The Upper Mississippi River region provides critical forest habitat for hundreds of species of birds from waterfowl and other game birds to warblers and birds of prey. This proposal builds on four previous projects and will expand Audubon's forest conservation work on State and Federal Lands as well as projects on permanently protected private lands. Increased flooding and invasive species are limiting natural tree regeneration and threatening floodplain forests.
Audubon successfully completed enhancement projects within a diverse array of floodplain forest habitats. Work was completed on 1260 acres of floodplain forest land, which was very close to our goal of 1290 acres. Through phase three, over 70,000 trees were planted, invasive species were managed, and quality trees were given more space to grow.
The project will assess chemical and biological defluorination activities in environmental samples and identify the microorganisms, metabolic pathways, and intermediates resulting from degradation of fluorinated pesticides and pharmaceuticals.
The Minnesota DNR and the Minnesota Forest Resources Council work with forest landowners, managers and loggers to implement a set of voluntary sustainable forest management guidelines that include water quality best management practices (BMPs) to ensure sustainable habitat, clean water, and productive forest soils, all contributing to healthy watersheds. This project will monitor the implementation of these forest management guidelines and BMPs on forested watersheds in MN.
To hire a qualified historian to complete an evaluation to determine eligibility for listing in the National Register of Historic Places for the 1878 N. H. Forsyth property in Houston, MN.
This project will build the first comprehensive list of Minnesota moths and butterflies. Information gained through surveys and outreach efforts will inform land managers and inspire public appreciation.
BWSR will administer funding to eligible County projects that provide funds and other assistance to low income property owners to upgrade or replace Noncompliant Septic Systems. BWSR will also manage annual reporting completed by each County.
This project will maximize the utility and usefulness of three HSPF models that have been constructed and calibrated for hydrology. The contractor will identify and reduce parameterization errors in the following three HSPF models: 1) Buffalo River Watershed, 2 ) Thief River Watershed, 3) Bois de Sioux-Mustinka Watersheds. This will result, not only in a better hydrology calibration, but will also improve each of the models’ ability to more accurately estimate sediment and pollutant loads and concentrations.
Funding is prioritized to structural and non-structural practices within the Upper Mustinka and Fivemile Creek planning regions. In addition, a primary goal will be to complete a feasibility study for the Fivemile Creek Restoration as well as completion of the final phase of the Lake Traverse Water Quality Improvement Project. The BdSWD will focus on 4 CIPs within the Bois de Sioux River planning regions; WCD Sub-1, WCD 35 and WCD 20 & 25 drainage retrofit projects.
This is the third round of watershed based implementation funds to be shared by up to 13 LGU's between the Bois de Sioux River and Mustinka River watersheds. These funds are to implement grant eligible components of the 2021 - 2030 Joint Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan. Activities for this grant application are diverse, reflecting activities planned to improve water quality to and within legal drainage systems, streams, and lakes in the Bois de Sioux and Mustinka River watersheds.
