The project will complete the Minnesota Spring Inventory, identifying, cataloging and assisting in the protection of important water springs threatened by overuse of groundwater, development, land-use changes, and changing climate.
Internships and apprenticeships on the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge and Wetland Management District will introduce 40 diverse young people over two years to careers in the conservation field.
Natural springs occur throughout Minnesota and provide critical services for the state, such as creating trout streams and cool water fisheries, sustaining base flows in streams, creating unique ecological habitats, and maintaining the integrity of aquatic ecosystems against invasive species. In order to protect springs and the groundwater-dependent resources that depend on them, though, it is important to understand spring locations and status – information that is currently lacking in many areas of the state.
State resource agencies are implementing a delisting strategy for the St. Louis River Area of Concern (AOC) by completing the Remedial Action Plan (RAP). A suite of 80 management actions in the RAP were developed to address specific Beneficial Use Impairments (BUI) identified throughout the estuary. Removing these legacy impacts often involves restoring historically altered habits by manipulating sediment characteristics, restoring shoreline function, and constructing under water features.
To hire a qualified historian to complete an evaluation to determine eligibility for listing in the National Register of Historic Places for the Minnetonka Beach Water Tower.
