Ag drainage research and civic engagement projects led the topics discussed at the Watershed Network spring meeting April 25 in Redwood Falls. Jeff Strock, associate professor at the U of M research and outreach center-Lamberton, gave an overview of research on impacts of drainage on hydrology and water quality. " Drainage water management for water
quality protection" is an article authored by Strock and others that appeared in the December 2010 issue of the Journal of Soil and Water Conservation.
Following up on the topic of civic engagement at the fall Watershed Network meeting, there were updates on several civic engagement projects in progress. Diane Sanders described the Crow River Organization of Water's 'strategic appreciation' plans to connect with existing groups in order to get more people involved in water quality projects. Brett Arne and Joe Hauger introduced the Pomme de Terre River Watershed Academy, which started a six-week program on April 19.
Other topics at the spring meeting included an update by Larry Gunderson, MPCA, on the South Metro Mississippi and Minnesota River TMDL projects, and the outlook for Clean Water Fund grants by Matt Drewitz of the Board of Water and Soil Resources. |
|
 |
The Chippewa River Watershed Project is exploring the possibility of forming a joint powers entity including seven counties. The idea was discussed at a meeting April 20 of the counties, SWCDs, and representatives from the Minnesota Counties Intergovernmental Trust. A draft document will be reviewed at the next CRWP executive committee meeting, after which CWRP coordinator Kylene Olson will meet with each board of commissioners from Chippewa, Swift, Kandiyohi, Pope, Stevens, Grant and Douglas counties. This action results from the pending dissolution of the Prairie Country Resource and Development, which had served as the fiscal agent for CRWP, and also Hawk Creek Watershed Project. A joint powers entity qualifies as a local unit of government eligible for grants.
Brady Swanson named High Island Creek grants coordinator
Brady Swanson is the grant coordinator for the High Island Creek /Rush River watershed projects in Sibley County. After graduating from St. Olaf majoring in biology, Brady has been working on his master's in environmental science at Minnesota State-Mankato. His thesis involves identifying relationships between stream biota, water quality, and other habitat parameters. Brady grew up on a farm near St. James raising corn, soybeans and hogs. At St. Olaf he played football, and spent a semester studying in Sydney, Australia.
|
|
 |
|
Margaret Peters joins Middle Fork Crow staff
Middle Fork Crow Watershed District has hired Margaret Peters for the technician post formerly held by Sara Jacobson, who is now with the DNR New Ulm office. A New York Mills native, Margaret graduated in 2009 from the U of M with a BA in environmental science policy and management, and from Bemidji State in 2011 with an MA in environmental science policy and planning. Prior to Middle Fork, she worked for the Heron Lake Watershed District.
|
|
 |
Heidi Rauenhorst takes Hawk Creek coordinator post
Heidi Rauenhorst has accepted the Hawk Creek Watershed Project coordinator position, vacated when Cory Netland joined the DNR staff in New Ulm. A native of the Olivia area, Heidi previously worked for the DNR and Farm Service Agency. She earned a B.S. in biology at San Diego State University, and is working toward an MS in biology at Minnesota State-Mankato. She will be starting at Hawk Creek in June. The application deadline ends April 27 for the technician position vacated when Stephanie Klamm moves on to the DNR in Thief River Falls.
Heron Lake WD seeks coordinator in West Fork Des Moines River
May 3 is the application deadline with the Heron Lake Watershed District for coordinator of the West Fork Des Moines River (WFDMR) Watershed project. The main responsibilities will be assisting with Level III feedlot inventories in Nobles, Jackson, Murray, and Cottonwood counties. The full-time temporary position would also pursue funding for education and implementation efforts for
the WFDMR watershed TMDL implementation plan in southwest
Minnesota. Application information is found on the HLWD website.
Chippewa April newsletter
Check out the April 2012 issue of the Chippewa River Watershed Project's Citizen Connection newsletter, for articles about the annual meeting, the Watershed Game training event, and donation from the Canadian Pacific Railway to the project's endowment fund.
 |
|
Despite rainy weather, a large crowd turned out for the Earth Day festival April 21 at Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center near Spicer. A big highlight for kids was the puppet show by Tricia and the Toonies, teaching about water quality and the environment. Educational and fun activities for kids included: tie-dying t-shirts, archery, wood ducks, energy conservation, water quality monitoring, fish, raptors, and climbing wall. A host of water management organizations help plan and host the festival: Crow River Organization of Water, Hawk Creek Watershed Project, Kandiyohi Soil and Water Conservation District, Middle Fork Crow River Watershed District, North Fork Crow River Watershed District, and Shakopee Creek Headwaters Project
|
Minnesota River clean-up
On Sunday, April 22-Earth Day, CURE organized a special river clean up on the Minnesota River. Some volunteers visited the flood ravaged DNR Minnesota River campsite north of Montevideo to give it some TLC. Others picked up trash along the road. Others planned to get in canoes and clean up trash in the river.
The Minnesota River Watershed Alliance is planning to launch a 'mayors' fishing opener' on the Minnesota River in 2013. At its quarterly meeting April 24 in Hutchinson, Alliance members formed a committee to begin planning the event. The idea grew out of previous discussion about seeking a governor's fishing opener on the Minnesota River. The idea is to engage the mayors and their communities all along the Minnesota River to coordinate events on the annual fishing opener. It also relates to the federal Great Outdoors Initiative-Blueways Program, which also was discussed at the MWRA meeting. The upper Minnesota River is one of two state regions selected nationally for Blueways designation. The goal is to connect more people with the outdoors and natural resources. Other business at the April 24 meeting included updates on the Paddler Patch program, River Revival video, and Big Stone rock mining. issue. More information about alliance activities is available on the MRWA blog. Canoe, cook, and camp is a "gals getaway adventure" on the Lac qui Parle River, May 18-19. It begins at the Lac qui Parle State Park at noon Friday, May 18, to set up camp, have a canoe paddling safety lesson then canoe
a portion of the Lac qui Parle River. Dinner will be made over an open
fire featuring dutch oven cooking skills. Saturday morning is breakfast over the campfire, exploring the park and a special introduction to
geocaching. You need only bring a
few personal items and a sleeping bag as we supply the rest! A detailed
list will be provided after registration. Register by contacting the Lac qui Parle SWCD at 320-598-7321 Ext.
3. - Mary Homan
 |
|
The Lac qui Parle-Yellowbank Watershed District celebrated Earth Day with the first Lac qui Parle River Watershed 5K fun run on
Sunday, April 22. It took place simultaneously in Dawson and Canby with a total of 91 participants. Earth Day trivia and
watershed signs lined the route to raise awareness of our local resources. Prizes were awarded to the first place male
and female runners and participants received Earth Day t-shirts. The event was delayed from April 21 because of rain. In the future the event will be held on Earth Day, April 22, in one community, rotating among Hendricks, Canby, Dawson, and Madison.
|
 |
|
More than 70 people
recently took part in a new kind of watershed-based civic engagement exercise –
the Map Party – April 10 in Pemberton, south of Mankato.
Here’s how Patrick
Moore of Clean Up the River Environment, describes it, “The idea is simple.
Get your local historical society, your local soil and water conservation
district and local staff from the DNR, the MPCA, the Department of Ag, and
academic institutions together in one room with round tables, maps and a
buffet line of free food, and invite local farmers and landowners to come in
and talk."
Moore also said,
“For four hours we talked about maps and how the river used to flow compared
to now, what can be done to slow stream bank erosion, where the sweet spots
are in the watershed to direct public resources …
The informal
give-and-take was inspiring. You had the feeling that we were a community of
Minnesotans with mutual respect for one another, bringing our best efforts
forward to think, talk and plan our way toward right action.”
|
Sarina Otaibi, program organizer for Clean Up the River
Environment (CURE), has created a Friendship Tour Network blog using posterous.com. This continues the conversation about action items and connections that were created from the past three Water Quality Dialogues in Mankato, Owatonna, and Red Wing. When you email friendshiptournetwork@posterous.com,
the contents or attachments are automatically posted to the
primary space on the Friendship Tour Network's posterous blog. There are
other idea specific pages with more in
depth discussions with other people in the network. This type of blog allows you to e-mail (friendshiptournetwork@posterous.com) information, thoughts, ideas, projects, website links, photos, PDFs, Word documents, and videos. For more information, contact Sarina at (320) 262-9514 or sarina@cureriver.org.
More than 100 people attended a public hearing before the Big Stone County Board April 17 on the proposed hard rock mining quarry. Most of those who testified opposed the proposal by Strata Corporation of Grand Forks, N.D., which is seeking a conditional use permit
to develop a 104-acre quarry on a 478-acre property outside of the city of
Ortonville. The property consists of granite outcrops and pasture and is host to
nine different species of rare and endangered plants. It is located on the edge
of the Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge. The County Board will take up the issue again May 1, and
commissioners are expected to make a final decision on a conditional use permit
by May 21.
Mankato Free Press, 4/13/12
Hutchinson Leader, 4/13/12
The Farmer, 4/10/12
April 28: CCMR annual
banquet, Lola's Larkspur restaurant, New Ulm.
April 28: Seven Mile Creek Park clean-up, 1-4 p.m.
April 28: Ney Nature Center spring fling, 5:30 p.m., Montgomery American Legion.
May 8-10: Art of
hosting training, Prairie's Edge, Granite Falls, register at 877-269-2873, dixie@cureriver.org.
May 15: LeSueur River Watershed Project potluck supper, 5:30 p.m., Red Jacket Park, Mankato.
May 21: Minnesota River Board, 9 a.m., location TBA.
July 11: Friendship Tour, upper Minnesota River basin, Ortonville, info: 320-839-3411.
Watershed Projects
Watershed Districts
Joint Powers Boards and Associations
Citizen/Organizations
|
Watershed Network News
welcomes news from partners about funding opportunities, project updates and
events. Email your news to forrest.peterson@state.mn.us. Please
note that the MPCA has switched to a new service, called GovDelivery. To ensure
delivery of these messages, please add mpca@public.govdelivery.com
to your address book or safe sender list. Please forward this to any other
interested parties. Past issues are located on the MPCA Minnesota River Basin webpage
|
|
 |
|
