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.
Through its Wetland Habitat Protection and Restoration Program - Phase 3 grant, the Minnesota Land Trust protected 666 acres and restored/ enhanced 954 acres of high priority wetland habitat complexes in Minnesota's Prairie and Forest-Prairie Transition areas by securing permanent conservation easements within scientifically prioritized habitat complexes and working with partners in restoration/enhancement.
Within Whitewater River Watershed, groundwater is the primary drinking water source for both private and community wells. These drinking water aquifers often lack adequate protective layers making them vulnerable to contamination. Unused wells can deteriorate and pose a serious risk to groundwater quality by providing a pathway for contaminants from the surface to easily travel into groundwater. This project will use cost-share funds to incentivize sealing twelve abandoned wells that are contamination risks to vulnerable aquifers.
This program acquired, developed, and added 638 acres to the state Wildlife Management Area (WMA) system. These lands protect habitat and provide opportunities for public hunting, trapping and compatible outdoor uses consistent with the Outdoor Recreation Act (M.S. 86A.05, Subd.8).
This grant will fund about 45 projects in High Groundwater Priority areas, High Surface Water Priority area, and/or in sub-watershed with stressed/impaired streams for the four WinLaC planning regions. These practices will reduce overland total nitrogen loading and loading to groundwater; reduce overland total phosphorous and sediment; and increase headwater storage and/or reduce peak flow rates and sediment loading.
The WinLaC Prioritization and Public Participation Project will identify priority water quality issues and concerns for the watershed approach in the Mississippi River - Winona and La Crescent watersheds. Information obtained from this project will help develop the Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) Update report as well the WinLaC Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan.
This project will produce a final Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) report and Watershed Restoration and Projection Strategy (WRAPS) reports for the Winnebago and Mississippi River – La Crescent watersheds including the drafting of public notice versions of the reports, responding to comments during the public notice period and producing the final TMDL and WRAPS reports.
To hire a qualified consultant to develop a Historic Structure Report that will help preserve the Winona Public Library, listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
To restore the battlement on the Winona Armory, listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and currently used as the Winona County History Museum.
Four individual national register nomination forms were prepared for Central, Madison, Jefferson and Washington-Kosciusko elementary schools located in the city of Winona. A qualified historian was hired to prepare the documentation. The schools had been previously evaluated and found to be eligible for nomination.
The Winona County Well Sealing Costshare Program will utilize Clean Water Funds to speed water well sealing in a continuing effort to protect the groundwater aquifers used for drinking water in Southeast Minnesota. Since 1990, 1303 unused water supply wells have been sealed in Winona County with costs ranging from $500-$10,000+ per well.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) requires the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to carry out the Total Maximum Daily Load Program (TMDL) in the state of Minnesota. Minnesota has an abundance of lakes and river reaches, many of which will require a TMDL study. In an effort to expedite the completion of TMDL projects, the MPCA has decided to construct watershed models. These models have the potential to support the simultaneous development of TMDL studies for multiple listings within a cataloging unit or 8-digit Hydrologic Unit Code watershed.
UMN Extension Center for Youth Development will partner with Winona and Rochester ALCs to engage 40 youth in year-long activities that connect, engage, and empower youth as environmental change-agents.
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.
Completion of the Master Plan for the Zumbro River Regional Water Trail (ZRRWT). Roughly 150 miles of navigable waters that wind through a diverse landscape before joining the Mississippi River.
The Zumbro River watershed HSPF model will be refined to include recent data and information as well as evaluate various management scenarios to inform the most effective actions for reducing sediment and nutrient loading and improving water quality. Specifically, to provide the foundation for the Lake Zumbro Phosphorus Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL).
