The Cannon River and its subwatersheds are priority resources in multiple local and regional plans including the NCRWMO Watershed Plan, Cannon River Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan and the Dakota County Groundwater Plan. Agricultural BMPs, both structural and non-structural, are targeted based upon cost/benefit. The outreach, planning, and feasibility activities will further the goals of the Plans listed above.
The proposed project will provide cost share funding and technical assistance for landowners to design and implement medium-sized water quality BMPs. The installation of these projects will have measurable outcomes that will benefit water quality. BMPs could include gully stabilizations, infiltration basins, bioretention basins, hydrodynamic separators, other stormwater runoff controls and streambank and shoreline protections.
The Vermillion River and its subwatersheds are priority resources in local and regional plans including the Vermillion River Watershed Management Plan and the Dakota County Groundwater Plan. Prioritized agricultural BMPs and nitrate reduction BMPs, a subwatershed analysis, and project development of irrigation and groundwater protection practices will further the goals of the plans above.
In Dakota County, groundwater supplies more than 90 percent of the drinking water. In order to protect Dakota County's primary drinking water source, this project proposes to support the County well seal grant cost-share program. The project will provide 50 percent cost-share funding to reimburse landowners for the sealing of unused wells. The goal is to permanently seal between 80-100 unused/abandoned wells throughout the county.
