We propose to develop a genetic control tool that exploits the natural process of RNA silencing to effectively control zebra mussels without affecting other species.
Solar windows are a disruptive photovoltaic technology that virtually invisibly integrates with buildings. This renewable energy technology will increase photovoltaics adoption, reduce air pollution, and ameliorate climate change.
This project is to develop cheap clean solar energy by simple roll-to-roll manufacturing. Perovskite is a new photovoltaic material, very economical while maintaining high power conversion efficiency.
A biodegradable product will be developed to replace non-degradable petroleum based plastic used in vegetable and fruit production. This project, if funded, will revolutionize horticulture in Minnesota, and potentially worldwide.
Design and evaluate 10 market-based scenarios for perennial cropping systems and their potential to improve water quality and provide wildlife habitat. Create awareness through thought-provoking videos, fact sheets, and presentations.
Develop strategies and practical tools to identify conditions that minimize impacts to soil across a wide range of conditions to promote regeneration of diverse forests, wildlife habitat, and timber availability.
3.5 mile long bituminous surface trail beginning at the intersection of Hwy 169 and County Road 88 to Ely. In Ely, connection will be made to existing Mesabi Trail.
To digitize and preserve items representing the ecologic history of the Driftless Area in Minnesota, create a map from 1862 data, and conduct an interpretive program.
This program provides critical assistance to MN DNR Parks and Trails Division Regional and District offices to assist with renewal and rehabilitation efforts prioritized locally by field staff. Projects include the following types: State Park Building and Facilities Emergency Repair and Maintenance, Paved Trail Maintenance and Asset Preservation, and State Park and State Forest Trail Renewal. This project is a newly reorganized budget area that consolidates these three smaller project areas reported on in previous years.
The Drinking Water Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CEC) program identifies environmental contaminants for which current health-based standards currently do not exist or need to be updated, investigate the potential for human exposure to these chemicals, and develop guidance values for drinking water. Contaminants evaluated by CEC staff include contaminants that have been released or detected in Minnesota waters (surface water and groundwater) or that have the potential to migrate to or be detected in Minnesota waters.
Native Prairie Bank will help landowners conserve native prairie though outreach to 10,000 landowners and practitioners, restoration and enhancement of 870 acres, and protection of 600 acres through conservation easements.
The Parks and Trails Division is creating innovative programs to attract new audiences to Minnesota state parks and trails. Skill-building programs, such as "I Can Camp!," provide a trial opportunity by eliminating the barriers of needing to have pre-existing knowledge or gear for the activity.
This project will focus on creating a much more robust reuse economy throughout the State resulting in reduced solid waste, less pollution, more jobs, and small business development.
This project will: expand strategies of the 2015 LCCMR grant; establish deconstruction and building material reuse as a practice statewide; document the environmental, health, and economic benefits of material reuse.
The primary goal of this project is to enhance the current version of the Expert System for Calibration of HSPF (HSPEXP+) so that it can be more efficiently used for QA/QC of hydrology and water quality models developed using Hydrological Simulation Program FORTRAN (HSPF) and develop input files for two receiving waterbody models.
The DNR works with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota Department of Health to determine the level of contamination from mercury and other harmful chemicals in fish from Minnesota's lakes and rivers and to track the success of efforts to reduce mercury pollution. Clean Water Legacy funding is being used to significantly increase (more than double) the number of lakes and rivers that are assessed for mercury contamination on an annual basis. Fish are collected during DNR fishery surveys, processed for laboratory testing, and analyzed for contaminants.
This is a project to to proactively address future threats to safe drinking water. This project will incorporate findings and recommendations from the Future of Drinking Water report to assess, prioritize, and manage drinking water risks. Through this project, a voluntary statewide plan for protecting drinking water will be developed. Additional outcomes from this project include public health policies and an action plan.
This project will equip out-of-school youth organizations across Minnesota with knowledge, skills and resources to incorporate outdoor nature activities into after-school programs and engage under-privileged children with the outdoors.
Provide approximately 25 matching grants for local parks, acquisition of locally significant natural areas and trails to connect people safety to desirable community locations and regional or state facilities.
The goal of this project is to develop a tool to generate meteorological time-series input data for Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Hydrologic Simulation Program FORTRAN (HSPF) models based on publicly available gridded meteorological products.
The primary goal of this project is to train the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency staff in Hydrologic Simulation Program FORTRAN (HSPF) model calibration of nutrients, oxygen demand, and algal processes and in MATLAB script development for model output processing and report generation. Additionally, a pilot application process will be developed to link HSPF applications to Water quality Analysis Simulation Program (WASP) to take advantage of the advanced sediment oxygen demand processes.
This collaborative project creates a college to workforce pathway for under-represented students who are interested in pursuing Natural Resources careers by reducing barriers that inhibit successful educational attainment.
This program will develop a centralized, integrated approach to managing existing data systems and incorporating new information needs into the integrated enterprise information system of data.
Promising new carp deterrent system is tested in the Mississippi River along with an existing deterrent and predators; 99% blockage is suggested and Fish and Wildlife Service is a partner.
This on-going program is for detecting, mapping and controlling invasive plant species and re-establishing native vegetation in their place on lands administered by the Division of Parks and Trails. Control of invasive plant species furthers progress to preserve and restore the quality of native plant communities on Parks and Trails lands as well as helps prevent the spread of invasives to new locations.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has been monitoring for contaminants of emerging concern in Minnesota's surface water since 2007. These contaminants include a wide variety of pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and other chemicals that can harm fish and wildlife and human health. One group of these chemicals, disinfection by-products, are formed when water is treated with chlorine. Some of these chemicals are cancer-causing and highly toxic.
The biological communities present in a lake are the result of cumulative effects of natural and human-caused influences within the entire area of land and water that flows into the lake (i.e., the watershed). Biological assessments are used on lakes to identify water pollution and habitat concerns based on the type and abundance of selected animals and their habitats. Certain species cannot survive without clean water and healthy habitat while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions.
Learning Law and Democracy: Principles of Democracy – Connecting civic education to principles that guided the nation's founders and continue to be our foundation today is the goal of LLAD's "Principles of Democracy" project for Minnesota's young people. By focusing on the why, how, and who of our system of government, K-12 students in and out of the classroom will be prepared to carry on Minnesota's civic tradition of informed civic participation. They will learn about the Constitution, structures of government, politics and active citizenship.
This project will complete updates to existing information and incorporate new information into the Minnesota Stormwater Manual including the Blue Star Assessment tool. Stormwater practitioners use the information and assessment tool to implement the most effective and cost-efficient practices for managing stormwater runoff volume, stormwater pollutants, and to meet regulatory requirements associated with stormwater permits.
Appropriations from the Clean Water Fund allow the Minnesota Department of Health to expand and improve the way groundwater and drinking water protection is implemented at the local level. In 2015, $300,000 was allocated to update wellhead protection areas within groundwater management areas. From 2016 onward, funding will be dedicated to the Groundwater Restoration and Protection Strategies (GRAPS) initiative which will provide groundwater and drinking water information and management strategies on a HUC 8 watershed scale.
Maintaining Existing Holdings - A Parks and Trails Strategic Objective is a program area representing DNR's commitment to one of the four pillars identified in the 25 year Legacy plan. The Legacy plan calls this Take Care of What We Have, and identifies its purpose to provide safe, high-quality park and trail experiences by regular re-investment in park and trail infrastructure, and natural resource management.
