Seven lakes and four streams in the Elm Creek watershed are impaired by excess nutrients, bacteria, low oxygen, and unhealthy biotic communities. Modeling completed for the Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy identified areas that contribute high loads of sediment and nutrients to the streams and lakes in the watershed, however, the scale of that modeling was not sufficient to pinpoint to the field level where BMPs would be most effective. The Rush Creek Headwaters Subwatershed Assessment will evaluate four high pollutant loading catchments.
This project restored fish passage from the Red River to 50 miles of quality upstream Lake Sturgeon and Walleye habitats in the Sand Hill River by modifying four structures and modifying the Sand Hill Lake Dam which currently block access. It also enhanced in stream habitat on the SH River.
Phase 2 of this project will complete fish passage restoration from the Red River to 47 miles of quality upstream habitat in the Sand Hill River watershed and enhance stream habitat in a degraded segment of the Sand Hill River.
The project goal is to conduct water chemistry monitoring at one subwatershed site, one basin site, and one major watershed site in 2016 and 2017 based on flow conditions, targeting runoff events using protocols defined in the Watershed Pollutant Load Monitoring Network (WPLMN) Standard Operating Procedures and Guidance. The data collected will be submitted to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and used in the FLUX32 model for calculating pollutant loads.
The Sauk River Chain of Lakes Community Partners Area has many lakes that are not meeting state water quality standards or are in jeopardy of not meeting standards and are in desperate need of runoff reduction strategies. The Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District is eager to work with willing sponsors within the project area to educate, inform and expand the conservation culture to assist in siting and implementing water quality projects on the landscape.
MNHS cares for more than 100,000 cubic feet of hard-copy government records and manuscript collections dating from the territorial period to the present. To access the vast majority of these holdings, researchers must currently visit the History Center or make other special arrangements. In FY16, MNHS began piloting small projects to develop and test workflow and to identify and plan equipment and space needs. In FY17, MNHS will add staff to begin responding to patron requests for manuscript and state archives digitization in advance of a full rollout of the scan-on-demand process next year.
MNHS has in its care over 100,000 cubic feet of hard-copy government records and manuscript collections dating from the territorial period to the present. To access the vast majority of these holdings, researchers must currently visit the History Center or make other special arrangements. In FY16, MNHS is piloting a unique "scan on demand" service for researchers that will allow them to request, either online or in person, the digitization of specific materials with the resulting images being put online for wide public access.
The contractor will provide 4 day-long training sessions for the Scenario Analysis Manager (SAM) and 2 Processing Application Tool for HSPF (PATH) sessions. The SAM tool’s framework currently consists of a pre-processor (PATH) for interactively translating HSPF model application files, a Geographic Information System (GIS) for best management practice (BMP) site selection, a BMP database with pollutant removal efficiencies and associated costs, and scenario analysis, optimization, and reporting capabilities.
The contractor will collect and process the necessary files needed to develop a Processing Application Tool for HSPF (PATH) and Scenario Application Manager (SAM) project for 30 HUC 8 watersheds in Minnesota. SAM provides a graphical interface to the Hydrological Simulation Program FORTRAN (HSPF) model applications and expands the state’s investment in HSPF to a broader audience in support of the development of Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) studies and Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) reports.
The goal of this project is to develop forestry related best management practice (BMP) pollutant reduction/management efficiencies, costs, and management information applicable to Minnesota forests and incorporate these BMPs into the Hydrological Simulation Program FORTRAN (HSPF) model Scenario Application Manager (SAM) tool. By incorporating forestry BMPs into the existing SAM tool, forestry related management scenarios can be evaluated for potential impacts on surface waters and can inform the development of watershed restoration and protection strategies.
The goal of this work order is to collect and process the watershed specific files needed to create the Scenario Application Manager (SAM) project files to apply the SAM software in selected major watersheds in Minnesota where an Hydrological Simulation Program – FORTRAN (HSPF) model has been developed. This work order will also involve technical support for the SAM users who are applying the SAM projects.
The contractor will provide 3 Scenario Analysis Manager (SAM) training sessions in the fall of 2016 for use with Hydrological Simulation Program FORTRAN (HSPF) model applications.