St. Louis County's Comprehensive Water Management Plan Update 2010-2020 identifies providing financial assistance to qualifying homeowners to upgrade or replace failing septic systems as a Priority 2 action. Funds from the FY-16 Clean Water Fund Projects and Practices Grant will be used to provide funding to low-income homeowners to repair or replace SSTS identified as Imminent Threat to Public Health (ITPH) within the following watersheds: Lake Superior South, St.
This project builds on the momentum of previous Clean Water Fund grants in making significant and quantifiable sediment, nutrient and runoff volume reductions to address the turbidity, dissolved oxygen and other impairments of the Lower Minnesota River (LMR). These water quality improvements will be achieved by constructing on-the-ground conservation best management practices (BMPs) in the targeted watersheds -including specifically Sand and Roberts Creek - and near channel sources.
The goal of this project is to develop draft Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) computations for six impaired lakes and two impaired streams, and to provide TMDL development documentation for selected draft TMDL report sections.
Reestablish the Lower Sioux Cultural Resource dedicated solely towards tribal youthby hiring workforce to manage and oversee programming. Increase cultural, language and beliefs into all youth programs - develop and format cultural based youth programming. Strengthen and open dialogue between the youth and elder populations to pass on language and cultural knowlege; build partnership with Lower Sioux Senior Services. Utilize technology to aid in education and awareness; create technological resources geared specifically toward youth language learning.
This project will develop draft Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) studies addressing seven impaired lakes in the Lower Minnesota River Watershed (Fish, Pike, O’Dowd, Thole, Schneider, Titlow and Cleary Lakes). TMDLs will describe the impairment in each lake and water quality targets, and will include a phosphorus source assessment, a lake response model and supporting report components that document assumptions and methodologies, and a TMDL equation with completed load allocations, wasteload allocations, and margin of safety for each impairment.
To hire qualified consultants to conduct an architectural survey of Macalester Park for possible local designation or inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.
Maintaining Existing Holdings - A Parks and Trails Strategic Objective is a program area representing DNR's commitment to one of the four pillars identified in the 25 year Legacy plan. The Legacy plan calls this Take Care of What We Have, and identifies its purpose to provide safe, high-quality park and trail experiences by regular re-investment in park and trail infrastructure, and natural resource management.
The Marine on St. Croix Innovative Stormwater Management Implementation is a partnership, formalized through an MOU, between Marine on St. Croix (MOSC) and the Carnelian-Marine-St. Croix Watershed District (CMSCWD) to improve stormwater management in the most densely developed areas of the City on a neighborhood zone approach rather than site-by-site (parcel) approach for greater and more impactful results in accomplishing District and City stormwater management goals.
The goals of Phase I of the Marsh River Watershed (WRW) Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) project are to: 1) gather or develop watershed data needed for the development of the WRAPS project; 2) establish project and sub-basin work groups, develop a social outcomes strategy, and develop a civic engagement evaluation strategy to guide the WRAPS project; and 3) begin to identify, create, and organize tools that can be used to determine potential stressors and priority management areas.
After years of discussions, some of the most diverse riparian, mesic, and dry hillside native prairie containing the only identified remnant population of Prairie Bush Clover in Martin County is available for permanent protection. Martin County is using this appropriation to acquire and permanently protect approximately 40 acres, including 10 acres of remnant prairie. The land will be turned into a county park providing recreational opportunities for local residents and educational opportunities for area students.
Prepare a master plan amendment for Battle Creek Regional Park, Rice Creek North Regional Trail, and develop a master plan for Lexington Avenue Regional Trail including design/engineering, community engagement to identify improvements for existing elements such as buildings, roads, parking, creeks, ponds, lakes, wetlands, trails, animal exercise, amenities, turf games, landscaping, utilities, stormwater management, restoration, signage, gathering nodes, fitness/play elements, land acquisition.
Prepare a master plan amendment for Battle Creek Regional Park, Rice Creek North Regional Trail, and develop a master plan for Lexington Avenue Regional Trail including design/engineering, community engagement to identify improvements for existing elements such as buildings, roads, parking, creeks, ponds, lakes, wetlands, trails, animal exercise, amenities, turf games, landscaping, utilities, stormwater management, restoration, signage, gathering nodes, fitness/play elements, land acquisition.
The Benton SWCD is applying to use Clean Water funds to work with livestock producers in implementing a variety of BMPs including, but not limited to cropland erosion control projects (water and sediment control basins, grade stabilization structures), extending buffers where appropriate to exceed state buffer laws, riparian pasture management and conversion to other uses, nutrient management and feedlot pollution control systems. Our goal is to reduce runoff from these sites and improve water quality within the Mayhew Lake and Big Elk Lake watersheds.
McLeod County will create an inspection database for 103E ditches under their drainage authority. The County will acquire a database software solution to conduct field inspections and to track ditch maintenance projects. This software will be used to facilitate statutory compliance including developing a process for completing the annual inspection and reporting requirements. The project will lead to improving the County's data management capabilities and better identification of drainage system needs that could lead to helping improve water courses that are impaired for turbidity.
Since 2000, a diverse group of partners has been collectively working in northwestern Minnesota on one of the largest prairie-wetland restorations in the world. Spanning 22,000 acres and adjacent to an additional 16,000 acres of public and private conservation land, the goal of the Glacial Ridge Project has been to demonstrate whether large-scale habitat restoration is a viable way to reduce flooding and improve water quality. Prior to beginning restoration efforts on the project, a comprehensive baseline hydrologic study of the area was completed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
Running through the Iron Range of northeastern Minnesota, the Mesabi Trail provides a recreational and alternate transportation corridor for hikers, bikers, skiers, and horseback riders, as well as some designated snow snowmobile use areas. When completed the trail will include 145 paved miles extending from the Mississippi River in Grand Rapids to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in Ely – 115 miles have been finished to date. The St. Louis and Lake Counties Regional Railroad Authority are using this appropriation to develop 11 miles of trail segments near Vermilion State Park.
Many types of bacteria perform critical ecological functions, such as cycling carbon and other nutrients, which enable life to exist. In fact, humans harness these types of bacteria in certain engineered systems, such as wastewater treatment plants and landfills, to provide various benefits such as protecting surface waters from excess nitrogen, decomposing solid waste, and treating wastewater.
This project will establish a groundwater monitoring network in the 11 county metropolitan area. The network will provide information about aquifer characteristics and natural water trends by monitoring healthy aquifers (non-stressed systems). The project will also develop an automated system that captures groundwater level and water use data. This system will enhance evaluation of changes in aquifers that are stressed by pumping from existing wells.
In Phase 5, Friends of the Mississippi River and Great River Greening enhanced 277 acres at six sites, exceeding their goals by 48 acres (21%). The Minnesota Valley Trust acquired fee title to 32.4 acres for two high-priority additions to the Rapids Lake Unit, Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. The Minnesota Land Trust and the Trust for Public Land were unable to finalize their easement and fee title acquisitions when landowners changed their minds. OHF grant funds spent were leveraged more than 110% with $1,343,128 in other funds.
The Metro Big Rivers (MBR) Partnership successfully completed its work under the Phase 6 / ML2015 OHF appropriation, protecting 485 acres across 5 projects (198% of proposed) and restoring and enhancing a total of 1,055 acres (185% of proposed). The Partnership expended 99% of the OHF funds granted awarded to it and leveraged the grant by 57% with nearly $1,141,000 in other funds.
The Twin Cities area is host to a nationally renowned system of regional parks and trails that provides numerous outdoor recreational opportunities for the public while preserving green space for wildlife habitat and other natural resource benefits. Currently the regional parks and trails system consists of 51 parks and park reserves containing more than 54,000 acres, more than 300 miles of interconnected trails, and has more than 46 million visits each year.
