We will compile all available data for Minnesota Trumpeter Swans and use these sources to model historical population abundance and predict future population dynamics.
This project acquired 40 acres of land within the Jay Cooke State Park boundary on its western side. The land may serve as western access to hiking trails in the future.
This project constructed a 40 kw solar array for Jay Cooke State Park. The array will offset electrical use in the shop area, which is one of the highest energy using areas in the park.
Upgrades to the River Inn retained the building’s historic integrity and include new ADA-accessible restrooms, new historically appropriate and energy-efficient power-assisted exterior doors, new interpretive exhibits, new energy-efficient lighting and upgrades to a large three-dimensional topographical map with recommended biking, photography, geology, history and nature routes to explore.
This project encompasses surface water quality sampling within the Snake River Watershed over a period of two years (2017-18). This is the cycle II monitoring as follow-up to the original Snake River Watershed monitoring 10 years ago as part of the Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy Report (WRAPS). This project shall provide follow-up data on the waters in the Snake River Watershed in regards to changes in water quality over this 10-year cycle. The current sampling project will entail sampling 5 lakes and 11 stream sites.
The purpose of this work is to develop Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs; a federal clean Water Act requirement) for streams and lakes in the Kettle River and Upper St. Croix watersheds. This and other technical information will be used to develop a separate report called a Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) report.
The Kettle River is a major tributary in the St. Croix River Basin. It is a State Wild and Scenic River and designated canoe route. Reducing sediment and nutrient pollution to the Kettle will protect water quality within the watershed and will also benefit the St. Croix River and help to address excess nutrient loading in Lake St. Croix. This project is a partnership between Carlton, Pine, Kanabec, and Aitkin SWCDs, with the Carlton SWCD acting as the project administrator.
This project is to initiate a basic outreach and education plan for the Kettle River Watershed as a first step in a longer-term strategy to engage citizens in watershed problem solving and actions to restore or protect waters. Carlton County has developed the following vision for civic engagement in the Kettle River Watershed: To educate and inspire Kettle River Watershed residents to become more involved and engaged in Water Quality protection and restoration efforts.
Starting in 2016 the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) will be collecting monitoring data on many lakes and streams in the Kettle River and Upper Saint Croix Watersheds. While this information will be useful to assess the overall health of the watershed, it will miss locations in the watershed that can provide critical information to local implementers, local governments, and citizens.
After completing the One Watershed One Plan planning process for the Kettle & Upper St. Croix Watershed, and having the Kettle & Upper St. Croix Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan (KUSC CWMP) approved by BWSR, the local partners of the watershed will use the implementation funds to complete the actions in the plan. These actions will help complete the 10-year goals that are laid out in the plan. This in turn will help protect and restore water and soil resources in the Kettle & Upper St. Croix watersheds.
Project between Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and United States Army Corp of Engineers at Knowlton Creek Watershed to address a large amount of sediment deposited into the St. Louis River Area of Concern (AOC).
This project will provide information about the amount and sources of phosphorous flowing into Lake St Croix by implementing additional water quality monitoring and reduce the amount of phosphorous flowing into Lake St Croix by implementing phosphorous reduction activities. The St Croix River Association (SCRA) will coordinate with the St. Croix Basin Water Resources Planning Team (Basin Team) on the identification and funding of comprehensive water monitoring and phosphorus reduction activities in the Lake St. Croix portion of the St.
This project will develop an Implementation Plan for restoring Lake St. Croix and impaired waters within the contributing watershed, and protect waters currently attaining water quality standards.
The purpose of this project is to gain additional information about the amount of phosphorous flowing into Lake St Croix by implementing additional water quality monitoring and/or to reduce the amount of phosphorous entering Lake St Croix by the implementation of projects that will reduce phosphorus loadings. The St. Croix River Association (SCRA) will coordinate with a subgroup of the St. Croix Basin Water Resources Planning Team and other local resource experts on the identification and funding of comprehensive water monitoring and phosphorus reduction activities in the Lake St.
Provide approximately 15 matching grants for local parks, trail, acquisition of natural areas and trails to connect people safety to desirable community locations and regional or state facilities.
Beginning in June 2019, the St Louis River Watershed will start the second round of the Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS) process. This project helps the Carlton County SWCD (SWCD) initiate a broader citizen participation process in the Watershed. The SWCD staff will be enabled to create a greater degree of public interest in and awareness of the general health of the Watershed. This work will create the foundation for greater citizen involvement in the planning and implementation of restoration and protection activities in the Watershed.
The objectives of this project are to update and extend the simulation periods of the St. Louis River and Cloquet River watershed Hydrologic Simulation Program – FORTRAN (HSPF) model and the Duluth urban area HSPF model and conduct recalibration of the hydrology and water quality simulations. The model updates will support work to update the existing Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) reports.
This project will provide a protocol for prioritizing sites in the St. Louis Area of Concern (AOC ) for restoration based on site-specific bioavailability considerations. Despite large data collection efforts focused on sediment chemistry, the extent to which sediment with moderate levels of contamination is available for uptake into biota and therefore contributing to Beneficial Use Impairments (BUI)s is still largely unknown.
The St. Louis River Area of Concern (SLRAOC) conservation partners are focused on removing Beneficial Use Impairments (BUI) in the estuary and eventually delisting the SLRAOC. Cooperative efforts between multiple resource agencies and regional stakeholders have identified a host of restoration objectives, developed project support activities, and partially secured funding that includes a state commitment through the Minnesota Clean Water Fund.
The St. Louis River Area of Concern (SLRAOC) conservation partners are focused on removing Beneficial Use Impairments (BUI) in the estuary and eventually delisting the SLRAOC. Cooperative efforts between multiple resource agencies and regional stakeholders have identified a host of restoration objectives, developed project support activities, and partially secured funding that includes a state commitment through the Minnesota Clean Water Fund.
The goal of the St. Louis River Watershed Mercury Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) is to determine the mercury reductions needed to meet the water quality standards for mercury and support healthy consumption of fish by people and wildlife. Fishing is important in this watershed for economic and cultural reasons, including the exercise of tribal treaty rights; Fond du Lac’s 0.77 ng/L water quality standard protects subsistence fishing. This project will result in the development of the Mercury TMDL calculations and associated mercury source assessment.
The project provides the opportunity for the North Saint Louis Soil and Water Conservation District (NSLSWCD) to engage in efforts to increase public participation in the St. Louis River Watershed and participate in the planning and technical review of the Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS) process. NSLSWCD contains the headwaters of the St. Louis River Watershed. The District’s knowledge of the area, communities, and organizations puts them in a unique position to work cooperatively in the watershed.
This project will gather watershed data necessary for the development of a Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) report to maintain and improve water quality for the St Louis River Watershed.
This project will provide technical, planning and engineering assistance to the MPCA for the development and implementation of the St. Louis River Remedial Action Plan (RAP). USACE and USEPA in partnership with the MPCA will administer work plans to complete a sediment assessment for Minnesota areas within Superior Bay, St. Louis Bay, Lower St. Louis River and the Upper St. Louis River, encompassing approximately 5,349 acres of the St. Louis River and Estuary.
The purpose of this project is to provide technical support to data generators and users of the Saint Louis River Area of Concern (SLRAOC) to support the Beneficial Use Impairment (BUI) removal process.
The St. Louis River watershed is one of the largest watersheds in northern Minnesota and the largest single contributing watershed to Lake Superior. Surface waters are abundant with 353 lakes and 97 streams segments. Large areas of forest and wetlands help to sustain areas of exceptional water quality. However, land use changes have degraded many lakes, rivers, and streams. 21 stream reaches have aquatic life impairments, as identified by high turbidity (1 reach), poor quality aquatic macro-invertebrate community (16 reaches), and/or poor quality fish community (12 reaches).
