We will assess the environmental quality of prairies across Minnesota. On-the-ground surveys and contaminant risk assessments will help inform partner management actions, endangered species recovery plans, and pollinator reintroduction efforts.
The Berger Fountain, known as the dandelion fountain to most, was installed in 1975 by Benjamin Berger and has been a beloved neighborhood landmark in Loring Park and a favorite location for wedding photographers and children ever since. Ben Berger was a park board commissioner and, after seeing a dandelion fountain in Australia, fundraised to build a sister fountain right here in Minnesota.
This project is for stressor identification data collection in targeted areas of the Big Fork River Watershed for the Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) Project. This effort will identify and prioritize targeted restoration and protection areas where there are data gaps within the Big Fork River Watershed to maintain and enhance water quality.
The purpose of this contract is to expand data collection efforts, public participation efforts, and provide technical assistance in targeted areas of the Big Fork River Watershed for the Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) Project. A key aspect of this effort is to develop implementation strategies for targeted areas of the watershed to help state agencies, local governments, and other watershed stakeholders determine how to best proceed with restoring and protecting the watershed.
"This project will meet the following goals: develop, implement, and evaluate the impacts civic engagement outcomes for the Big Fork River Watershed; create a citizen understanding of the Watershed Restoration & Protection Strategy (WRAPS) and Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) process and the role citizens and stakeholders can play in attaining water quality restoration and protection; provide opportunities for citizens and stakeholders to assist local partners and state agencies in developing priorities for restoration as well projects to accomplish protection of high quality waters; and
To prepare a comprehensive plan for the renovation and preservation of the Bigfork City Hall, eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
The "Bigfork River Target Watershed Assessment – Lake of the Woods & Koochiching Soil and Water Conservation Districts" Project focuses on collecting water chemistry and field parameters at Bear River, Big Fork River (4 sites), Caldwell Brook and Sturgeon River. The project will support the biological assessments being completed by MPCA staff for this Target Watershed Assessment. This work will also train and develop Koochiching SWCD staff to enable them to continue water quality monitoring in the Rainy River Basin.
To contract with qualified professionals to prepare construction documents for the preservation of the Bigfork Village Hall, listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
This study will leverage our current bioacoustics monitoring framework to assess avian diversity at the statewide scale through a citizen science acoustic monitoring program, with a focus on private lands.
This project consists of the design of a new marina/dock complex on Birch Lake in Babbitt Minnesota. The City will own and operate the marina/dock complex.
This project will result in the final the Bois de Sioux River Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS) report and Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) study. This work order will authorize the consultant to address all comments received during the public notice period and produce the final WRAPS report for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's final approval and a final TMDL study for United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) final approval.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) requires the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to carry out the Total Maximum Daily Load Program (TMDL) in the state of Minnesota. Minnesota has an abundance of lakes and river reaches, many of which will require a TMDL study. In an effort to expedite the completion of TMDL projects, the MPCA has decided to construct watershed models. These models have the potential to support the simultaneous development of TMDL studies for multiple listings within a cataloging unit or 8-digit Hydrologic Unit Code watershed.
This project involves the extension and update of the Hydrological Simulation Program FORTRAN (HSPF) model for the Bois de Sioux and Mustinka watersheds.
This project will address United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) comments on the preliminary draft Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) study and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) comments on the pre-public notice draft TMDL study and Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) report, and produce the public notice draft TMDL study and the public notice draft WRAPS report ready for public review and comment. Conduct one public meeting for each watershed to present public notice drafts of the TMDL study and WRAPS report for each watershed.
This project will develop a watershed approach plan, including impaired waters allocations, for the Mustinka Watershed, located at the headwaters of the Red River of the North, in western Minnesota, lying partly in Grant, Stevens, Ottertail, Big Stone, and Traverse counties. The watershed approach plan will set water quality goals for the watershed, recommend allocations for achieving total maximum daily loads where waters do not meet state standards and are listed as impaired.
This full-scale pilot will evaluate supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) for managing PFAS in biosolids and water treatment residuals. SCWO can destroy PFAS in a variety of wastes and recover energy.
We will partner with urban municipalities and school districts to support planting of climate-resilient tree species. Activities include planting trees, gravel bed nursery creation, tree assessment and mapping, and community.
Through the construction of new interactive exhibits and the creation of educational programming, the Duluth Children's Museum will highlight the community and culture of Duluth and the surrounding region. A climbable, playable model of Duluth's iconic canal lighthouses and an educational Ojibwe waaginogaan are among the planned new elements being added to the museum experience.
This series is designed to build cross-cultural connections and understanding, and connections to the values of creativity and inclusivity. The specific arts and cultural activities included in this proposal include: 1) Underrepresented Visual Artist Series; 2) Theater production of POTUS 2) Theater production of Invisible Fences; 3) Minnesota Media Arts School (MMAS) Partnership with Underrepresented Communities; 4) Underrepresented Filmmaker Focus at the Minnesota Film Festival; 5) LGBTQIIA+ / BIPOC / Elder / Disabled Feature Storytelling Series.
While aspen is one of the most dominant forest types, predicted future conditions will negatively impact aspen growth. Increasing tree diversity can provide increase ecological and economic resilience.
