Soil & Water Conservation District Guidebook 2008 - Minnesota ...

Pictured: Pine River streambank
restoration project.
The heavy rains in June 2003 caused some
streambank on the Pine River to fall in (pictured - left). The
eroded area was about 60 feet wide and was a drainage area
where water seeped through the bank. At the tow of the bank,
30 cubic yards of rock rip-rap and fi ll were placed, and tile
installed. Erosion control fabric was placed and trees, shrubs,
and native plants were planted (pictured - right). Pine SWCD
funded this project through State Cost-Share dollars and through
the Pokegama Lake Association.
Several streambank, lakeshore, and gully
erosion projects have been completed in the Pokegama Lake
watershed by the SWCD, working closely with the Pokegama
Lake Association. The SWCD in partnership with NRCS, has
also completed numerous nutrient and ag waste management
practices. The PLA has donated nearly $100,000 to help offset
the landowners’ portion of their projects which are being costshared
at 75 percent by the NRCS EQIP Conservation Priority
Area funding. The PLA provided funding by donating an
additional 15 percent to bring the total amount of cost-share to
90 percent for those conservation practices.
The Snake River Watershed Management
Board and Pine SWCD have worked very closely to
complete several streambank, lakeshore, and gully erosion
projects in the Snake River watershed. Funding by both
agencies has been used on most projects, providing each
landowner close to 75 percent cost-sharing.
Fill, rock and native seed were used to
stabilize the slope for three sites of the Lower Snake River.
In October 2005, heavy rains caused several spots on the
streambank to slump, give way and fall into the river.
A geological atlas and sinkhole study for
Pine County was completed in 2004 with the assistance from
the U of M, Minnesota Geological Survey, and funding from
Pine SWCD. Ten maps on geology and hydrogeology are
available for land-use planning.
Top 5 Natural Resource Concerns
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Protect and improve the surface water quality
Assure an adequate supply of safe ground water
Reduce the phosphorous concentrations in
Pokegama Lake
Reduce nuisance algae and invasive aquatic plant
growth in Cross Lake
Protect sinkholes from contamination
Future Projects
Pine Soil & Water Conservation District
The ‘Guide to Rural Living,’ produced
in 1999, was recently revised. The original guide was
intended to provide resource information to new landowners
with smaller parcels of land. The guide includes
a variety of topics such as land issues and zoning, wetland
and wildlife management, small acreage farming
and living in rural areas among many others. A resource
directory is included, which features an extensive list
and contact information for many federal, state and local
public service agencies, educational resources and more.
The guide is available on CD for $5 or can be accessible
on-line for free at www.extension.umn.edu/ruralliving
Clean Water Legacy Project - Nordrum Dairy
nutrient management – CWL funds will be used to
complete Phase I (sediment basin and fi lter strip) for
a dairy operation in the Snake River Watershed. CWL
funds will cost-share at 25 percent in addition to NRCS
EQIP dollars at 50 percent.
Nelson nutrient management – A Feedlot Water Quality
Grant was received for this applicant for installation of a
fi lter strip and stacking slab for his beef operation. These
funds will cost-share at approximately 25 percent in addition
to NRCS EQIP dollars at approximately 50 percent.
Grindstone River Water Monitoring – A water monitoring
project has just begun on the Grindstone River, which
is on the MPCA Impaired Waters List. This preliminary
monitoring will provide data that can be used for a TMDL
(Total Maximum Daily Load) study when funding becomes
available for this area. Monitoring data being collected are
solids, phosphorous, chloride, E-coli, and nitrogen. A River
Watch Program is also planned to be initiated by possibly
using local high school students to do monitoring.
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