Seal test well; Coordinate hazardous waste day; Promote proper rates and application of fertilizer; Provide tours of the municipal water treatment plant
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
The goal of this project is to investigate nitrate transport and the sources of nitrate in karst for more effective implementation of best management practices that will reduce nitrate concentrations in ground and surface water.
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.
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.
The final product will be a document of final action for an individual Subsurface Sewage Treatment System (SSTS) that a properly certified Advanced Inspector has reviewed to provide adequate environmental protection in accordance with Minnesota Rules.
MPCA will administer funding to eligible Local Governmental Units to use MPCA-approved Advanced Inspectors to conduct work in accordance with Minn. Rules 7080, 7081, and 7083, which requires proper location, design, installation, use and maintenance of an individual subsurface sewage treatment system (SSTS) with a design flow of 2,500 gallons per day or more that protects the public health, safety, general welfare, and the environment by the discharge of adequately treated sewage to the groundwater. Multiple contracts will be awarded.