Project Overview Minnesota, which was recently named "Best Trails State" in the country, is host to numerous state trails providing a variety of different outdoor recreational opportunities throughout the state. This appropriation is allowing the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to acquire land expanding two of these state trails: the Brown's Creek segment of the Willard Munger Trail in Washington County and the Paul Bunyan Trail along Lake Bemidji.
Having current and accurate data on historic and archaeological sites is important to understanding our past and to preserving Minnesota’s history for future generations. In 2010-2011, the Minnesota Historical Society awarded contracts for these survey projects:
Each fiscal year of ACHF funding, a majority of the twelve regional library systems agree to allocate 10% of their ACHF funding to support statewide partnership projects. SELCO serves as the fiscal agent for statewide projects.
We will deploy acoustic detectors and revisit roost trees identified in our previous ENRTF project to measure effect of seven years of white-nose syndrome on Minnesota bats.
This project seeks to provide data on insecticide contamination in the soil and the insect community across the state and the effect of sublethal insecticide exposure on insect reproduction.
To support teachers in addressing new science standards , we propose a series of workshops across Minnesota facilitating conversation about sustainability and water conservation, specifically integrating western science and Indigenous perspectives.
The Upper Minnesota River Water Quality Assessment Project will complete water chemistry assessments of the upper reaches of the Minnesota River Headwaters, which includes the main stem of the river, five main tributaries (Meadowbrook Creek, Salmonsen Creek, Fish Creek, Hoss Creek, Little Minnesota River and Stoney Run Creek), and one flowage lake (Long Tom).
Swift Soil and Water Conservation District plans on monitoring seven stream sites of the Chippewa River Watershed within Swift county. Through this process we hope to assist the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) in identifying sites in this study area that are either improving or degrading in water quality.
With the proposed project, the Pomme de Terre River Association will target catchments delivering the highest 25% of sediment from agricultural land and identified priority management zones for storm water runoff (identified in the Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy). Implementation is estimate to reduce sediment runoff to prioritized water bodies by 14,690 tons per year and phosphorous by 12,270 pounds per year.
Minnesota's twelve regional library systems, which encompass more than 350 public libraries in all areas of the state, can benefit from a portion of the Legacy Amendment's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Through State Library Services, a division of the Minnesota Department of Education, each regional library system is eligible to receive a formula-driven allocation from the annual $2.5 million Minnesota Regional Library System Legacy Grant. Traverse des Sioux Library System (TdS) is a federated regional public library system providing central services located in southcentral Minnesota.
Minnesota's twelve regional library systems, which encompass more than 350 public libraries in all areas of the state, can benefit from a portion of the Legacy Amendment's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Through State Library Services, a division of the Minnesota Department of Education, each regional library system is eligible to receive a formula-driven allocation from the annual $2.5 million Minnesota Regional Library System Legacy Grant. Traverse des Sioux Library System (TdS) is a federated regional public library system providing central services located in southcentral Minnesota.
Minnesota’s 12 regional public library systems, which encompass 350 public libraries in all areas of the state, benefit from a portion of the Legacy Amendment’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Through State Library Services, a division of the Minnesota Department of Education, each regional public library system receives a formula-driven allocation from the annual $3 million Minnesota Regional Library Legacy Grant.
Minnesota’s Legacy Amendment raises revenue for Clean Water, Outdoor Heritage, Parks and Trails, and Arts and Cultural Heritage. Libraries are beneficiaries of a portion of the Arts and Cultural Heritage Funding.
Minnesota’s 12 regional public library systems, which encompass 350 public libraries in all areas of the state, benefit from a portion of the Legacy Amendment’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Through State Library Services, a division of the Minnesota Department of Education, each regional public library system receives a formula-driven allocation from the annual $3 million Minnesota Regional Library Legacy Grant.
Minnesota’s twelve regional library systems, which encompass more than 350 public libraries in all areas of the state, can benefit from a portion of the Legacy Amendment’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Through State Library Services, a division of the Minnesota Department of Education, each regional library system is eligible to receive a formula-driven allocation from the annual $2.2 million Minnesota Regional Library System Legacy Grant. Traverse des Sioux Library System (TdS) is a federated regional public library system providing central services located in southcentral Minnesota.
Minnesota's twelve regional library systems, which encompass more than 350 public libraries in all areas of the state, can benefit from a portion of the Legacy Amendment's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Through State Library Services, a division of the Minnesota Department of Education, each regional library system is eligible to receive a formula-driven allocation from the annual $2.5 million Minnesota Regional Library System Legacy Grant.
Turtle Island Skywatchers - Innovative Research and Data Visualization project works to protect Minnesota water, wildlife, and natural resources while empowering Indigenous youth as leaders and all citizens as researchers.
We will reconstruct historical lake conditions to identify factors linked to successful walleye fisheries and guide effective management in the face of warming temperatures, invasive species, and nutrient loading.
Minnesotans increasingly value native fishes. For example, >95% of bowfished species in MN are native, yet all are poorly understood. Foundational natural resource data is absolutely necessary for all stakeholders.
Our goals are to engage 100,000 underserved youth statewide in environmental education, engaging them in the conservation and preservation of Minnesota wilderness through the experiences in the outdoors.
This project will support the monitoring of reaches where there are data gaps, incorporate new data and relevant data, continue identification of pollutant sources, complete load duration curves, coordinate and encourage participation in stakeholder meetings. The information gathered during Phase IIB will be utilized towards the development of a Draft Restoration (TMDL) and Protection Plan (Plan).
The project included documenting all existing interpretive panels and markers of the U.S. - Dakota War in the MN River Valley and researching potential sites for new interpretive panels or markers. The end result is a written document with an inventory of existing marked U.S. - Dakota War sites in the MN River Valley, research of unmarked sites and an overall strategy of which sites could be marked to better tell the story. The report will provides guidance in telling a more complete story of the U.S. - Dakota War of 1862 through interpretive markers.
This project aims to significantly reduce the amount of sediment transfer from eroding bluff areas to Seven Mile Creek during spring snowmelt and rain events throughout the year. This will be accomplished by installing and maintaining drop structures and reinforcing the existing spalsh pool at the outlet pipe without destabilizing the surrounding bluffs. When applied in tandem, this project will reduce the peak flow rate to ravine areas while shielding and protecting the bluff itself from eroding.
Nitrate levels in the water supply for the city of Benson have slowly but steadily been increasing since 2012. This project aims to work with the landowners surrounding the Drinking Water Supply Management Areas (DWSMA's) for Benson and Appleton in Swift County to reduce or eliminate the amount of nitrate entering these water supplies. Proven and effective strategies will be implemented to achieve the goals set forth in this grant.
Use mobile AI-assisted technologies to survey lake visitors. Assess perceptions of water quality and perceived threats. Combine survey data with water quality data and trend monitoring to inform lake management.
Minnesota Sea Grant seeks to create a science-policy fellowship program to train Minnesota's science-policy workforce and advance Minnesota's water resource policy, emulating Sea Grants successful federal-level fellowship program.
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 project will collect water samples at seventeen monitoring locations ranging in size from 23,173 acres (7 Mile Creek) to over 9 million acres (Minnesota River at St. Peter) as a part of the Watershed Pollutant Load Monitoring Network (WPLMN). The Minnesota State University - Water Resources Center (WRC) has been directly involved with the program and is familiar with the streams and hydrology of the region. In addition to monitoring, the WRC will review, manage and submit the data in formats provided by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA).
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.
This proposal will fund technical assistance for nutrient management planning to accelerate water quality improvements with the 12-county West Central Technical Service Area (WCTSA). A needs assessment identified an estimated 156 certified nutrient management plans that will be needed over a 3 year period. Of the 71 SWCD employees in the WCTSA, only 1 SWCD staff member is dedicated to nutrient management planning. To meet technical assistance needs, this grant will fund a Regional Planning Specialist (RPS) to address local resource concerns.
The West Central Technical Service Area (WCTSA) serves 12 Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) in west central Minnesota and has been experiencing increased workload due to greater requests from member SWCDs. This funding will sustain a limited-term technician and purchase related support equipment to assist landowners in implementing targeted, high priority practices that result in the greatest water quality outcomes.
Phase 8 of the Wetland Habitat Protection and Restoration Program will result in the protection of 745 acres of high priority wetland habitat complexes in Minnesota's Prairie, Forest-Prairie Transition and Northern Forest areas by securing permanent conservation easements within scientifically prioritized habitat complexes. The Minnesota Land Trust will use its innovative market-based landowner bid model to maximize conservation benefit and financial leverage in protection project selection.
The Wetland Habitat Protection and Restoration Program implements conservation of high priority wetland habitat complexes within Minnesota's Prairie, Forest-Prairie Transition and Northern Forest areas. Phase 9 of the Wetlands Program will focus on restoration and enhancement of 983 acres of high priority wetlands and associated prairies to benefit important waterfowl and SGCN populations. Restoration and enhancement work will be managed by the Minnesota Land Trust, in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
