Provides grants to Soil and Water Conservation Districts that focuses on increasing capacity to address four resource concern areas?Soil Erosion, Riparian Zone Management, Water Storage and Treatment, and Excess Nutrients.
The purpose of the Watershed Based Funding is to address priority concern 1, mitigate altered hydrology and minimize flooding and priority concern 2, minimize the transport of sediment, excess nutrients, and bacteria. The goal for the 2018/2019 is to reduce 300 tons of sediment per year, increase storage by 100 acre-feet per year, reduce nitrogen by 16,000 pounds per year and to reduce phosphorus by 800 pounds per year. Grant funds will also be used for technical staffing in order to have the capabilities of implementing the priority BMPs in the seven priority sub-watersheds.
Funding provided through this appropriation enhanced 5,024 acres of wetland habitat. Eight wetland and shallow lake infrastructure projects were competed that enhanced 1,643 acres of wetland. Cattail spraying using a helicopter outfitted with an OHF-purchased spray unit and impacted impacted 1,762 acres. Work by the Region 3 Roving Habitat Crew enhanced 1,619 acres of wetland. Finally, survey and design work was initiated on four projects to prepare for future construction.
The goal of this phase of the WPA acquisition program was to protect a total of 760 acres of grassland, wetland and other wildlife habitats as Waterfowl Production Areas open to public hunting. Pheasants Forever purchased 11 parcels totaling 1,310 acres of wetlands and grasslands in Minnesota?s prairie region. In addition to exceeding our acre goals, $28,152.10 of grant funds will be returned.
This phase of WMA acquisition protected 1,182.25 acres of prairie grassland, wetland, and other wildlife habitat as State Wildlife Management Areas open to public hunting. With these 9 acquisition we have exceeded our planned acres of 1012 by more than 170 acres. All of the acquired properties had wildlife habitat restored to the highest quality possible.
