The projects planned for the grant funds focus on essential updates and enhancements to our historic building, ensuring that we can continue to provide a safe, welcoming, and inclusive space for all who visit. The proposed improvements include upgrading our HVAC system, kitchen, and security infrastructure; rebuilding the handicap ramp for improved accessibility; sourcing new patio furniture; and resealing the venue's dance floor. Each of these initiatives is designed to maintain the integrity of our facility while enhancing the experience of our diverse audience.
To hire a qualified historian to research the history of cultural and medicinal plants specific to the Lower Sioux Indian Community in southwestern Minnesota.
This project will directly inform the Lake of the Woods (LoW )TMDL process by identifying nutrient reduction targets, a timeline of phosphorus loadings to the lake, and measures of historical in-lake variability (e.g., nutrients, biological communities). Results will complement and build on ongoing research efforts on internal loading and sediment core analysis.
This project will support the collection and analysis of sediment core samples, from each of the five bays ( Little Traverse, Big Traverse, Muskeg, Sabaskong and 4-Mile Bays), to ensure adequate characterization of the P fluxes from deposited sediment and equilibrium P fluxes from re-suspended sediment.
This project will support a civic engagement cohort that will be offered in southwest Minnesota to foster partnering and build capacity of local government, organizations, and residents for effective civic engagement in water protection and restoration. This project will also build networks and the skill set of local resource professionals to do effective civic engagement work for water restoration and protection. The cohort will be administered through the Minnesota River Board (MRB), established in 1995 with a goal of focusing water management efforts on the local level.
This project will establish a framework and provide tools for local government and watershed projects to engage the public in a manner that will lead to water quality improvement through targeted and prioritized implementation of watershed management practices. The major components of the watershed approach that will be used for this project include; monitoring, gathering of watershed information, assessment of the data, develop of implementation strategies, and implementation of water quality protection and restoration activities.
This project approach will include monitoring and gathering of watershed information, assess the data, develop implementation strategies to meet standards and protect waters, implement water quality protection and restoration activities in the watershed. The goal of this project is to establish a framework, and to provide information and tools for local government and watershed organizations to engage the public in a manner that will lead to water quality improvement.
This project will complete spatial and temporal revisions , recalibration and validation of 7 watershed HSPF models. These fully functioning calibrated validated executable models will simulate hydrology, sediment (sand, silt, and clay), temperature, phosphorus, nitrogen, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, and algae at the 12-digit HUC subbasin scale (or finer).
This project will construct, calibrate, a set of HSPF watershed models covering the entire area of the Lake of the Woods drainage, including the Rainy River watershed. The consultant will produce HSPF models that can readily be used to provide information to support conventional parameter TMDLs. The consultant will clearly demonstrate that these models generate predicted output timeseries for hydrology which are consistent with available sets of observed data.
This project will construct, calibrate, and validate an HSPF watershed model for the Lake of the Woods River watershed. The consultants will produce HSPF watershed models that can readily be used to provide information to support conventional parameter TMDLs. The consultants will clearly demonstrate that the models generate predicted output time series for hydrology, sediment, nutrients, and dissolved oxygen that are consistent with available sets of observed data.
This project will continue the offering of low-interest loans to citizens, some of whom may not be able to acquire funding otherwise, for upgrading 50 septic systems to ensure compliance with state rules. Grant funds will be used to administer the low-interest loan program.
Dakota Wicohan will develop programming alternatives, like online and media resources and delivered care packages, to stay engaged with our youth, adults and families, focusing specifically on using culturally appropriate means to bolster the mental and spiritual health of our youth, and help them deal with any losses they experienced in their families and community. We will continue this new at-home support and activity component of our programming beyond the Covid-19 crisis.
Dakota Wicohan will offer a 16-week “Beading 101” course, covering 5 to 7 different beading techniques presented by experts in each technique, and the needles, thread and other supplies needed for each style. Stitches to include lazy stitch, peyote stitch, the three drop technique, beading with two needles, the wrap technique, loom beading, and, throughout, general beading tips and tricks.
Dakota Wicohan created the first half of a leadership and civics curriculum for Dakota youth—Dakota Itancan Kagapi, or, the making of Dakota leaders. The program will be used to train Dakota youth through the inter-related strategies of remembering, reclaiming, and reconnecting with our Dakota language and lifeways to enhance the region’s civic foundation.
