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 acquire professional services to prepare an interpretive plan for public access to history and cultural heritage along 27 miles of the national Mississippi River Trail and the Mississippi River National River and Recreation Area
The Cultural River Stewards project gathers narratives and practices from different cultural communities' stewardship of the Mississippi River (Haha Wakpa). Friends of the Mississippi River (FMR) will partner with Language Attitude to work with community members, educators, and artists to bridge science and cultural stewardship. Through curriculum and stewardship events, we will gather and share community connections to the Mississippi River (Haha Wakpa) in Minnesota (Mni Sota Makoce).
During the 2016 Legislative Session, the Minnesota State Legislature asked the Minnesota Humanities, $75,000 the first year is for a grant to the city of St. Paul or Ramsey County to develop and install activity facilities in parks for Takraw courts that are reflective of the current demographics in Ramsey County. This grant is available if the recipient provides at least a 25 percent match for funding.
This project will identify and compile existing nitrate data from groundwaters and surface waters in the Lower Mississippi Basin (LMB) generally and focus on the Root River Watershed. The purpose is to investigate the quantity and quality of existing nitrate data, and to organize it for use in comprehensive watershed strategy development (including assessment, TMDL computation and identification and study of nitrate sources and delivery mechanisms).
This project will complete a comprehensive study, following a rational, step-wise process of data analysis, response modeling and comparison to the water quality standards, followed by impairment diagnosis, modeling of improvement and protection options, and development of a WRAP Report and Implementation Plan for Sunfish lake, Thompson lake, Pickerel lake, and Rogers lake.
This project will consist of identifying the candidate causes of biological stress and to develop and implement a public and stakeholder participation process that encourages local ownership of water quality problems and solutions. The Stressor ID process will be done using existing data, identifying data gaps, gathering new data, developing load duration curves, and refinement of the candidate causes. The civic engagement work will include compiling and reviewing existing data on community capacity and assessing that information.
This project will build network and the skill set of local resource professionals to do effective civic engagement work for water restoration and protection in Southeast Minnesota. The cohort will be administered through the Southeast Minnesota Water Resources Board (SE MN WRB) which is an area wide Joint Powers Board (JPB) established to help improve and protect the water resources of the area through coordinating local water planning efforts. This JPB has successfully administered water quality grants in the past that have positively impacted the water resources of this region.
This project will complete a pollutant source identification and subwatershed information report and support the development of a Draft Restoration and Protection Plan (RAPP). It will also support the devlopment of a Implementation Plan that will identify target areas for BMP implementation for bacteria reductions.
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).
The goal of this project is to develop a phosphorus TMDL for the six impaired lakes in the southwest portion of the Rice Creek Watershed District; Island Lake, Little Lake Johanna, Long Lake, East Moore Lake, Pike Lake and Lake Valentine.
This project will provide the MPCA, CCWD, and all other stakeholders the information and tools necessary to improve the water quality within Coon Creek Watershed District. The improvements will take place using targeted activities throughout the watershed to reduce the primary biological and chemical stressors. In turn, the reduction of these stressors will help to reduce overall loadings of sediment, turbidity, total phosphorus, and E. coli bacteria.
The MPCA, in partnership with the Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Organization, contracted with Wenck Associates, Inc., to develop the Stressor Identification (SID) Report; and develop the necessary models for the Vermillion River Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS) as part of Phase I. The final Vermillion River Watershed SID report discusses all of the analysis that was done in the watershed to identify the primary stressors causing the fish and macroinvertebrate impairments in the watershed.
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.
This project will emphasize restoring and enhancing approximately 260 acres of various permanently protected habitats, and acquiring approximately 154 acres of permanent conservation easements or fee title. Project sites include Lake Byllesby Regional Park, land adjacent to Regional Park Reserves and Regional Greenways, Chub and Marcott Lakes, rivers and streams, and hydric soil areas. Habitats will include forest, grassland, wetland, and riparian areas throughout the County.
To upgrade and replace display cases for 4-H. The Dakota County Agricultural Society has enhanced the display capability for the 4-H program to improve viewing and safety.
This project will continue and build on the momentum developed through the successful Stormwater Retrofit Partnership (Partnership) from FY2010 and 2012 CWF. This project retrofits stormwater practices on public land to assist partnering Local Government Units (LGUs) in achieving water quality goals identified in local stormwater plans by providing technical assistance and cost share funding.
This project will provide cost share funding to organizations and associations to construct medium-sized water quality conservation projects in Dakota County. This project will continue the successful FY2012 Dakota County Community Partners in Conservation. The Community Initiative program will use the Soil and Water Conservation District's existing Conservation Initiative Funding program to provide technical assistance and monetary incentives for targeted, medium-sized projects such as raingardens, bioinfiltration, and bioswales.
To provide programming that tells the story of Dakota County's 160 years of settlement, Minnesota history and cultural traditions, through an entertaining tent show that combines story telling and original music. The show will be reminiscent of the 1900s era Chautauqua programs. It will be performed daily in the tent at Dakota City Heritage Village.
This project will provide cost share funding to community organizations and associations to construct medium-sized water quality conservation practices in Dakota County.
During this grant time frame, Dakota County was able to protect habitat through acquisition of seven parcels, totaling 409 acres. The fee title ownership of three of the parcels, totaling 197 acres, was transferred to the Minnesota DNR as part of establishing the new Hampton Woods Wildlife Management Area in Hampton and Castle Rock townships.
The Dakota County?Farmland and Natural Areas?Program will protect over 350 acres of high quality wildlife habitat including 1.7 miles of Cannon River shoreline, 2.0 miles of Chub Creek and .70 miles of shoreline along Marcott Lake in Dakota County. Permanent conservation easements from willing landowners will be acquired and landowners will be required to complete natural resource management plans.
This program initiates a comprehensive approach to protecting, restoring and enhancing wildlife habitat and water quality by working with willing landowners to establish permanent conservation easements totaling 620 acres along the Vermillion River and including North, Middle and South Creeks, the South Branch and their tributaries; the Cannon River and its primary tributaries within Dakota County (Dutch, Mud, Chub, Darden and Pine Creeks, and Trout Brook); and to acquire permanent easements on 84 acres along Marcott Lake in Inver Grove Heights, Lake Marion in Lakeville, and Chub Lake in Eu
This project acquired 84 acres of conservation easements along the Mississippi, Cannon and Vermillion Rivers. Through amendments, the acquisition acreage was decreased from the original proposal, due to landowner changes and project withdrawals. This project also restored/enhanced 220 acres within associated habitat corridors. Through amendments, the restoration/enhancement acres were increased from the original proposal by adding specific restoration projects.
This project will restore approximately 800 acres of permanently protected habitats, and acquire approximately 480 acres of permanent conservation easements and/or fee title lands. Project sites include converting cultivated areas to wetlands in the southern two-thirds of the County, and various habitats, including forest, grassland, riparian areas, and other wetlands throughout the County. This initiative includes identified sites and flexibility for opportunities that will arise.
