through the implementation of their project and provide a long term perspective (management plan) to maximize project effectiveness.