Create database of wells and tanks within the DWSMA; Inform owners about leaking underground storage tanks and proper maintenance; Develop and publish articles about well management; Develop and publish article about the City's WHP program
The goal of the project is to sustain the existing Volunteer Nitrate Monitoring Network (VNMN) domestic well network for long-term groundwater quality studies by generating ambient groundwater quality data in domestic drinking water wells completed in various southeastern Minnesota aquifers, contrasting vulnerable and non-vulnerable hydrogeologic settings.
The lack of sewage treatment in many small communities in Southeast Minnesota is causing surface water and groundwater pollution. Ten of these small communities will be the target of the technical assistance provided by this project. These communities have community or individual straight pipes which are discharging raw sewage directly into the environment, surfacing sewage, or have sewage contaminating groundwater.
Partner Organizations: Kasson Alliance for Restoration, Mantorville Restoration Association, Friends of Mayowood, Denmark Township Historical Society, Friends of Saint Rose, Preservation Lake City, County Historical Societies, Red Wing Downtown Main Street, Winona Main Street, Winona Area Chamber of Commerce, Faribault Main Street, and Faribault Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism
PAM will work to provide its partners with staff support, administration, supervision, and additional preservation and planning expertise.
The lack of sewage treatment in many small communities in Southeast Minnesota is causing surface water and groundwater pollution. Fourteen of these small communities will receive technical assistance provided by this project. These communities have community or individual straight pipes which are discharging raw sewage directly to the environment, surfacing sewage, or have sewage contaminating groundwater.
Lakes and streams located in Blue Earth, Le Sueur, and Waseca Counties provide important public benefits such as hydrologic storage, economic and recreational opportunities, and regional water quality improvement. However, several of the lakes and streams have been listed as impaired because of excess nutrients and sediment from runoff.
Filmmaker Joua Lee Grande and her team will complete feature-length documentary Spirited, host feedback sessions and develop an Impact Campaign to create curriculum, community screenings and discussions that focus on the film's topic of Hmong shamanism, how it is changing in modern-day Minnesota, and how it exists alongside current issues.
Native trout require clean, cold water that usually originates from springs, but the springs feeding the 173 designated trout streams in southeastern Minnesota are under increasing pressure from current and expected changes in land use. This joint effort by the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is working to identify and map the springs and the areas that feed water to these springs and to learn how these waters might be affected by development and water use.
Native trout require clean, cold water that usually originates from springs, but the springs feeding the 173 designated trout streams in southeastern Minnesota are under increasing pressure from current and expected changes in land use. This joint effort by the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is working to identify and map the springs and the areas that feed water to these springs and to learn how these waters might be affected by development and water use.
Successful long-term treatment of sewage depends on a system capable of providing adequate treatment and effective on-going operation and maintenance. Clean Water Fund Subsurface Sewage Treatment System (SSTS) Program Enhancement and Inventory funds are used by counties to strengthen programs dedicated to SSTS ordinance management and enforcement. These funds are used for a variety of tasks required to successfully implement a local SSTS program including inventories, enforcement, and databases to insure SSTS maintenance reporting programs.
The Washington County Department of Public Health and Environment is seeking funds to conduct countywide records catalog and subsequent risk analysis of subsurface sewage treatment systems, or septic systems, in the county. The records catalog will involve the collection, digitization and review of historical permit records from 1972-2004. The risk analysis will utilize information from the historical review, in addition to other pertinent available data.
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.
In recent times, the owners of Wolf Marine on the St. Croix River have to excavate sediment that has built up at the outlet of Brown's Creek every year just to keep their marina navigable. Their business is directly affected by how much soil gets into the creek. Reducing dirt and sand entering Brown's Creek is also important to others. The creek is one of the few designated trout streams in the Twin Cities area that supports a fishable brown trout population.
Bald Eagle Lake is a popular recreational lake known for its fishery on the Metropolitan Council's Priority Lakes List. The lake is negatively impacted by excess nutrients and restoring its water quality is a local priority.
This project will collect stormwater runoff from an approximately 900 acre area and re-use it to irrigate an existing golf course. This innovative project will provide a multitude of environmental benefits for Bald Eagle Lake including significant runoff volume reduction, groundwater recharge and phosphorus load reduction.
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 host a children's show about life on the farm through songs and stories, and offer a presentation about, and create a display area of, antique horse drawn machinery used by farmers from the Le Sueur County area.
To educate fairgoers about the early history of the area. The Le Sueur County Fair will create an exhibit on the Native American and early settlers life in the area. The exhibit will include a large tipi, fire pit, artifacts, tools, hides, and more. Funds will also be used to host demonstrations on native and log cabin construction techniques, and drawing and painting activities for children.
To hire a qualified historian to complete an evaluation to determine eligibility for listing in the National Register of Historic Places for the Le Sueur Theatre.
The Le Sueur Watershed Technician will provide highly focused targeting of conservation programs and practices in this key watershed. The technician will enhance current staff capabilities in the Le Sueur watershed by collecting landowner contact information, producing landowner mailings about funding opportunities, and meeting one-on-one with landowners to discuss conservation concerns they may have. This has been a highly successful method for targeting projects, project identification, landowner contact, and project follow through.
The Le Sueur Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), who acts as County Ditch Inspectors, will partner with the Le Sueur County GIS Coordinator to accomplish the inventory and inspection of drainage ditches. A database will be established for all 250 miles of Le Sueur County Drainage Authority ditches. The inventory will be conducted using Lidar, 2010 and 2013 Pictometry and onsite technical review. Sites that have potential water quality issues will be identified from worst to most stable for side inlets, buffers and retention storage.
This project will complete a Acetochlor Impairment Response Report. This report will combine and coordinate information relating to actions being done in direct response to the acetochlor water quality impairments with those being done and support MDA’s on-going responsibility to assure pesticides are used in a manner that does not cause unreasonable adverse effects on the environment.
