This Partnership Agreement is a 5-year effort that will provide the technical, planning and engineering assistance for implementation of the 2013 St. Louis River Area of Concern Remedial Action Plan. Through this agreement the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and MPCA will develop detailed work plans and construction design plans for numerous sites in the project AOC and assist with critical AOC-wide issues. • 21st Avenue West Restoration Site. Outcome will be preliminary to final engineering designs and costs ready for bid package development. • Knowlton Creek Site.
Kingsbury Bay: completed engineering, design, permitting, and contracting. Began a multi-year restoration of a wetland complex impacted by excessive sediment and non-native species in 2019 (to be completed fall 2021).
Grassy Point: completed engineering, design, permitting, and contracting. Began a multi-year restoration of a wetland complex impacted by legacy milling waste and non-native species in 2019 (to be completed fall 2021).
The Lower Mississippi River Habitat Partnership included three distinct project components. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service enhanced 700 acres of wetland and bottomland forest habitat on the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge’s (Refuge) Root River Tract in Houston County.
This project will reduce sediment and nutrient loading to the main stem and local tributaries of the Lower Minnesota River (LMR) by providing cost share for practices that treat ravine headcut and channel erosion, streambank/shoreline erosion, ephemeral gully erosion, and direct-discharging open inlet drainage systems. Targeted Best Management Practices (BMPs) will include but not be limited to grade control structures, grassed/lined waterways, water & sediment control basins, shoreline/streambank stabilization and alternative tile inlets.
The Lower Mississippi River Feedlot Management in MN project will be leveraging State funding from BWSR to provide match for a United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) Regional Conservations Partners Program (RCPP). BWSR will provide technical and financial assistance to plan and design projects to mitigate feedlot runoff from smaller (less than 300 animal units or AUs*), open lot feedlots in southeastern Minnesota.
This project will plan, implement, and report on a community engagement strategy for identifying community/landowner opportunities, obstacles, and opinions on land management and water quality that will result in the identification of Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS) input for the Sibley, Nicollet, Renville, McLeod, Rice, and LeSueur County areas of the Lower Minnesota River watershed.
The project will plan, implement, and report on a community engagement strategy for identifying community/landowner opportunities, obstacles, and opinions on land management and water quality that will result in the identification of Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS) input for the Sibley, Nicollet, Renville, McLeod, Rice, and Le Sueur County areas of the Lower Minnesota River watershed.
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 address Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), United States Environment Protection Agency (EPA), and public comments on draft Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) studies and Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) reports, preliminary draft TMDL studies, and public noticed TMDL studies and WRAPS reports for the Lower Red River Watershed and the Lake of the Woods Watershed and produce final versions of the TMDL studies and WRAPS reports for each watershed.
This project addresses six lakes that have aquatic recreation impairments and one creek reach that has a bacteria impairment for E. coli. The project will evaluate the water quality impairments, complete pollutant source assessments, and establish loading capacities and allocations for the impairments.
To hire qualified professionals to repair the storefront of the Lyric Building, listed in the National Register of Historic Places and home of Laurentian Arts and Culture Alliance.
MNHS continues its collaboration with Macalester College and the Somali community. Working closely with the Somali Museum of Minnesota, interviewer Ibrahim Hirsi began conducting eight final interviews for a Somali oral history project. Plans for FY17 include the completion of the project, which now consists of 57 interviews with Somali immigrants in Minnesota.
This project will complete an inventory of drainage systems to prioritize locations for structural erosion control practices and buffer strips that will reduce sediment loading into Marsh Creek and Lower Wild Rice River downstream, which are both impaired by turbidity. An inspection plan and database will also be developed to enhance the county drainage ditch inspection program.
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.
This project designed a new sugar shack at Maplewood State Park. This sugar shack will provide space for interpretive programming centered on maple syrup sugaring. The Maplewood Friends Group is securing construction funding for this collaborative project.
To complete stabilization and rehabilitation of the masonry foundation of the Marine Engine House and Village Hall, listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
The primary goal of the Marsh Lake Ecosystem Restoration Project is, “To return the Marsh Lake area ecosystem to a less degraded and more natural condition by restoring ecosystem structure and functions.” Work was completed on this project in March 2020 and consisted of a new water control structure to allow for water level management, restoration of the Pomme de Terre River to its original channel, and establishment of a fishway to allow for movement of native fish.
To hire qualified consultants to evaluate the Marshall-Lyon County Library, now used as the Lyon County Historical Society, for possible inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.
Martin Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) is proposing to monitor six lakes sites and two stream sites in the Blue Earth River watershed. The lake sites will be monitored by kayak and the stream sites will be monitored from the shore. Sites will be analyzed for field conditions and water chemistry. Martin SWCD will subcontract with Faribault SWCD to monitor fourteen stream sites and with Blue Earth SWCD to monitor one lake site and three stream sites.
Martin SWCD is proposing to monitor three lakes sites and three stream sites in the East Fork Des Moines River watershed. The lake sites will be monitored by kayak and the stream sites will be monitored from the shore. Sites will be analyzed for field conditions and water chemistry.
The Lorenz parcel, highest priority within the core habitat area Caron WMA, was selected to expand enhancement, restoration and acquisition activities. Local source native plant materials will be incorporated in the restoration of prairie, wetland and riparian habitats.
