Citizens will be enlisted to field-test a new method of managing carp to restore an impaired lake. Water quality & cost-effectiveness will be quantified to inform statewide implementation.
The Minnesota Zoo will improve mussel conservation by rearing juvenile mussels for reintroduction, researching methods to improve growth and survival in captivity, and encouraging public action to benefit water quality.
We will advance an ?off the shelf? technology to treat industrial wastewater onsite, turning pollutants into energy and treated water. This will lead to water quality benefits and cost savings.
Each year Minnesota municipal wastewater treatment plants generate large amounts of oily scum, concentrated liquid called centrate, and sludge. These waste streams are disposed of either in landfills or by burning or subjected to additional treatment. However, new technologies have shown potential to capture resource values from these waste products while lowering the treatment costs for these waste streams.
Wastewater treatment plants discharge effluent that contains contaminants of emerging concern, such as estrogens. Estrogens have been shown to cause ecological effects such as fish feminization and fish population collapses. Presently the treatment and discharge of estrogens into the environment via wastewater treatment is not regulated. However, it has been found that the extent of estrogen discharge from wastewater treatment correlates with how and how well nitrogen, which currently is regulated and will likely be more so in the future, is removed during the treatment process.
Complete the Morrison County culvert inventory started in 2016 to help solve landowner conflicts, protect wetlands, improve water quality, ensure road safety and design additional water storage throughout the county.
Native Prairie Bank (NPB) will help landowners conserve native prairie though multiple outreach methods, restoration and enhancement of 450 acres, and protection of 95 acres through conservation easements.
Project will reduce EAB through community developed management (inventory, canopy assessment, management plan, removal, non-neonicotinoid treatment) and improve their community forest by involving citizens and planting a diversity of trees.
This project will promote responsible use of Minnesota?s limited groundwater resources through the expansion of the existing Irrigation Management Assistance tool into a ~67 county, mobile-compatible web app.
Minnesota has widespread water quality impairments due to nonpoint-source pollution generated by agricultural, urban, and other human-altered lands. Mitigation of these impairments requires implementing best management practices (BMPs) that are designed to limit soil erosion and nutrient transport from lands to receiving waters. Long-term data sets of water quality and land-use history are needed to tease apart the many factors that affect water quality. In particular, data sets that span periods before and after BMP implementation are needed to determine BMP effectiveness.
This phase of WMA acquisition protected 1,182.25 acres of prairie grassland, wetland, and other wildlife habitat as State Wildlife Management Areas open to public hunting. With these 9 acquisition we have exceeded our planned acres of 1012 by more than 170 acres. All of the acquired properties had wildlife habitat restored to the highest quality possible.
This proposal accelerates the protection of 1,030 acres of strategic prairie grassland, wetland, and other wildlife habitats as State Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) open to public hunting. Pheasants Forever (PF) will be acquiring tracts that build onto or create a corridor between existing protected lands which will be transferred to the MN Department of Natural Resources (MN DNR) to be included as a WMA. All acquisitions will occur within the prairie, prairie/forest transition, and metro planning regions. These areas have seen the greatest decline in upland and wetland habitat.
The Mississippi Headwaters Habitat Corridor Project Phase III (ML 17) achieved permanent protection of 1,694 acres of critical fish and wildlife habitat, including 14.5 miles of shoreland on the Mississippi River and adjacent lakes/tributaries. This accomplishment exceeded the appropriation goal by over 200%. Fee-title acquisitions and RIM conservation easements adjacent to public land created or expanded large habitat protection complexes, including a new 232 acre WMA in Crow Wing County.
This programmatic proposal accelerates the protection and restoration of 1,073 acres of strategic prairie grassland, wetland, and other wildlife habitats as State Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) open to public hunting. Pheasants Forever (PF) will be protecting parcels that build onto or create a corridor between existing protected lands which will be transferred to the MN Department of Natural Resources (MN DNR) to be included as a WMA. All acquisitions will occur within the prairie, prairie/forest transition, and metro planning regions.
Minnesota Trout Unlimited will enhance and restore habitat for fish and wildlife in and along priority coldwater streams located on existing conservation easements and public lands around the state. Trout streams are a relatively scarce resource and increasing threats to them require accelerating habitat work to reduce the backlog of degraded stream reaches. Outcomes will be maximized by improving the connectivity of habitat and fish and wildlife populations. Timely maintenance on old projects will ensure habitat outcomes continue for many years.
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.
Minnesota Trout Unlimited will enhance and restore degraded habitat for fish and wildlife in and along priority coldwater streams located on existing public lands and conservation easements. Trout streams are a relatively scarce resource. Increasing threats to them require accelerating habitat work to reduce the backlog of degraded stream reaches, improve riparian forests to improve stream flows and temperatures, and buffer streams from larger, more frequent rainfall and flood events. Outcomes will be maximized by improving the connectivity of habitat and fish and wildlife populations.
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.
To freeze dry water damaged collections, otherwise conserve items and plan for storage of the overall ICHS collection items that we were able to salvage from this devastating fire.
This research will help the State of Minnesota understand how to improve the nitrogen removal of wastewater treatment ponds when needed, protecting outstate surface water quality and groundwater safety.
Winter sport fishing for trout is a vibrant industry, but can be impacted by changing climate. We seek to understand how to conserve trout habitat, especially focusing on winter management.
