All Projects

30 Results for
Recipient
Multiple Local Government Units
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$1,500,000
Fund Source

Funds are to be used to protect, enhance and restore water quality in lakes, rivers and streams and to protect groundwater and drinking water. Activities include structural and vegetative practices to reduce runoff and retain water on the land, feedlot water quality projects, SSTS abatement grants for low income individuals, and stream bank, stream channel and shoreline protection projects. For the fiscal year 2012, BWSR awarded 13 local governments with funds to complete 143 projects. More information is available in the detail reports below.

Big Stone
Cass
Dodge
Douglas
Lincoln
Marshall
McLeod
Mille Lacs
Pennington
Pipestone
Rock
St. Louis
Stearns
Recipient
Mower County Soil and Water Conservation District
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$99,929
Fund Source

This project will place the Cedar River watershed on a sustainable and clearly understood implementation process for comprehensive water management. All people living in the watershed and all groups operating and managing land in the watershed, are responsible stakeholders in the effort. Objectives for this phase of the project include:
1. Develop a comprehensive watershed restoration and protection strategy.
2. Continue development of a more coordinated and comprehensive citizen participation process.

Dodge
Freeborn
Mower
Steele
Recipient
Science Museum of Minnesota-St. Croix Watershed Research Station
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$149,996
Fund Source

This project will directly inform the Lake of the Woods (LoW )TMDL process by identifying nutrient reduction targets, a timeline of phosphorus loadings to the lake, and measures of historical in-lake variability (e.g., nutrients, biological communities). Results will complement and build on ongoing research efforts on internal loading and sediment core analysis.

Lake of the Woods
Roseau
Recipient
Minnesota River Board
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$91,691
Fund Source

This project will support a civic engagement cohort that will be offered in southwest Minnesota to foster partnering and build capacity of local government, organizations, and residents for effective civic engagement in water protection and restoration. This project will also build networks and the skill set of local resource professionals to do effective civic engagement work for water restoration and protection. The cohort will be administered through the Minnesota River Board (MRB), established in 1995 with a goal of focusing water management efforts on the local level.

Big Stone
Blue Earth
Brown
Chippewa
Cottonwood
Douglas
Faribault
Grant
Jackson
Kandiyohi
Lac qui Parle
Le Sueur
Lincoln
Lyon
Martin
McLeod
Murray
Nicollet
Nobles
Otter Tail
Pipestone
Pope
Redwood
Renville
Rock
Sibley
Stevens
Swift
Traverse
Waseca
Watonwan
Yellow Medicine
Recipient
Tetra Tech, Inc.
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$4,999
Fund Source

This project will develop and execute three point source related scenarios for the Chippewa River watershed using an existing HSPF watershed model. This project will also support the review of the HSPF Modeling Guidance Document.

Chippewa
Douglas
Grant
Kandiyohi
Otter Tail
Pope
Stearns
Stevens
Swift
Recipient
Renville County c/o Hawk Creek Watershed Project
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$149,860
Fund Source

This project will establish a framework and provide tools for local government and watershed projects to engage the public in a manner that will lead to water quality improvement through targeted and prioritized implementation of watershed management practices. The major components of the watershed approach that will be used for this project include; monitoring, gathering of watershed information, assessment of the data, develop of implementation strategies, and implementation of water quality protection and restoration activities.

Chippewa
Kandiyohi
Lac qui Parle
Lincoln
Lyon
Redwood
Renville
Yellow Medicine
Recipient
Southeast Minnesota Water Resources Board-Winona State University
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$80,737
Fund Source

This project will build network and the skill set of local resource professionals to do effective civic engagement work for water restoration and protection in Southeast Minnesota. The cohort will be administered through the Southeast Minnesota Water Resources Board (SE MN WRB) which is an area wide Joint Powers Board (JPB) established to help improve and protect the water resources of the area through coordinating local water planning efforts. This JPB has successfully administered water quality grants in the past that have positively impacted the water resources of this region.

Blue Earth
Dakota
Dodge
Fillmore
Freeborn
Goodhue
Houston
Le Sueur
Mower
Olmsted
Rice
Scott
Steele
Wabasha
Waseca
Washington
Winona
Recipient
Yellow Medicine River Watershed District
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$105,121
Fund Source

This project approach will include monitoring and gathering of watershed information, assess the data, develop implementation strategies to meet standards and protect waters, implement water quality protection and restoration activities in the watershed. The goal of this project is to establish a framework, and to provide information and tools for local government and watershed organizations to engage the public in a manner that will lead to water quality improvement.

Chippewa
Kandiyohi
Lac qui Parle
Lincoln
Lyon
Redwood
Renville
Yellow Medicine
Recipient
Zumbro Watershed Partnership, Inc.
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$81,750
2011 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$58,218
Fund Source

This project will complete an implementation plan, as required by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, for the Zumbro River turbidity TMDL project. It will also revise the Zumbro River Watershed Management Plan (completed 2007) to ensure it continues to reflect local needs, incorporates new information, and develops more effective linkages with related local, state and federal government programs.

Dodge
Goodhue
Mower
Olmsted
Rice
Steele
Wabasha
Recipient
Laq qui Parle-Yellow Bank Watershed District
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$260,900
Fund Source

This project will offer incentives to protect 80 acres of land in filter strips and highly erodible lands adjacent to the rivers; construct 9 sediment and water control basins or terraces; replace 35 open tile intakes and advocate wetland restorations and grassland easement programs; organize a Friendship Tour to bring together Minnesota farmers, county commissioners, farm organizations, local, state and federal agency personnel to experience the watershed, farming practices, discuss future project ideas and strengthen relationships; and upgrade 37 subsurface sewage treatment systems by off

Lac qui Parle
Lincoln
Yellow Medicine
Recipient
Board of Water & Soil Resources
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$600,000
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$397,580
Fund Source

BWSR will administer funding to eligible County projects that provide funds and other assistance to low income property owners to upgrade or replace Noncompliant Septic Systems. BWSR will also manage annual reporting completed by each County.

Aitkin
Beltrami
Big Stone
Carlton
Carver
Cass
Chippewa
Chisago
Clearwater
Cook
Cottonwood
Crow Wing
Dakota
Dodge
Douglas
Hubbard
Isanti
Jackson
Kandiyohi
Koochiching
Lac qui Parle
Lake of the Woods
Lincoln
Marshall
McLeod
Morrison
Norman
Olmsted
Pennington
Pine
Pipestone
Polk
Pope
Red Lake
Roseau
Scott
Sibley
St. Louis
Stearns
Steele
Todd
Traverse
Wadena
Waseca
Washington
Wilkin
Winona
Yellow Medicine
Recipient
Lake of the Woods Soil and Water Conservation District
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$108,044
Fund Source

This project involves the water quality monitoring of, and data analysis for four major watersheds (8-digit Hydrologic Unit Codes) in the Rainy River Basin. This monitoring will assist in providing the water chemistry data needed to calculate annual pollutant loads for the Major Watershed Pollutant Load Monitoring Network (MWPLMN) and provide short term data sets of select parameters to other Agency programs.

Beltrami
Itasca
Koochiching
Lake of the Woods
St. Louis
Recipient
Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$500
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$500
Fund Source

Co-sponsorship and assistance with a portion of the financial support for the 9th & 10th Annual International Lake of the Woods Water Quality Forum (Forum) to be held on March 7-8, 2012 and March 13-14, 2013 at the Rainy River Community College in International Falls, Minnesota. The Forum will feature the latest information on research conducted by Canadian and U.S. researchers regarding the International Lake of the Woods waters.

Lake of the Woods
Roseau
Recipient
University of Minnesota-Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI)
2011 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$72,461
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$3,340
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$35,744
Fund Source

This project will determine pre- and post-settlement nutrient trends from sediment chronology, fossil diatom assemblages, and from sediment profiles representing human history in the region (i.e., at least 150 years). Project activities include sample collection; sample preparation; diatom analysis; database creation and management; and data interpretation. Sample cores will be taken on the Lake of the Woods in five major bays (i.e., Four-mile, Muskeg, Sabaskong, Little Traverse, and Big Traverse) in the southern basin.

Lake of the Woods
Roseau
Recipient
Lake of the Woods Soil and Water Conservation District
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$237,180
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$15,993
Fund Source

This project will gather watershed data necessary for the development of a Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy to maintain or improve water quality within the LoW Watershed; and establish project and sub-basin work groups and/or focus groups to guide the MWRPP process.

Lake of the Woods
Roseau
Recipient
Lac qui Parle Soil and Water Conservation District and County Environmental Office
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$30,894
Fund Source

The Lac qui Parle River suffers from low dissolved oxygen and high bacteria levels. Lac qui Parle County recognizes the need for a Level 3 Feedlot Inventory to use as a tool for targeting outreach efforts and financial assistance to improve the river and protect other unimpaired surface waters of the County. This project will allow the county to hire a temporary part time staff person to complete a Level 3 Feedlot Inventory.

Lac qui Parle
Recipient
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$5,500,000
Fund Source

This project supports monitoring and assessment activities by MPCA EAO staff and includes lab analysis, equipment, and fieldwork expenses associated with monitoring and assessment activities within the described priority watersheds.

Lake Monitoring: Lakes are monitored for nutrients, clarity and other information to provide the data needed to assess the aquatic recreation use support.

Aitkin
Beltrami
Carver
Cass
Clearwater
Crow Wing
Dodge
Goodhue
Hennepin
Hubbard
Kandiyohi
Lake of the Woods
Marshall
McLeod
Meeker
Mower
Olmsted
Pennington
Polk
Red Lake
Renville
Rice
Roseau
Sibley
Steele
Wabasha
Wright
Recipient
Bois de Sioux Watershed District
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$333,200
Fund Source

The Mustinka River winds through five counties in west central Minnesota and empties into Lake Traverse, a border waters lake with excellent fishing and recreational opportunities. For several years, sections of the river have been negatively impacted from too much soil/sediment eroding from the land and washing away into the water. Excess sediment degrades aquatic habitat and feeds algae blooms.
This project continues a 2011 Clean Water Fund collaborative effort to develop a plan to reduce the amount of sediment washed into the river.

Big Stone
Grant
Stevens
Traverse
Wilkin
Recipient
Pomme de Terre River Association
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$350,470
Fund Source

The Pomme de Terre River watershed is located in west central Minnesota and occupies a portion of six counties. For many years surface water quality within the watershed has been a concern to local government. In 1982 the Pomme de Terre River Association Joint Powers Board was formed to begin addressing this issue. In 2002 the Pomme de Terre River was placed on the Impaired Waters list for turbidity. This project is a continuation of a 2011 Clean Water Fund project.

Big Stone
Douglas
Grant
Otter Tail
Stevens
Swift
Recipient
Lac qui Parle Soil and Water Conservation District
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$53,533
Fund Source

Private wells provide drinking water for the rural residents of Lac qui Parle County. This project will retrofit 35 well pits allowing the homeowner to continue using a serviceable well while safeguarding the source of their drinking water. Well pits, which are similar to a below-ground cistern, were once a common practice to prevent freezing in the winter. Many of these pits remain in use today. However, well pits are subject to flooding, especially if they are located in a floodplain. Flooding can contaminate the well and groundwater with bacteria from unknown sources.

Lac qui Parle
Recipient
Red River Watershed Management Board
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$194,490
Fund Source

This project will provide land and water managers in the Red River Basin with data and online tools to prioritize actions on the landscape that achieve water quality objectives identified in local and state plans. This will help identify strategically important locations for implementing erosion control and water management practices. Standardized watershed-based data products will be integrated into a web-based planning tool which will be added to the Red River Basin Decision Information Network (RRBDIN) being developed as part of the Red River Watershed Feasibility Study.

Becker
Beltrami
Big Stone
Clay
Clearwater
Grant
Itasca
Kittson
Koochiching
Lake of the Woods
Mahnomen
Marshall
Norman
Otter Tail
Pennington
Polk
Red Lake
Roseau
Stevens
Traverse
Wilkin
Recipient
International Water Institute
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$272,267
2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$359,367
Fund Source

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.

Becker
Beltrami
Big Stone
Clay
Clearwater
Grant
Kittson
Mahnomen
Marshall
Norman
Otter Tail
Pennington
Polk
Red Lake
Roseau
Stevens
Traverse
Wilkin
Recipient
Red River Watershed Management Board
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$200,000
Fund Source

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.

Becker
Beltrami
Big Stone
Clay
Clearwater
Grant
Kittson
Lake of the Woods
Mahnomen
Marshall
Norman
Otter Tail
Pennington
Polk
Red Lake
Roseau
Stevens
Traverse
Wilkin
Recipient
Cedar River Watershed District
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$133,250
Fund Source

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.

Dodge
Mower
Recipient
St. Joseph Catholic Church - School Building
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$10,000
Fund Source
Well construction; service lines; two wells sealing
Lac qui Parle
Recipient
St. Joseph Catholic Church
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$10,000
Fund Source
Well construction; new service and distribution lines; seal old well; seal unused dug well
Lac qui Parle
Recipient
Roseau Soil and Water Conservation District
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$38,934
Fund Source

The Lake of the Woods Watershed Assessment will include the waters of Warroad River and Willow Creek in Roseau County and Williams Creek and Bostic Creek in Lake of the Woods (LOW) County. This assessment project will focus on the collection of water chemistry and field parameters at the six key sites identified and modified by MPCA. One site on the Warroad River will have extra nutrient and chlorophyll analysis done. Sites are located in the lower reaches of each surface water system.

Lake of the Woods
Roseau
Recipient
Zumbro Watershed Partnership
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$76,360
Fund Source

The Zumbro River Watershed is a major watershed in the Lower Mississippi River basin in SE Minnesota. It includes parts of six counties, covering 910,291 acres. This project will assess all 13 stream reaches in the Zumbro River Watershed to determine if they are meeting their designated uses. The monitoring will entail collecting water chemistry and field parameters.

Dodge
Goodhue
Mower
Olmsted
Rice
Steele
Wabasha
Recipient
Warroad River Watershed District
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$37,446
Fund Source

Lake of the Woods is a world-class fishery and an important economic driver for Roseau County. The proposed project will investigate and quantify sources of sediment to the lower portion of the Warroad River near its confluence with Lake of the Woods. Sedimentation at the mouth of the Warroad River is a concern for several reasons including fisheries habitat, water quality and the drinking water supply for the city of Warroad.

Lake of the Woods
Roseau
Recipient
United States Geological Survey (USGS)
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$9,420
Fund Source

This project will support the operation and maintenance of a stream gage that records stage, index-velocity and water temperature at Wheeler's Point on the Rainy River. The USGS will visit the stream gage approximately every six (6) weeks to perform maintenance and, as needed, to define the range of flows that occur.

Lake of the Woods
Roseau