The International Water Institute (IWI) will monitor 42 sites (3 basin, 12 major watershed, and 27 subwatershed) in the Red River and Upper Mississippi River Basins intensively during the contract period. There will also be 5 sites in the Red River Basin where mercury samples will be collected and sent to Minnesota Department of Health for analysis. The IWI will collect water samples across the range of flow conditions targeting sample collection at times of moderate to high flow.
International Water Institute (IWI) staff will monitor 24 sites in the Bois de Sioux, Mustinka (2 sites), Buffalo (8 sites), Red Lake (4 sites), Sandhill (3 sites), Thief (2 sites), and Tamarac River (3 sites) Watersheds intensively over a 2 year period in an attempt to collect 25 samples per year at each site. If conditions allow for the collection of all planned samples, 1200 stream samples will be collected over the time period. Monitoring will include field measurements, observations, and at least three photographs during each site visit.
MN Legislative Clean Water Fund funding to engage citizens in local watershed monitoring, work with regional partners to promote understanding and protection of watersheds, and organize and facilitate gathering of scientific data all for the benefit of water quality in the Red River Basin.
The purpose of this project is to improve understanding of primary productivity in the Red River and the diversity and population structure of the algal communities occurring along the river system. This will be accomplished through taxonomic identification of periphyton and phytoplankton assemblages necessary for characterizing responses to nutrient gradients along the Red River of the North.
The goal of this project is to construct, calibrate, and validate a watershed model using the Hydrological Simulation Program FORTRAN (HSPF) model for the Upper/Lower Red Lake Watershed. The contractor will produce an HSPF model that can readily be used to provide information to support conventional parameter Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Studies. The model will generate predicted output for hydrology, sediment, nutrients, and dissolved oxygen that is consistent with observed data.
Hydes Lake is the headwaters to Carver Creek and is known for its excellent fishery. However, the lake has elevated nutrient levels which lead to poor water quality. A clean up plan for Hydes Lake has identified the need to reduce phosphorus loading by 81 percent from watershed sources.
A large portion of Wadena County has been identified as having a high or moderate probability of elevated nitrate concentrations. With almost all of the residents in Wadnea County getting there drinking water from groundwater sources, this issue is a top priority to the county. Through this project, nitrates and other water soluble contaminants leacing into sensitive sand plain aquifers will be reduced by providing cost-share incentives to encourage irrigation producers to convert high or medium pressure irrigation systems to low pressure systems.
Water quality and flood damage reduction goals can't be accomplished without reducing flows and taking a targeted approach to the upper most reaches of the most critical waterways. Water and sediment control basins are eartern structures that retain water and have been identified as one of the best tool for measured success in reducing peak flows. For this project, basins will be targeted and implemented in the Upper Cedar River Watershed, specifically in the Dobbins Creek Watershed.
High sediment levels in streams are prevalent throughout South Eastern Minnesota. Installing proven and cost-effective conservation practices that collectively reverse these impairments while also meeting flood protection and ecosystem support goals are needed. The purpose of this project is to design, construct, and maintain two retention structures and restore approximately one mile of failed stream bank. This project integrates objectives of Olmsted County, the Department of Natural Resources and City of Rochester into a common project.
Hydes Lake is the headwaters to Carver Creek and is known for its excellent fishery. However, the lake has elevated nutrient levels which lead to poor water quality. A clean up plan for Hydes Lake identified the need to reduce phosphorus loading by 81 percent from watershed sources.
This project is a continuation project of a successful 2011 Clean Water Fund project. The primary purpose of the project is to reduce soil loss from fields and improve the water quality of Red Lake Watershed District Ditch #3. This project will eliminate sediment deposition and reduce maintenance costs along the ditch system by installing 15 sidewater inlets. The project is a team effort with the Red Lake Watershed District and the landowners located along the ditch system.
The primary purpose of the project is to reduce soil loss from fields, improve the water quality of Roseau River Watershed District Ditch #3 by eliminating sediment deposition. This project will reduce maintenance costs along the ditch system by installing 29 sidewater inlets. The project will be a team effort with the Roseau County Soil and Water Conservation District and private landowners located along the ditch systems.
PROJECT OVERVIEW The Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM) Wetlands Reserve Program restores wetlands and grasslands through the purchase of permanent conservation easements on privately owned land. The easements limit future land use and put conservation plans in place for future management. The Minnesota Board of Soil and Water Resources is using this appropriation to accelerate the RIM Wetlands Reserve Program resulting in additional permanently protected wetlands and grasslands throughout the state.
The RIM-WRP Partnership permanently protected 5,559 acres of priority wetlands and associated upland native grassland wildlife habitat via perpetual conservation easements on 60 sites and leveraged over $11 million of federal Wetlands Reserve Program funds.
To provide a variety of programming at the Winona County Fair that preserves and promotes Minnesota's history and cultural heritage. Art demonstrations will feature painting, watercolor, drawing, oils, spinning, weaving, and quilting. Visitors will be able to view antique tractors and learn about their history and restoration process. Children can watch a marionette show and learn about ventriloquism. The fair will feature a bluegrass band and a dog sledding display.
This program focuses on the rehabilitation or replacement of existing state trail bridges, including structural engineering inspections of all trail bridges . Of the more than 300 existing bridges on State Trails, the majority are wood or masonry former railroad structures of which more than 1/3 exceed 100 years old. Starting in fiscal year 2014, future PAT reporting will not separate bridges from trails outcomes reporting, as they are part of the same system of recreational use.
This project works to reduce energy consumption and model renewable energy methods on state park, state recreation area, state forest and trail facilities. The DNR Parks and Trails Division is working to increase the use of energy conservation and renewable energy technologies.
Renewal of existing State Trail surfaces, parking areas, and trail wayside areas, improving accessibility, enhancing user safety and implementing current best management practices. MNDNR Parks and Trails Division has a identified approximately 85 miles of existing state trail in need of rehabilitation and upgrading. This program also focuses on the rehabilitation or replacement of existing state trail bridges, including structural engineering inspections of all trail bridges .
To preserve the 1861 school house by reinforcing the foundation, repairing the roof to preserve the artifacts inside the school, and restoring the interior walls and ceilings. During the fair, the Blue Earth County Historical Society will dress in period costumes to entertain and educate fairgoers, and allow visitors to interact with school desks, maps, slate chalkboards, and school books from the era the school was in operation.
St. Croix Bluffs Regional Park. Replace campground shower building, dump station, well, septic, provide electric to campsites, water distribution to campground, trails, parking, and related infrastructure, landscaping.
Bunker Hills Regional Park, replace wave pool filtration system. Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Regional Park, design and reconstruct roads, campsites, utilities, landscaping.
MNHS continued the Legacy Research Fellowships program in FY15 with a productive second year of adding to the body of knowledge and interpretation of Minnesota's pre- and post-statehood history.
Four scholars were selected as research fellows. Three scholars received $5,000 awards and one received a $1,000 award. The Legacy Research Fellows used the Gale Family Library at the Minnesota History Center to research their topics, which included:
To restore and repair windows on the Soo Line Depot, listed in the National Register of Historic Places and current home of the Cuyuna Iron Range Heritage Museum.
