Scientific and Natural Area (SNA) habitat restoration and improvements (1000+ acres), increased public involvement, and strategic acquisition (700+ acres) will conserve Minnesota's most unique and rare resources for everyone's benefit.
Approximately 70 percent of all Minnesotans rely on groundwater as their primary source of drinking water. Wells used for drinking water must be properly sealed when removed from service to protect both public health and Minnesota’s invaluable groundwater resources. The Minnesota Department of Health with the assistance of the Board of Water and Soil Resources protects both public health and groundwater by assuring the proper sealing of unused wells.” Clean Water funds are being provided to home owners as a 50% cost-share assistance for sealing unused private drinking water wells.
The Septic Risk Assessment Model and Program Enhancement (SRAMPE) will result in a systematically review and catalog of all septic related materials by licensed SSTS professionals pertaining to the 890 properties in which we believe are served by SSTS. The enhanced program will improve efficiency, customer service, and administrative procedure. Above all, it will lead to upgrading of failing SSTS or conversion to City sewer
Advanced tools are needed which provide critical timelag and feedback information for making environmental policy decisions, as Minnesota prepares to launch the Groundwater Protection Rule and nutrient reduction strategies.
Objective 1: Software Development i. Activity 1.1: Create a Dakota language app ii. Activity 1.2: Create a keyboard for phones and computers Objective 2: Meet with Language Consultant(s) i. Activity 2.1: Lessons with an elder/language speaker ii. Activity 2.2: Consultation with an elder Objective 3: Curriculum Development i. Activity 3.1: Meet with developers ii. Activity 3.2: Create a language textbook
This Phase 8 request funds Ducks Unlimited’s prairie land acquisition and restoration program. DU will acquire 560 acres of land containing drained wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region of SW Minnesota for restoration and transfer to the Minnesota DNR for inclusion in the state WMA system. This land acquisition and restoration program focuses on restoring cropland with wetlands along shallow lakes and adjoining WMAs containing large wetlands to help restore prairie wetland habitat complexes for breeding ducks and other wildlife.
Funding through this appropriation enhanced 8,359 acres of wetland habitat. Included in this work were six infrastructure projects that enhanced 871 acres and a Douglas County wetland restoration was done in cooperation with Pheasants Forever. Wetland management actions by the Region 1 Roving Habitat Crew enhanced almost 7,500 wetland acres through work on prescribed burns, herbicide applications, and removal of woody vegetation. Survey and design work in Rice County gathered information for possible future construction.
Funding through this appropriation enhanced 4,745 acres of wetland habitat. Four wetland/shallow lake infrastructure projects were competed that enhanced 1,020 acres and and another project restored 50 acres. Wetland management actions (wild rice seeding, a significant drawdown, and a major large prescribed burn) enhanced 1,997 acres. Work by the Region 3 Roving Habitat Crew enhanced 1,678 wetland acres through work on prescribed burns, drawdowns, herbicide applications, and removal of woody vegetation.
Ducks Unlimited spent 98% of this ML2018 OHF appropriation and completed the fee-title purchase of four land parcels totaling 607 acres for MNDNR, exceeding our 550-acre grant goals as follows: 233-acre Steinke Tract on the north side of 5,000-acre Marsh Lake on Lac Qui Parle WMA in Big Stone County; 64-acre Erickson Tract on Whitefield WMA in Kandiyohi County; 151-acre Kramer/Tenhassen Farms Tract on Seymour Lake WMA in Martin County; and 159-acre Stoderl Tract to create the new Stoderl Slough WMA in Murray County.
The Phase VII Habitat Restoration Program included an Orr Wetland Restoration, a Belshan Property Targeted Habitat Acquisition Project, and a Shell Rock River Streambank Restoration Project. As a result, 152 acres of habitat and wetlands were protected, enhanced or restored.
This project will complete an extension of the Shell Rock River Hydrologic Simulation Program FORTRAN (HSPF) watershed model application through the year 2018. Compliance scenarios will be executed to address potential expansion of discharges from the Albert Lea Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP).
This project is for surface water assessment in the Shell Rock and Winnebago River Watershed including four stream sites and two lake sites. Waters of concern include Lime creek, Bancroft creek, Goose creek, a tributary to Fountain Lake, Albert Lea Lake and State Line Lake. The outcomes includes establishing baseline data for the associated sample site.
The Shell Rock River Watershed District (SRRWD) Phase VIII Habitat Restoration Program will restore and protect 315 acres of essential shallow lake, oak savanna and wetland habitat across the watershed. As a result of the strategic projects, a key biological functioning parcel will be permanently protected, lake shores will be enhanced, in-lake habitat structures will be created, oak savanna will be protected and vegetation will be restored for migratory fowl habitat.
Run a set of scenarios in Hydrological Simulation Program – Fortran Scenario Application Manager (HSPF-SAM) for the Shell Rock and Winnebago River Watersheds. The scenario results will identify the most cost-effective subwatersheds and higher resolution areas based on the terrain component for the scenario best management practices (BMPs) to be implemented. The terrain analyses redistributes subbasin-wide SAM loading rates at a higher resolution for localized targeting of more critical and cost-effective source areas.
RESPEC will address comments on the Shell Rock Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) document. The outcome of this project will be a Shell Rock River Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) report that is updated to reflect comments from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the general public, and other stakeholders.
This project will conduct the second round of Intensive Watershed Monitoring (IWM) for the Mississippi River St. Cloud watershed. Partnering organizations intend to complete sampling of lakes and streams following the protocols and guidance set forth by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). Watershed partners include Benton Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), Clearwater Watershed District, Sherburne SWCD, Stearns SWCD, Stearns County staff, and Wright SWCD.
The goal of the project is the reduction of nitrates in the groundwater by promoting and implementing best management practices and alternative management tools in the priority areas of Sherburne County. Practices included in the application are: Cover crops, irrigation water management , and nutrient management. Additional incentives included are for the Conservation Reserve Program. District Staff will also plant at least one acre of demonstration plots which will be highlighted at an annual field day.
develop Park ID entrance signs at Regional Parks and Trails consisting of Design/Engineering, and phased construction of Park ID signs consisting of demolition, grading, landscaping, utilities, lighting, sidewalk, bituminous paving, curb and gutter, fencing, site equipment, amenities, and signs.
The Six Lakes subwatershed analysis will utilize previously completed watershed modeling to conduct subwatershed analyses for six high priority lakes that are closest to meeting state water quality standards or require protection due to high public use and declining water quality trends. This project will develop a long list of cost benefit ranked water quality best management practices based on concept design.
The Six Mile Creek Halsted Bay (SMCHB) Habitat Restoration program restored 2,488 acres of deep and shallow lake habitat by implementing the state's most ambitious program to manage common carp below the threshold where they damage lake ecosystems with three primary tactics:
