Hydes Lake is the headwaters to Carver Creek and is known for its excellent fishery. However, the lake has elevated nutrient levels which lead to poor water quality. A clean up plan for Hydes Lake identified the need to reduce phosphorus loading by 81 percent from watershed sources.
Since 2008, a ravine on the Northwest side of Reitz Lake has been eroding on a private parcel, causing sediment and nutrients to discharge into the waterbody. This project will stabilize a ravine that has formed from Airport Road down to Reitz Lake.
The Reitz Lake restoration project began several years ago when water quality samples showed the lake was impaired. Carver County and residents around the lake took action and began to develop a plan (TMDL) to clean up Reitz Lake.Once the TMDL study and the associated implementation plan (which helps to target specific projects) were completed, funding was sought to target high priority projects around the Lake. First, direct untreated run-off from a farmed area of approximately 100 acres to the north of the lake will be slowed and filtered before it enters the lake.
The goal of this project is to implement 10-15 medium sized projects that will infiltrate and reduce pollutant loads to the waters in the Riley-Purgatory-Creek Watershed District. The District intends to achieve this by using their Citizen Advisors who are well involved with local associations, City staff who are familiar with associations in their jurisdiction and also seek less-known association through various advertising methods. We intend to use staff knowledge to insure that the projects are suitable for the site and implemented correctly to maximize efficiency.
The purpose of this project is to increase awareness of environmental stewardship practices by providing six subgrants to local community partners. This program aims to engage the public, provide education on conservation practices and install up to eight conservation practices. This includes rain gardens, vegetative buffers and wetland restorations. Each subgrant will reduce the movement of sediment, nutrients and pollutants, retain water on the land and increase environmental awareness to the residents of Rice County.
This project will engage the public and community partners in Rice County. The goal of this project is the implementation of conservation practices that retain water on the land by providing up to five sub-grants for rain gardens, vegetative buffers, and wetland restorations.
This project will complete the final Implementation Plan, semi-annual and final reports and hold project meetings. The Implementation Plan will identify target areas and priorities for implementation strategies to improve water quality for Bluff Creek. This project will build the groundwork so Bluff Creek will meet water quality standards for aquatic life in the future.
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 public waters, except wetlands. 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.
The Root (HUC 07040008) and Upper Iowa/Mississippi River – Reno (HUC 07060002 and 07060001) watershed Hydrologic Simulation Program – FORTRAN (HSPF) models currently simulate hydrologic and water quality processes through 2015. In order to support work to update the existing WRAPS report, the two HSPF models will be extended through 2021.
The contractor will use the Scenario Application Manager (SAM) tool to build water quality restoration scenarios for the Root River watershed using the Hydrologic Simulation Program FORTRAN (HSPF) model. The SAM tool simulates total suspended solids (TSS) and nitrogen reductions based on implementation of various best management practices.
The goal of this project is to construct, calibrate and validate a watershed model using Hydologic Simulation Program FORTRAN (HSPF) for the Roseau River Watershed.
This project will focus on monitoring & assessment, stressor ID assistance, problem investigation, watershed prioritization and targeting, Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) report development, Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) report updates and continuing civic engagement for the Sauk River Watershed.
This work order will extend all of the timeseries in the Sauk River Watershed Hydrological Simulation Program FORTRAN (HSPF) model through 2019. The Sauk River Watershed HSPF model simulates hydrology, sediment (sand, silt, and clay), temperature, phosphorus, nitrogen, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, and chlorophyll a.
The goal of this project is to compile the observed flow and water quality data and update the Sauk River Watershed HSPF model calibration through 2019. The Sauk River Watershed HSPF model simulates hydrology, sediment (sand, silt, and clay), temperature, phosphorus, nitrogen, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, and chlorophyll a.
The Sauk River's CWMP identifies altered hydrology and excessive sediment & nutrients as the top priority resource concerns to be addressed. Goals for each priority resource concern are found on pages 4-6 and 4-21 of the CWMP. To achieve these goals, The CWMP contains multiple prioritization schemes, on both a watershed-wide and watershed management unit basis, to achieve these goals - refer to pages 4-8 through 4-11 and 4-22 through 4-31 of the CWMP.
The Sauk River Watershed District (SRWD) shall conduct water quality sampling for the Sauk River and tributary sites, as well as several lakes, for Cycle 2 of the Intensive Watershed Monitoring (IWM) during 2018 and 2019. Field monitoring will be completed at 14 stream locations and 9 lakes designated by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
Data management will also be completed by the SRWD, including entering and submitting all data to Canvas and compiling all photos, calibration logs and other documents as requested.
This project will complete an assessment of watershed lakes and streams. The assessment will include biological and stressor id analysis, which will support a summary report on lake conditions and protection strategies for lakes included in this watershed study.
The Sauk River Stormwater Runoff Reduction and Riparian Restoration Project is a watershed-wide effort to reduce the amount of nutrients delivered by stormwater and bank erosion to area surface waters. Funds will be used to assist local schools and municipalities with their restoration project design, installation, and financing.
This project will provide lake and stream monitoring assistance to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), identifying impaired waters within the Lower Minnesota RIver Watershed (Watershed ID: 07020012) according to the Intensive Watershed Monitoring (IWM) Approach.
Approximately 70 percent of all Minnesotans rely on groundwater as their primary source of drinking water. Wells used for drinking water must be properly sealed when removed from service to protect both public health and Minnesota’s invaluable groundwater resources. The Minnesota Department of Health protects both public health and groundwater by assuring the proper sealing of unused wells.
Clean Water funds are being provided to well owners as a 50% cost-share assistance for sealing unused public water-supply wells.
Approximately 70 percent of all Minnesotans rely on groundwater as their primary source of drinking water. Wells used for drinking water must be properly sealed when removed from service to protect both public health and Minnesota’s invaluable groundwater resources. The Minnesota Department of Health with the assistance of the Board of Water and Soil Resources protects both public health and groundwater by assuring the proper sealing of unused wells.” Clean Water funds are being provided to home owners as a 50% cost-share assistance for sealing unused private drinking water wells.
The purpose of this project is to install a sediment pond along County Ditch #4A to trap sediment and associated pollutants before entering into Bevens Creek which drains into the Minnesota River. Carver County Ditch #4A recently went through a redetermination of benefits process and state law now requires a buffer strip one rod (16.5 feet) wide to be maintained along the top of the ditch bank. The sediment pond, in combination with the buffer strip, will reduce the amount of sediments and pollutants that reach Bevens Creek.
The goal of this project is the continued development of an overall strategy for reduction of turbidity/TSS, with sets of sediment reduction initiatives and actions for various sources, to address the Minnesota River Turbidity TMDL and the South Metro Mississippi River TSS TMDL. The overall strategy will be used to help establish a path towards achieving the required reductions of turbidity/TSS.
Shattuck Saint Mary's, located atop of a bluff area upland of the east bank of the Straight River, encompasses a land area of 324 acres that contains over 16,426 miles of mild to extensively eroded ravines and gullies; many of which directly discharge to the Straight River. In addition to pollutant loads in runoff from the school's watershed and eroded ravines, banks and gullies, the Straight River also experiences pollutant loading from eroding stream banks in this reach; annual sediment loads average 1,962 tons per year.
This project will conduct the second round of Intensive Watershed Monitoring (IWM) for the Mississippi River St. Cloud watershed. Partnering organizations intend to complete sampling of lakes and streams following the protocols and guidance set forth by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). Watershed partners include Benton Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), Clearwater Watershed District, Sherburne SWCD, Stearns SWCD, Stearns County staff, and Wright SWCD.
The purpose of this project is to create an inventory and priority list of where inlet control and buffer strips are needed along Judicial Ditch 15 to reduce the nutrients, sediment and volume of water being transported by field tile. This will help protect landowner drainage needs, while focusing on applicable best management practices that will reduce on-field and in-channel peak flow erosion. This ditch system is the headwaters to Cokato Lake, which connects to the North Fork Crow River.
The Wright Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) will expand its partnership with its USDA partners; this will be the first time that SWCD staff will conduct compliance spot checks for USDA Highly Erodible Land plans. This activity will add a level of certainty that these plans are in compliance.
The project is part of the Six Mile-Halsted Bay Subwatershed Plan, a planning partnership currently underway which aims to protect and improve natural resources within this priority subwatershed by working closely with partnering agencies to integrate capital investments and maximize public return on investment. This project will enhance two existing stormwater ponds to enhance treatment of phosphorus as well as incorporate treatment of the Church Lake outlet, a lake which routinely fails to meet state water quality standards and contributes to the water quality impairment of East Auburn.
The goal of this project is to extend, calibrate, and validate the existing Hydrological Simulation Program FORTRAN (HSPF) model for the Snake River Watershed in the Red River Basin. The contractor will produce an HSPF model that can readily be used to provide information to support conventional parameter Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Studies. The model will generate predicted output for hydrology, sediment, nutrients, and dissolved oxygen that is consistent with observed data.
Continue and finalize watershed models using Hydrologic Simulation Program FORTRAN (HSPF) for the Grand Marais Creek and Snake River Watersheds and complete the calibration/validation process.
The goal of this project is to utilize the information and data collected in the Phase I project to develop a Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) Report and Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Study that will address water quality impairments and maintain or improve water quality throughout the Snake-Middle River Watershed. The Phase II project will allocate pollutant reductions goals, and prioritize and identify implementation strategies to maintain or improve water quality in key streams in the watershed.
This project will result in the completion of the first phase of the Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) for the Snake-Middle River Watershed.
The purpose of this project is to provide a new shared position in southeast Minnesota which will accelerate the adoption of soil health practices by leveraging the existing efforts of the National Resources Conservation Service and other organizations.
