The goal of PH II-Knife River Habitat Rehabilitation project was to improve instream habitat, stabilize slumping streambanks and restore the immediate riparian zone.
Instream habitat and streambank stabilization was achieved by rehabilitating a 2200-foot stretch of stream utilizing Natural Channel Design methodology. This project reduced turbidity by stabilizing four slumping streambanks and creating instream habitat in two areas for adult trout spawning and two areas for 1+ juvenile rearing. Riparian plantings also occurred in this area.
Historic flooding led to severe habitat degradation throughout the Knife River watershed. Including miles of slumping streambanks, thousands of tons of sediment discharge, turbidity measurements exceeding the MPCA's TMDL and loss of instream trout habitat. DNR has documented a 200% increase in adult steelhead population, two miles of restored stream channel, 10,000 feet of stabilized streambanks and annual reduction of sediment discharge by 1,000 tons due to our projects.
We assessed, designed rehabilitation features and permitted 7200 linear feet of river reach in prime spawning areas. We completed construction on over 2200 linear feet of the reach.
SPECIFIC ITEMS:
*Installed approx. 400 feet of toewood bench.
*Graded approx. 500 feet of shoreline to allow river access to floodplain.
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).
The purpose of this project is for Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District to continue to assist with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s watershed approach and Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) process in the Rainy River Headwaters and Cloquet River watersheds. As part of this, Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District will lead efforts to increase levels of civic engagement and community participation in support of the current WRAPS process.
This project will collect water quality data for four stream sites and six lake sites within the Lake Superior South major
watershed as part of the 10-year cycle for monitoring Minnesota's waters. Due to the large number and geographic extent of
To create a mural depicting Lake County's history, build a stage to accommodate performances, and provide a venue and supplies for painting, pottery, spinning, and other fine art workshops and demonstrations. Workshops and necessary supplies will be free to the public.
To continue increasing access to arts and cultural heritage activities held in the Lake County Fair's arts building by purchasing a sound system and enhanced lighting for the stage.
The goal of this project is to assess and leverage the capacity for the local community to engage in the process of watershed management in the Lake Superior Basin within Lake County and to adopt protection and restoration practices.
The Lake Superior Beach Monitoring and Notification Program exists to test recreational beach water and notify the public if bacteria levels become unsafe. This project will expand the Beach Program to include additional outreach efforts, sanitary surveys and testing of new technologies to improve the Beach Program. Monitoring results will be used to inform the public, find the sources of bacterial contamination and address polluted runoff from improper waste disposal.
Improved levels of civic engagement and community participation in support for the Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) processes in the St. Louis River, Lake Superior South, and Cloquet River Watersheds. Monitoring plans and compiled field data will be provided and summarized that will aid in the future completion of Total Maximum Daily Load Reports (TMDLs) in these watersheds and in the Lake Superior North Watershed.
This project, beginning in Spring of 2014 and lasting until December 2015, will collect water quality data for 16 sites (7 lakes and 4 stream sites) within the Rainy River - Headwaters Major Watershed as part of the 10-year cycle for monitoring Minnesota's waters. Due to the large number and geographic extent of monitoring sites Lake County Soil and Water Conservaion District (SWCD) has coordinated site selection with North St. Louis County Soil and Water Conservaion District (SWCD) and will monitor sites within the southwestern (Kawishiwi River) portion of the watershed.
When completed, this Lake County-wide culvert inventory project will have multiple direct benefits to water quality protection, natural resource planning, and municipal asset protection. This inventory will be used to provide local and state authorities accurate information on the condition of road crossings, better calibrate hydrological modeling tools crucial to the inter-agency Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS) process, and assess how road crossings in Lake County are affecting the water and sediment transport capacity of our waterways.
Phase 4 of the Lake Winona Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) project will finalize the draft Lake Winona TMDL, dated November 2009, by completing additional data analysis, lake quality modeling, updating the TMDL report, and supporting the public involvement process.
This project provides fiscal resources for Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District for civic engagement activities in the Lake Superior South, North, and Cloquet watersheds for Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS). This project also includes provide funding for water chemistry monitoring assistance and diagnostic field work that will fill identified monitoring gaps and stressors within the Lake Superior South watershed.
The main purpose of this project is to provide fiscal resources for Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District (Lake County SWCD) to be engaged and participate in efforts for civic engagement in the Lake Superior South (LS South) Lake Superior North (LS North) watersheds and lead and carry-out civic engagement in the early stages of the Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS) process in the Cloquet River watershed.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is a co-sponsor and assists with a portion of the financial support for the International Rainy River-Lake of the Woods Watershed Forum.
This project will dentify critical pathways and areas on the landscape that contribute a disproportionate amount of sediment stressors to selected streams located in LS South and/or LS North HUC 8 watersheds. Unlike other HUC 8 watersheds with one mainstem stream and nested tributaries to the mainstem, LS South and North consist of numerous individual streams flowing to Lake Superior. Each of these streams has a mainstem, tributaries flowing to the mainstem and a surrounding watershed.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) began work in 2021 within the Lake Superior South Watershed (Watershed) as part of the Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS) update. Components of the WRAPS include collecting data to fill data gaps and monitoring assistance. With a focus on local needs, this project will provide an avenue for Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District (Lake SWCD) to assist MPCA in accomplishing this work and in achieving our overall water quality goals.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) began work in 2021 within the Lake Superior South Watershed (Watershed) as part of the Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS) update. Components of the WRAPS include collecting data to fill data gaps and effectiveness monitoring. With a focus on local needs, this project will provide an avenue for South St. Louis Soil and Water Conservation District (SSL SWCD) to assist MPCA in accomplishing this work and in achieving our overall water quality goals.
This project will collect water quality data for 3 stream sites and 1 lake site within the Lake Superior North major watershed as part of the 10-year cycle for monitoring Minnesota's waters. Stream sites include the Baptism River, Manitou River, and Caribou River. Crooked Lake (west bay) is the only lake site available in Lake County through this Surface Water Assessment Grant (SWAG). The project will provide two years of surface water quality data to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA).
This project will implement timber stand improvement activities on over 300 acres of private forest land within the Knife River and Skunk Creek watershed; both are not meeting state water quality standards for turbidity. These activities will culminate in planting diverse, large-statured native trees, resilient in the face of forest pests and diseases, climate change, and deer browse. Through this project, significant areas of the Knife River and Skunk Creek watersheds will have a patchwork of seed sources that will naturally expand the footprint of a healthier forest.
As a strategic document, the Legacy Strategic Agenda (LSA) has four goals that build on achievements realized during the first five years of Legacy funding. Over the next four years, the LSA strategic priorities in education, grants, partnerships and unfamiliar stories will be acted on, measured and sustained at the community level. A dedicated LSA Collaborative representing a cross-section of the history community meets quarterly around the state to guide the work of LSA Priority Action Teams and to share successes.
Little Rock Creek, a cold-water trout stream in central Minnesota, is impaired due to the lack of trout and other cold water fish. The trout are absent because of high water temperatures, low dissolved oxygen and high nitrate levels, stressors caused from a lack of base flow and overuse of groundwater. This project continues a 2011 initiative to assist irrigators in the Little Rock Creek groundwater recharge area with managing the timing and amount of irrigation applied to their crops.
