Previous research by the St. Croix Watershed Research Station (SCWRS) has identified lake physics (temperature and oxygen) and nutrient recycling (nitrogen and phosphorus) as key drivers of lake algal blooms. SCWRS will conduct monitoring consistent with the prior research efforts by re-deploying three moored buoys to collect data throughout the 2019 ice-free season, including surface water samples. Additionally, SCWRS will deploy an in situ flourometer to measure total algae and cyanobacteria concentrations and will collect and analyze cyanobacterial toxins.
The purpose of this project is for Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District to continue to assist with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s watershed approach and Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) process in the Rainy River Headwaters and Cloquet River watersheds. As part of this, Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District will lead efforts to increase levels of civic engagement and community participation in support of the current WRAPS process.
The goal of this project is to reduce peak stormwater flow discharge, sediment and phosphorus from directly entering Lake Pepin by installing two stormwater infiltration basins treating a total of 15.8 acres of developed residential and commercial area in Lake City in conjunction with the Highway 61 road reconstruction project scheduled for 2020 reducing total phosphorus by 13 pounds per year and sediment by 2 tons per year.
A watershed assessment and water quality treatment plan was completed for the impaired Lake George . This project will address the watershed practices portion of the water quality treatment plan. One regional underground stormwater detention/filtration treatment facility treating a 47-acre drainage area will be installed in partnership with the Tech High School Redevelopment Project. The underground facility will target phosphorus reduction reducing an estimated 27 pounds of phosphorus and 7 tons of sediment annually.
This project proposes to address the largest phosphorus loads discharging from 885 acres to Lake St. Croix through the installation of targeted stormwater treatment best management practices ranked in the top 10 of those prioritized in the 2018 Lake St. Croix Direct Discharge South Stormwater Retrofit Analysis. The goal of this project is to reduce pollutant loading from four small communities to Lake St. Croix by at least ten pounds phosphorous.
The project will increase lake and river access e.g. dock and carry-in portage; provide trails and small gathering space on Echo Point; restore and re-naturalize the park with trees, shrubs and native perennials; improve the layout and/or capacity picnic ground and campground; and other master plan approved improvements. The project includes design, engineering, construction and construction administration.
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. Lake Agassiz Regional Library (LARL) is a consolidated regional public library system in northwestern Minnesota.
The goal of this project is to finalize the Lake Pepin Watershed phosphorus total maximum daily load (TMDL) report by using the existing information and documentation prepared under previous contracts to prepare one TMDL report that addresses the impairments on the mainstem of the Mississippi River. Information developed to date for draft TMDLs on the Minnesota River mainstem will be documented for later use by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
The Lake Superior Beach Monitoring and Notification Program exists to test recreational beach water and notify the public if bacteria levels become unsafe. This project will expand the Beach Program to include additional outreach efforts, sanitary surveys and testing of new technologies to improve the Beach Program. Monitoring results will be used to inform the public, find the sources of bacterial contamination and address polluted runoff from improper waste disposal.
This project is to conduct water chemistry monitoring at two subwatershed sites and two major watershed sites based on flow conditions, targeting runoff events using protocols defined in the Watershed Pollutant Load Monitoring Network (WPLMN) Standard Operating Procedures and Guidance. The data collected will be submitted to Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and used for calculating pollutant loads. This loading information, in turn, will be used at both the state and local level to guide policy and strategies for the restoration and protection of Minnesota’s waters.
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.
The Riley-Purgatory-Bluff-Creek Watershed District and the City of Eden Prairie are working together to implement projects to remove Lake Riley and Rice Marsh Lake from the impaired waters list. One key emerging issue is to evaluate potential internal phosphorous loading within stormwater ponds in the lakes? subwatersheds. This project will also use updated pond data from the city?s intensive pond inspection program to identify other phosphorus reduction opportunities. The proposed assessment will quantify formerly undocumented P loading to Rice Marsh Lake and Lake Riley.
This project will help to improve the water quality of Lake of the Woods by providing local staff with the resources necessary for implementing best management practices that will reduce erosion in drainage ditches. The Lake of the Woods Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) will assist the County in developing a process for inventory and inspection of ditches. Public drainage is critical to the local economy and proper drainage management is critical to water quality protection.
The Lake St. Croix Rural Subwatershed Project Implementation Clean Water Fund Grant will allow the Washington Conservation District and its partners to carry out the implementation of 8-10 of the top 50 highly ranked conservation projects already identified in the Top50P! rural subwatershed analysis. Implementation of the conservation practices will work towards achieving an estimated 80-160 pounds of phosphorus load reduction to Lake St. Croix.
As lake-focused development continues these high quality waters will see increasing amounts of land use change. The State Demographer projects that the targeted lake catchments will see population increases of 25-62% within 20 years. Isolating these contributing areas permits the Lake Protection Analysis project to perform multiple GIS analyses to accurately inform water quality discussions. The final framework will allow local water managers to prioritize across their water bodies, target activities to specific subsheds, and develop measurable goals.
This project, beginning in Spring of 2014 and lasting until December 2015, will collect water quality data for 16 sites (7 lakes and 4 stream sites) within the Rainy River - Headwaters Major Watershed as part of the 10-year cycle for monitoring Minnesota's waters. Due to the large number and geographic extent of monitoring sites Lake County Soil and Water Conservaion District (SWCD) has coordinated site selection with North St. Louis County Soil and Water Conservaion District (SWCD) and will monitor sites within the southwestern (Kawishiwi River) portion of the watershed.
The purpose of this project is to gain an understanding of modern and historical nutrient and thermal dynamics in Lake of the Woods using modeling, monitoring, sediment core analysis, and whole basin techniques.
The Lake of the Woods (LOW) Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) study will: (1) identify water quality goals for the Minnesota portions of the LOW/Rainy River Watershed; (2) recommend nutrient allocations to achieve TMDLs where waters do not meet standards; and (3) provide opportunities for stakeholders to engage in the process of watershed-management planning to adopt protection and restoration strategies. The project will include existing in-lake and watershed model updates, TMDL component development, restoration plan development, and public participation.
Restore asphalt surface on the Wobegon Trail. This involves removal of substandard asphalt, repacking and resurfacing of segments of the trail. The section of trail is Albany to Morrison County.
The goal of this project is to determine: 1) temperature and seasonal variations in sediment chemical-textural characteristics (upper 10-cm sediment layer) and rates of P release from sediments; and 2) vertical variations in mobile P concentrations in the sediment column of Big Traverse Bay in order to better understand the role of internal P loading to the P economy of LOW and for the development of the LOW TMDL.
This project constructed a new group camp at Lake Bemidji State Park that features an area for tent camping, an area to accommodate RV units, a large fire ring, and a large screened picnic shelter equipped with electricity.
The biological communities present in a lake are the result of cumulative effects of natural and human-caused influences within the entire area of land and water that flows into the lake (i.e., the watershed). Biological assessments are used on lakes to identify water pollution and habitat concerns based on the type and abundance of selected animals and their habitats. Certain species cannot survive without clean water and healthy habitat while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions.
This proposal will address two separate problems: the eminent failure of the Lake George dam and two severe erosion sites on the Rum River at Rum River Central Regional Park. We propose to replace the current failing sheet pile dam with a new dam that allows for fish passage on the outlet of Lake George. We also propose to repair two river bank erosion sites rated as 'Severe' totaling approximately 625 feet on the Rum River which will reduce sediment loading into the river by 285 tons per year and will provide improved in stream fish habitat.
The purpose of this project is to gain additional information about the amount of phosphorous flowing into Lake St Croix by implementing additional water quality monitoring and/or to reduce the amount of phosphorous entering Lake St Croix by the implementation of projects that will reduce phosphorus loadings. The St. Croix River Association (SCRA) will coordinate with a subgroup of the St. Croix Basin Water Resources Planning Team and other local resource experts on the identification and funding of comprehensive water monitoring and phosphorus reduction activities in the Lake St.
The University of Minnesota’s Landscape Arboretum is the largest and most diverse horticultural site in Minnesota. It features gardens and natural areas representative of Minnesota and the upper-Midwest that can be explored using several miles of trails. Additionally it conducts fruit and plant breeding research to develop cultivars that have particular desired characteristics, such as cold hardiness or disease resistance. The arboretum has a long-term goal of protecting the entire watershed of which it is a part.
This program is to restore acres of state parks and trails land to native plant communities. MS 86A.05 directs PAT to preserve, perpetuate and restore natural features in state parks that were present in the area of the park at the time of European settlement. Approximately 31 restoration projects have been completed, are in progress, or will be implemented in the spring of 2012, at over 20 state park units. These projects total 1,283 acres.
-Employ local elder language expert to conduct semi-weekly language tables
-Engage apprentices in basic Ojibwe conversation
-Obtain a state of MN American Indian Language and Culture teaching license (k-12)
-Hold culture committee meetings that will identify needs of language project and help to support
-Committee will also work to elicit maximum participation of community member in Ojibwe education
At the LaSalle Lake SRA, this project constructed a day use area (parking, picnic shelter, restrooms, boardwalk to fishing pier), campground vault toilet, carry-in boat landing, and a pedestrian bridge that leads to other recreation features.
Capitol Region Watershed District and the City of Lauderdale seek to improve water quality and flood control functions of Seminary Pond in Lauderdale. The project partners propose improvements to the pond including: 1) expansion of the pond?s storage area and 2) construction of an iron-enhanced sand filter. These improvements were identified as being the most cost-effective and will remove an estimated additional 2 tons of sediment and 9 pounds of phosphorus annually.
Learning Law and Democracy: Principles of Democracy – Connecting civic education to principles that guided the nation's founders and continue to be our foundation today is the goal of LLAD's "Principles of Democracy" project for Minnesota's young people. By focusing on the why, how, and who of our system of government, K-12 students in and out of the classroom will be prepared to carry on Minnesota's civic tradition of informed civic participation. They will learn about the Constitution, structures of government, politics and active citizenship.
Dakota County is partnering with the Dakota Soil and Water Conservation District to preserve and enhance the chain of shallow lakes in Lebanon Hills Regional Park which is owned and operated by Dakota County and located within the City of Eagan. Dakota County proposes to construct two regional iron-enhanced sand filtration practices to achieve the load reduction goals set forth in the LHRP Subwatershed Assessment Report to protect Jensen and Schulze lakes and prevent them from being listed on the 303(d) Impaired Waters List. The project will reduce 26 pound of phosphorus annually.
