The Rock River is classified as impaired for bacteria and turbidity by the EPA. Local citizens and farmers assisted in writing an Implementation plan that lists stream bank stabilization and city storm water management as priority implementation strategies to address these impairments of the Rock River.The Clean Water Fund grant provides $46,598 for these projects but also leverage over $19,000 of US Fish and Wildlife dollars along with over $13,000 of local match from the landowners.
TMDL project in the Root River Watershed that will support surface water assessment, analysis of data, interpretation of southeast Minnesota's karst landscape, stressor identification, TMDL computation, source assessment, and implementation planning.
This program will acquire the remaining 328 acres of prairie, wetland, forest and shoreline habitat for fish, game and wildlife along the Rum River and Cedar Creek in the cities of Oak Grove and Andover and will provide additional opportunities for public fishing, hunting and wildlife conservation.
Rehabilitation of State Trails Bridges on the Sakatah - Singing Hills State Trail between Waterville and Madison Lake (LeSueur and Blue Earth Counties).
This goal of this project is improving water quality and expanding critical wildlife habitat by permanently restoring and enhancing wetlands in the Sand Creek and Prior/Spring Lake Watersheds. By making sign-up payments available through this grant, this project will restore or enhance 400 to 500 acres of wetlands moderating flows and improving water quality. The NRCS has committed $2.5 million through the Wetland Reserve Enhancement Program (WREP), the Scott WMO $314,000, the PLSLWD $145,000, Rice SWCD $40,000, Le Sueur SWCD $40,000, and the Scott SWCD $75,000.
The East Polk Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) identified the Sand Hill Watershed as a priority area because of soil loss associated with steep slopes common in the area. The SWCD is working cooperatively with the Sand Hill Watershed District to keep soil from eroding, and to capture it where it does erode. The SWCD provides technical design services and receives funding from the Sand Hill Watershed District to install conservation practice such as sediment basins.
This project will complete an assessment of watershed lakes and streams. The assessment will include biological and stressor id analysis, which will support a summary report on lake conditions and protection strategies for lakes included in this watershed study.
The Sauk River Stormwater Runoff Reduction and Riparian Restoration Project is a watershed-wide effort to reduce the amount of nutrients delivered by stormwater and bank erosion to area surface waters. Funds will be used to assist local schools and municipalities with their restoration project design, installation, and financing.
An entrance ramp was constructed and five doorways were widened to improve the accessibility of the historic Scwyzer Lodge. The ramp was consructed with green treated lumber and measures 36 feet long by 4 feet wide. Crushed limestone was put down on the trail leading from the parking lot to the foot of the ramp.
One exterior and four interior doors were widened to 36 inches. All trim and jams were stained to match the original woodwork as closely as possible.
This funding will improve our collection of artifacts representing Minnesota's cultural heritage and create new forms of statewide cultural heritage educational opportunities for audiences of all ages.
To learn more about the Science Museum of Minnesota, click here.
Scott Novotny is a successful comedy writer (Saturday Night Live) and stand-up comedian. He presented workshops on writing comedy, and he performed “family friendly” stand up comedy.
To provide full ADA-compliant access to the Scriver Block, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with an elevator and grade access entrance.
A preliminary National Register assessment of Wayzata's Section Foreman House was prepared for the Wayzata Historical Society by a qualified historic preservation consultant. The final report included a description of the house, the context of its relationship to the Great Northern Railway and the city of Wayzata, the role of a section foreman and standard designs for section houses. The report was submitted to the MN State Historic Preservation Office for review. It was recommended that restoration commence before a National Register Nomination is completed.
The Red Clay Project was a 1970's era project that encompassed watersheds in Northeast Minnesota and Northern Wisconsin draining to Lake Superior. In Minnesota, efforts focused on sediment retention structures in two subwatersheds of the Nemadji River Basin in Carlton County. Sixteen structures were constructed in the Skunk Creek Watershed and four structures were constructed in the Deer Creek Watershed. The design life of these structures was 10-25 years depending on the specific project and the design life has now been exceeded.
Lake Minnewashta Regional Park, build grade separated trail crossing at TH 41 and build 2.6 miles of trail linking a city trail system to the regional park.
