All Projects

33 Results for
Recipient
Tetra Tech
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$109,878
Fund Source

The goal of this project is to develop statewide biological criteria for managing the state’s water resources, in keeping with the federal Clean Water Act. The MPCA is using the Biological Condition Gradient (BCG) for this development. The BCG is a conceptual model that describes changes in aquatic ecosystems on a gradient of increasing anthropogenic stress.

Statewide
Recipient
St. Croix Watershed Research Station (Science Museum of MN)
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$425,000
Fund Source

This project will improve our understanding of the sources of sediment (turbidity), and the processes which deliver sediment to river channels. This project will address a suite of emerging questions regarding contributions and causes of non-field sediment, thereby providing watershed managers with a better understanding of how to manage these sediment sources.

Statewide
Recipient
Limno Tech, Inc.
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$33,325
Fund Source

This project will lead to environmental improvements and preservation in the state’s watersheds as it will provide a framework that will streamline the development of Watershed Reports across the state at a common scale and schedule. Additionally, MPCA staff, local partners and citizen volunteers will be able to integrate the results of these studies into watershed strategies and implementation plans.

Statewide
Recipient
Stantec Consulting Services, Inc.
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$33,396
Fund Source

This project will provide a shared working definition and principles for civic engagement, that enable state agencies to more effectively, strategically and collaboratively manage the social dimension of Minnesota’s water resource management efforts . The agencies included in the project are BWSR, MDNR, MDA, MDH and MPCA. The consultant and project participants will develop recommendations that will better enable policy and decision makers, CWF teams, the Clean Water Council and others to make informed decisions surrounding civic engagement efforts.

Statewide
Recipient
University of Minnesota
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$2,500
Fund Source

This project provides funding for the 2013 Watershed Research Symposium. The outcome will be a set of research foci for Clean Water Fund projects developed by the scientific community.

Statewide
Recipient
Red Lake Watershed District (RLWD)
2011 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$150,000
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$109,900
Fund Source

This project Phase will collect data, background information, and watershed characteristics within the Red Lake River watershed. This information will be documented within the framework of early draft TMDL Reports (with background information, but no load calculations) for impaired reaches within this watershed and early draft protection plans for the areas in the watershed that are not currently impaired.

Beltrami
Clearwater
Marshall
Pennington
Polk
Red Lake
Recipient
United States Geological Survey (USGS)
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$55,157
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$380,930
2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$18,060
Fund Source

This project will determine the magnitude and frequency of contamination from endocrine active compounds (EAC's) and other contaminants of emerging concern in shallow groundwater in non-agricultural areas of Minnesota. EACs and other contaminants of emerging concern in this study include compounds typically found in waste water, including, pharmaceutical compounds, antibiotics, and hormones. This project supports the third phase, including laboratory analysis of samples for an additional 80 wells to be sampled by MPCA staff.

Statewide
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
RESPEC
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$99,986
Fund Source

This project will finalize HSPF watershed model construction and complete the calibration/validation process. The consultant will add representation of point source discharges to the model. The consultant will compile flow data for the purposes of calibration and validation. An initial hydrologic calibration will be performed and submitted for approval.

Beltrami
Clearwater
Mahnomen
Marshall
Pennington
Polk
Red Lake
Recipient
University of Waterloo
2017 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$4,000
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$2,982
Fund Source

The lab will analyze stable isotopes oxygen-18 and deuterium in water samples collected in streams, lakes, wetlands, groundwater, and point sources. This data can identify primary flow sources under varying flow conditions (low to very high flows). Identifying sources can help identify pollutant sources or locate areas that are in need of protection. For example, you may want to protect an area that contributes cold groundwater to a coldwater fishery. Or it could link a water chemistry impairment to a specific source.

Statewide
Recipient
United States Geological Survey (USGS)
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$6,289
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$3,207
Fund Source

USGS will make streamflow discharge measurements at lowflow measuring stations throughout the state. Measurements will be made during lowflow conditions. On average 100 measurements will be made during FY2012. Stream flow measurements will be entered into the USGS database and made available on the USGS Low Flow Data for Minnesota Streams website.

Statewide
Recipient
Barr Engineering
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$103,620
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$231,444
Fund Source

The Minimal Impact Design Standards (MIDS) project represents the next generation of stormwater management in Minnesota. MIDS offers guidelines, recommendations and tools that help low impact development practices be implemented more uniformly across Minnesota's landscape and provides guidance to effectively implement the concepts and practices of low impact development. Products include performance goals for new development, redevelopment and linear projects, a graphic user interface calculator and flexible treatment options for sites design.

Statewide
Recipient
Kestrel Design Group, Inc.
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$123,210
Fund Source

This project will provide data and information that can readily be incorporated into an updated version of the Minnesota Stormwater Manual (“Manual”). The consultant will develop and submit state-of-the-art engineering and science information in a condensed summary, including color graphics and color photos suitable for a diverse audience. The Manual and associated materials, such as CAD drawings, case studies, color photos, and spreadsheets will: (a) comply with the State Accessibility Standard ; (b) provide clear and simple navigation, and (c) enable easy data downloads.

Statewide
Recipient
United States Geological Survey (USGS)
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$57,205
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$118,566
2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$74,755
Fund Source

This project will develop a reasonable statewide estimate of recharge using the Soil-Water-Balance (SWB) Code (Westenbroek and others, 2010), validate the simulation results, and conduct a parameter sensitivity analysis to identify the most sensitive model parameters. For the purposes of this application of the SWB application, comparing the simulation results will be conducted on selected watershed basins in the state against previously established recharge estimates.

Statewide
Recipient
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$3,808,600
Fund Source

This project supports activities by MPCA Watershed Division staff that provide technical assistance, project oversight, coordination, outreach and other agency activities associated with assessing, listing and conducting TMDL studies throughout the State of Minnesota. Project also includes lab analysis, equipment, and fieldwork expenses associated with TMDL work at the MPCA.

Statewide
Recipient
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$465,000
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$613,775
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.The ambient groundwater monitoring network describes the current condition and trends in Minnesota's groundwater quality.

Statewide
Recipient
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$206,335
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$209,633
Fund Source

MPCA technical assistance & guidance provided to Clean Water Partnership grant program which provides funding for grants that prevent impairments and degradation of lakes, rivers, streams and groundwater.

Statewide
Recipient
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$1,150,000
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$1,599,678
Fund Source

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) uses a watershed-oriented approach to assess surface water quality and define restoration and protection measures. Each of Minnesota’s 81 major watersheds is assessed intensively every 10 years, based on a staggered schedule that addresses, on average, eight watersheds per year. To increase the amount of data directly available to the public online, and to make internal operations more efficient, the MPCA started a multi-year Watershed Data Integration Project (WDIP).

Statewide
Recipient
United States Geological Survey (USGS)
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$10,800
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$11,119
Fund Source

This project will collect real-time parameter data for specific conductance, water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity and stream flow at the United States geological Survey (USGS) gaging stations located at Fargo, ND and Grand Forks, ND on the Red River of the North; and publish the data both on the USGS NWIS website and in the USGS Annual Report.

Beltrami
Clay
Clearwater
Mahnomen
Marshall
Norman
Otter Tail
Pennington
Polk
Red Lake
Wilkin
Recipient
Trissential, LLC
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$52,000
2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$100,000
Fund Source

The goal of this project is to use the Watershed Data Integration Program (WDIP) Project to apply previous experience with business analysis to the MPCA’s efforts. Develop and document implications for the strategic approach of the business to Watershed projects, their communication and implementation plans to shift to the new strategy, and the daily processes of the business that will be required to change.

Statewide
Recipient
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$2,200
Fund Source

The goal of this project is to develop and implement a multiagency tracking framework that will help clarify connections between Clean Water Funds invested, actions taken and clean water outcomes achieved.

Statewide
Recipient
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$1,000,000
Fund Source

MPCA will administer funding to eligible Local Governmental Units to use MPCA-approved Advanced Inspectors to conduct work in accordance with Minn. Rules 7080, 7081, and 7083, which requires proper location, design, installation, use and maintenance of an individual subsurface sewage treatment system (SSTS) with a design flow of 2,500 gallons per day or more that protects the public health, safety, general welfare, and the environment by the discharge of adequately treated sewage to the groundwater. Multiple contracts will be awarded.

Statewide
Recipient
United States Geological Survey (USGS)
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$200,000
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$200,000
2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$100,000
2015 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$100,000
2016 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$108,547
2017 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$200,000
2018 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$99,999
2019 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$99,999
Fund Source

The Statewide Sediment Network was established to measure the levels of suspended sediment concentrations and particle size distributions at eight sites across Minnesota to evaluate the amount of sediment carried by rivers. USGS sample collection and laboratory analysis techniques provide a more rigorous, robust, and technically accurate measure of sediment in water than the current use of total suspended solids as the measure of sediment in water.

Statewide
Recipient
Minnesota Geospatial Information Office (MnGeo)
2011 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$249,322
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$225,075
Fund Source

This project will support the MPCA’s water quality monitoring and assessment program. Specifically, the MPCA is developing a refined use designation process known as tiered aquatic life uses (TALU) to account for situations in which stream habitat has been compromised through hydrological alteration (e.g. channelization and ditching). An accurate state-wide determination of altered stream segments based upon the current National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) linework will assist in the assignment of the correct beneficial use within this new TALU framework.

Statewide
Recipient
CDM Smith Inc
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$249,270
Fund Source

The overall goal of this process is to compile the information developed by the MPCA into summaries, tables, graphics and tools that the MPCA can use to replace sections of the Stormwater Manual. CDM Smith has developed an approach and workplan that is aimed at complimenting the knowledge of the MPCA and assisting the MPCA through supplemental literature searches, compilation of materials into usable formats, and facilitation of discussions when needed.

Statewide
Recipient
LimnoTech
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$179,988
Fund Source

The final outcome of this project will be a chloride management plan which will lay out a strategy for addressing chloride impacts to our surface waters for the 7-county metropolitan area. This chloride management plan will satisfy EPA requirements for impaired waters, address waters not yet listed, and develop a strategy to protect waters that are currently meeting the water quality standards. This management plan will also include implementation activities for reducing chloride to TCMA waters as well as identify high priority areas to target implementation activities.

Statewide
Recipient
University of Minnesota
2011 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$250,000
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$100,000
Fund Source

This project will apply science to identify viable and priority wetland restorations and rehabilitations that will deliver sustainable water quality benefit, along with flood storage and habitat benefits. Decision tools will be developed to assist with selection of restoration projects.

Statewide
Recipient
University of Minnesota- Duluth
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$98,887
Fund Source

The MPCA is currently collecting additional information needed to evaluate the 10 mg/liter wild-rice-based sulfate standard and has received funding through legislation passed during the 2011 Special Session to implement a wild rice research plan and contract with scientific experts to further understand the effects of sulfate on the growth of wild rice. The goal of this project is to determine responses of wild rice to sulfate and the products of geochemical transformations of sulfate.

Statewide
Recipient
University of Minnesota
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$133,454
Fund Source

The goal of this project is to collect and analyze samples from lake, stream, wild rice paddy, and experimental field sites across a spectrum of sulfate concentrations and wild rice plant abundance. The scientific information developed will be part of the evidence used by the MPCA in its decision as to whether or not a change to the existing sulfate standard is necessary, and if so, what the revised standard should be.

Statewide
Recipient
University of Minnesota-Duluth
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$87,375
Fund Source

The MPCA is undertaking a study to investigate the potential effects of elevated sulfate on the growth of wild rice. One high-priority hypothesis is that the conversion of sulfate to sulfide in anoxic subsurface sediment may harm the roots of wild rice, either directly, or indirectly. The goal of this project is To observe and develop an understanding of exposure of wild rice roots to changes in concentration of sulfide and related chemicals over time and space (depth of sediment and distance from roots).

Statewide
Recipient
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$49,977
Fund Source

This project will provide lab analyses and interpretation required for 2012 wild rice field survey. The 2012 lab analyses will be merged with the 2011 field survey data and determine what additional work, if any, is needed during the 2013 field season.

Statewide
Recipient
Minnesota Department of Health- Environmental Laboratory
2012 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$13,385
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$210,000
Fund Source

The MDH Environmental Laboratory provides essential analyses of water for the MPCA Wild Rice Standards Study, which is gathering information about the effects of sulfate on the growth of wild rice. For this study, the lab developed a ultra-sensitive test for hydrogen sulfide, which greatly facilitated the research. For this large study, the lab staff analyzed several thousand water and sediment samples from lakes, wetlands, rivers, rice paddies, experimental mesocosms, and hydroponic experiments.

Statewide
Recipient
Tech Sales Company
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$1,950
Fund Source

This project will train MPCA field staff in the proper calibration, deployment, maintenance and storage of water quality collection Sondes. Training event will cover general sonde overview, sonde maintenance, calibration procedure, short-term storage, long-term storage and 650MDS overview.

Statewide