This project will collect water quality data in the St. Louis River watershed as part of the 10-year Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) cycle for Minnesota waters. South St. Louis Soil and Water Conservation District (SSLSWCD) staff will conduct all monitoring in accordance with Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Intensive Watershed Monitoring (IWM) standard operating procedures. The SSLSSWCD has extensive experience in stream sampling techniques, including dissolved oxygen, pH, specific conductance, temperature, total suspended solids, nutrients, E.
The purpose of this project is to reduce phosphorus entering South Heron Lake (SHL), which currently does not meet state standards for this water pollutant. Efforts will be focused on Jackson County Judicial Ditch 3 (JD3), which has been petitioned to the HLWD for improvement. JD3 drains 52 percent of the SHL watershed, highlighting its importance in making meaningful progress towards water pollution reduction. The practices include eleven water and sediment control basins and a 10-acre storage and treatment wetland restoration.
This project will permanently protect critical habitat using conservation easements and fee land acquisition on approximately 590 acres and restore and enhance approximately 116 acres of declining habitat for species of greatest conservation need in strategically targeted public land assets of biodiversity significance in the Blufflands resulting in increased public access and improved habitat.
The lack of sewage treatment in some small communities in Southeast Minnesota is causing surface water and groundwater pollution. Fourteen of these communities will be the target of the technical assistance provided by this project. These communities have community or individual straight pipes discharging raw sewage directly into the environment;surfacing sewage or have sewage contaminating groundwater.
The purpose of this effort is to create an educational video that will “bring to life” geo-scientific information related to groundwater movement in southeast Minnesota. This video will be used by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and other regional partners to help explain the local geology and related groundwater movement. It is anticipated that the video will be used at meetings and other events related to water resource management and natural resource issues. In addition, three stand alone high resolution graphics will be created.
Minnesota's twelve regional library systems, which encompass more than 350 public libraries in all areas of the state, can benefit from a portion of the Legacy Amendment's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Through State Library Services, a division of the Minnesota Department of Education, each regional library system is eligible to receive a formula-driven allocation from the annual $2.5 million Minnesota Regional Library System Legacy Grant. Southeastern Libraries Cooperating (SELCO) is a federated regional public library system with central services located in southeastern Minnesota.
Minnesota’s 12 regional public library systems, which encompass 350 public libraries in all areas of the state, benefit from a portion of the Legacy Amendment’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Through State Library Services, a division of the Minnesota Department of Education, each regional public library system receives a formula-driven allocation from the annual $3 million Minnesota Regional Library Legacy Grant.
To increase arts and cultural heritage programming at the Southwest St Louis County Fair. Professional artist Brian Jarvi, the first to win both the Minnesota Duck and Pheasant contest in consecutive years, will be an artist in residency during the fair. Reenactments of fur trading, fur trapping, and camp life will also be available to visitors.
This program aims to meet emerging and unique project needs in the Minnesota State Parks and Trails system. The program has initiated activities around Buffalo herd management and has plans for other activities to be determined.
To replace the roof of the Methodist Episcopal Church, listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and currently used as the Spring Valley History Museum.
Design, engineering, construction, and construction administration of recreational, interpretation, natural resource, and cultural resource improvements, improve access to the Mississippi River Greenway, Mississippi River, park trails, and other park resources.
Extend paved trail, construct picnic shelter, purchase and install four interpretive signs in shelter, purchase and install three park benches and one picnic table and develop a nine hole disc golf course.
to construct 3.8 miles of 10 foot wide asphalt multi-use trail connecting Buffalo Hills Park and Kiwanis Park to the Spur Line Trail, the Cuyuna Lakes State Trail and the Paul Bunyan State Trail
Eroding streambanks along Bassett Creek are reducing the water quality of the creek and the Mississippi River. This project consists of stabilizing a 3,100 foot reach of Bassett Creek mostly located within Theodore Wirth Regional Park. The proposed stabilization measures will result in an estimated reduction of 52 tons of sediment and 60 pounds phosphorus per year.
The Highland Ravine is a large bluff area in central St. Paul that has become highly eroded due to hydrologic changes associated with urban development. During rain and snow melt events, water and sediment moves down slope onto private residential properties causing significant flooding and sedimentation. In addition, sediment-laden water from the gullies goes into the St. Paul storm sewer system which discharges, untreated, directly to the Mississippi River.
This project contains several activities that will implement effective, shovel ready conservation practices on multiple water bodies. The goal is to reduce the erosion impacting stream bank stability. Three initiatives will be implemented, including the installation of four shoreland restoration/stabilization projects, completion of two stream bank stabilization projects on the Middle Fork Crow River and a rain barrel program. An education program will provide outreach to lake and city residents throughout the Middle Fork Crow River Watershed.
Volunteer Coordinator. Continue to recruit, coordinate, lead volunteers in land stewardship and wildlife monitoring projects. Initially funded with Grant SG-2010-088
