A century of channel straightening efforts has significantly reduced the habitat quality within the BRRWD. The BRRWD has identified, with preliminary designs completed, a number of straightened streams. In the second phase of this multi-phase project, the BRRWD in partnership with landowners, federal, state, and local agencies, will restore 7 miles of the Upper Buffalo River channel and riparian habitat corridor, and 4.2 miles of the South Branch Buffalo River channel and riparian habitat corridor.
This Surface Water Assessment Grant (SWAG) project is intended to supplement the 2019-2020 Intensive Watershed Monitoring (IWM) process for the Buffalo and Upper Red River of the North watersheds. Nine sites will provide water chemistry and river eutrophication data to the IWM. Monitoring sites were requested by the Buffalo - Red River Watershed District (BRRWD) and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA).
During the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's 2011 lake assessment process nine shallow lakes located in the Buffalo-Red River Watershed in western Becker County were determined to be impaired for excessive nutrients primarily from agricultural runoff. Located in a heavy agricultural production area, this project will address agricultural stormwater runoff by installing 50 water and sediment control basins and 20 acres of vegetative buffer strips adjacent to the lakes. Fifteen landowners with a potential for 26 water and sediment control basin sites have already been identified.
Erosion is a serious water quality issue found throughout the Buffalo-Red River Watersheds rivers and tributaries. Excessive erosion occurs in the beach ridge area where the land naturally has excessive slopes. The beach ridge area consists of sand and gravel deposited by wave action along the shoreline of Lake Agassiz at various times as the lake level rose and fell. The sand and gravel soils, combined with the relatively steep slopes of the area can be susceptible to erosion.
A century of channel straightening has significantly reduced the stream habitat quality within the BRRWD. The BRRWD has identified, with preliminary designs completed, a number of straightened streams. In several multi-phase projects, the BRRWD in partnership with landowners, federal, state, and local agencies, will restore 3 miles of targeted stream and their respective riparian habitat corridors. Targeted restorations of straightened streams include the South Branch of the Buffalo River, Upper Buffalo River, Stony Creek, Whisky Creek, and Whiskey's Creek southern tributary.
Two buses, each holding 52 people, were rented to take people to the Minnesota State Capitol and the Minnesota History Center. The plan is to include people from Mahnomen, Frazee, Ulen, Lake Park, Cormorant and Detroit Lakes on this trip. Buses leave at approximately 6:00 am from Detroit Lakes with arrival at the Capitol/History Center scheduled for approximately 10:30 am. One busload will tour the capitol while the other bus tours the History Center. After tour the groups would switch venues - First Capitol group would go to tour the History
Move for America is a new initiative designed to preserve and celebrate the diverse cultural heritage of Minnesota by fostering intercultural exchange and education. It will consist of a direct exchange program involving students from community and technical colleges in Minneapolis and Saint Paul (urban centers) and two rural counties: Otter Tail County and Lyon County. This project includes two full exchanges, each with 30-40 participants over two weekends.
The Floyd chain of lakes is of economic significance to the Detroit Lakes region providing great game fishing, boating and other summer and winter recreational opportunities. Decades of nutrient loading into North Floyd from the surrounding Campbell Creek area has led to a decrease in water quality. The same is true for the Buffalo River portion of this project area.
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.
The goal of this project is to use a science-based and participatory approach to understanding and promoting conservation practices in the agricultural community.
Revitalizing the old deer yards into Caribou Yards is a transformative initiative aimed at creating habitats for a herd of caribou. The need for this project arises from the closure of the old deer yards, which were previously inhabited by white-tailed deer until the last one passed away of old age. Subsequently, the fencing surrounding these three habitats has weathered and suffered damage during the years of inoccupancy.
This monitoring project includes lake and stream monitoring and encompasses all of Cass County, and surrounding counties. The project will obtain water quality data for streams; in 2009, lakeshed assessments indicated that many surface waters throughout the county were data deficient. This project will address the need for sufficient data on a county-wide basis and fulfill the State’s intensive watershed monitoring program goals by obtaining water quality data at targeted lake and stream sites.
To hire a qualified architect to prepare a conditions assessment and planning documents for the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, proposed to be used as a community center, and listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
The LeSueur River has been identified as one of the leading contributors of sediment to the Minnesota River. A majority of this sediment has been determined to come from the banks, bluffs and ravines located along the river. This project focuses on a one mile reach of the LeSueur River where stream channel migration and mass wasting are significantly eroding four bluffs. Two township roads and many houses are in danger of falling into the river.
The Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota (CMSM) will build upon a strong foundation of Minnesota Arts, Culture and Heritage (ACH) learning experiences made possible with prior MN Legacy funding support to:
The nine member Counties and Soil and Water Conservation Districts of the Greater Blue Earth River Basin Alliance (GBERBA) will be able to enhance our effectiveness to provide elevated levels of technical assistance, education and outreach in the areas of urban stormwater, wellhead protection, nutrient management, conservation agronomy, drainage and agricultural best management practices to reduce nonpoint source pollution in the Blue Earth, Le Sueur and Watonwan River Watersheds.
Rising temperatures and increased precipitation contribute to decreased oxygen and increased methane in Minnesota lakes and wetlands. We will identify impacts on water quality and methane emissions, providing management guidance.
This program will restore and enhance in-stream and riparian fish and wildlife habitat in 11 watersheds across the state of Minnesota. The proposed projects will improve habitat for both game and non-game fish and wildlife species uniquely associated with cold water trout streams and provide expanded recreational opportunities for Minnesota anglers.
This project builds partnerships among natural resource professionals, college, middle and high schools to work collaboratively to increase youth exposure to outdoor experiences, environmental issues, and natural resource career paths.
