133 microfilmed copies of seven newspapers from the general area were purchased by the Freeborn county Historical society for its research library. The newspapers span the years from 1870 to 2008 and provide a resource for researching family histories, businesses, government agencies, news media and general public infomation.
114 rolls of microfilmed newspapers were acquired from the Minnesota Historical Society of seven (7) local St. Cloud newspapers including the St. Cloud State Chronicle. The materials were checked in, cataloged and made available to St. Cloud State library patrons.
The Albert Lea Lake Management project replaced the previous Albert Lea Lake fix-crest dam with a 3-in-1 structure that included a rock riffle dam, a lake level management structure, and an electric fish barrier. The benefits from this project include improved aquatic and waterfowl habitat, invasive species management, and improved desirable fish populations.
This project continues water plan activities from a 2007 Clean Water Legacy grant and initiates a multi-county project to restore hydrology and water quality in an impaired trout stream.The first goal of this project is to reduce the impacts of animal manure and fertilizer on surface and groundwater by installing low cost feedlot improvements and targeted manure management planning.