Whetstone River Restoration
The Upper Minnesota River Watershed District (UMRWD) is leading an effort to restore a historic segment of the Whetstone River, including its' original confluence with the Minnesota River, just south of Ortonville, MN. The Whetstone River was rerouted into Big Stone Lake in the 1930's to promote and sustain lake levels. Unfortunately, increased runoff and erosion within the Whetstone River have led to diminished water quality in Big Stone Lake. While much of the Whetstone River drainage area is in South Dakota, the water quality benefits will manifest in Big Stone Lake, which is a MN/SD border water and the Headwaters of the Minnesota River. The Whetstone River Restoration project will provide water quality benefits to surface waters in Minnesota by hydrologically reconnecting the Whetstone River to its' historic channel and natural floodplain.
The UMWRD purchased land needed for the restoration in 2021 and is now seeking $600,000, to combine with existing grants from the MNDNR and a MPCA CWF Loan Program to complete floodplain establishment and channel restoration work in Minnesota. This request is just under 10% of the overall estimated project costs. The overall project will reduce phosphorus loading in Big Stone Lake by 65,320 pounds per year, achieving 17% of the needed nonpoint source progress towards restoring Big Stone Lake. UMRWD purchased additional land, adjacent to the historic channel, to establish a natural floodplain which will allow for sediment to deposit, reducing phosphorous levels downstream in Marsh Lake by 2,576 pounds per year.
The UMRWD is seeking relatively modest CWF support, compared to the overall budget and is committed to owning, operating, and maintaining all components of the overall project and has commitments from Big Stone County, MN and Grant County, SD to maintain the transportation components modified by the project.
Annie Felix-Gerth
(b) $8,500,000 the first year and $8,500,000 the second year are for grants to local government units to protect and restore 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 projects and stream bank, stream channel, shoreline restoration, and ravine stabilization projects. The projects must use practices demonstrated to be effective, be of long-lasting public benefit, include a match, and be consistent with total maximum daily load (TMDL) implementation plans, watershed restoration and protection strategies (WRAPS), or local water management plans or their equivalents. Up to 20 percent of this appropriation is available for land-treatment projects and practices that benefit drinking water.
With a reduction of 65,320 pounds of phosphorous to Big Stone Lake each year, this project will achieve the 10-year TMDL goal and the DNR Lake Phosphorous sensitivity targets for the lake.
Reduce phosphorus downstream in Marsh Lake by 2,576 lbs/yr.
LOCAL LEVERAGED FUNDS