We propose robotics-based educational activities for middle-school youth on water quality in Minnesota. Youth will gain skills for measuring water quality and communicating results through group study and hands-on projects.
This initiative is for the design and implementation of projects in Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs), or other state administered lands that increase water storage while also stabilizing streambanks in impaired watersheds where watershed restoration and protection strategies or comprehensive watershed management plans developed under the One Watershed, One Plan program have identified the need for water storage and water quality improvements.
Tetra Tech will work to support the science needed when planning in Minnesota for water storage practice implementation. The goal is to provide practical water storage recommendations that can be incorporated into smaller scale planning within major watersheds (HUC 8), as well as larger scale planning for the Sediment Reduction Strategy for the Minnesota River and South Metro Mississippi River.
Locating the sources of sediment, phosphorus, and bacteria is integral to reducing the effect they have on a water body. The completion of the West Fork Des Moines River (WFDMR) Targeting and Prioritizing Endeavor will result in a set of data that is the most cost-effective for the implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPs) for all identified priority resources. The results will be expressed as the maximum reduction of a water quality contaminant (e.g. sediment, phosphorus, bacteria) at a priority resource (e.g. an impaired stream) for a given level of investment.
This monitoring work expands on previously established routine water quality and flow sampling to include extensive fish and aquatic invertebrate surveys. Subsequent steps include assessment of the monitoring data to determine impairments, identification of stressors that are causing impairments, development of Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) studies using identification of pollutant sources using computer modeling and other techniques, civic engagement, and public education as approaches in progress towards water quality goals.
1.) Develop and create an Ojibwe Language Resource Kit for our White Earth Ojibwemowin Teachers who have attained Eminence. 2.) Provide technology for Ojibwemowin Teachers to utilize language apps and programs in the classroom during community gatherings. 3.) White Earth will purchase a block of Rosetta Stone Level 1 Ojibwemowin subscriptions for Enrollees and Non-Enrollees. 4.) White Earth will establish virtual weekly community Language Tables. 5.) White Earth will establish virtual weekly Teacher language tables, closed to the public.
1.) WETCC Cultural Director will identify facilitators, coordinate dates, events, location, agenda and professional development credit for participant and utilize WETCC co-curricular assessment to capture and assess data. 2.) WETCC Cultural Director will identify and coordinate dates, location, facilitatory, agenda, food, advertisement and Professional Development Certificates for participants.
1.) WETCC Cultural Director will identify facilitators, coordinate dates, events, location, agenda and professional development credit for participant and utilize WETCC co-curricular assessment to capture and assess data. 2.) WETCC Cultural Director will identify and coordinate dates, location, facilitatory, agenda, food, advertisement and Professional Development Certificates for participants.
This project builds on the successful implementation of previous work, installing 29 water and sediment control basins and 25 acres of vegetative filter strips within the priority Marsh Creek watershed to reduce sediment loading into the Wild Rice River, which is currently not meeting water quality standards for sediment.
Phase 2 of the Wild Rice River Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) project includes: continued civic engagement; production of the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) study, which allocates pollutant load reductions for impaired waters; and production of the WRAPS report, which identifies implementation strategies that will maintain or improve water quality in many lakes and streams throughout the watershed.
Assesss current data sources and preliminary information about the conditions in the watershed and present the information through bibliographies, abstracts and memos.
Adoption of renewable energy technologies and energy conservation practices can contribute in a variety of ways to the environmental and economic health of rural Minnesota communities through costs savings and emissions reductions. Engaging and coaching students as the leaders in the process of implementing such practices provides the added benefit of increasing knowledge, teaching about potential career paths, and developing leadership experience.
