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

Pictured: This
streambank
stabilization
project repaired
a water body
that was sending
255 tons of soil
through erosion
each year into the
Minnesota River.
A streambank stabilization project
was constructed on a DNR public watercourse in Belle
Plaine Township that outlets directly into the Minnesota
River. The site was unstable and hazardous to farming
equipment; the banks were a vertical drop ranging up to
20 feet. This was causing a soil loss of about 255 tons
per year and 400 pounds of phosphorus per year. The
stream channel was stabilized through a series of six
weir dams and rock chutes. The banks were reshaped,
mulched, seeded to grasses to stabilize the side slopes.
The contractor who completed the project was Jeff
Klehr Construction, and the total project cost was
$79,400. Cost-Share Funds were provided by a
Metropolitan Environmental Partnership Grant and the
Environmental Quality Incentive Program.
The Scott SWCD hosts the NPEAP
for the Metro area. In 2007 the Scott SWCD secured 13
contracts to establish conservation protection projects
including six grade stabilization, seven streambank
Scott Soil & Water Conservation District
stabilization, one wetland restoration and one lakeshore
stabilization project totaling funds of $56,500. In the
past seven years the District has worked diligently to
administer this program for the seven metro area districts.
Top 5 Natural Resource Concerns
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Agricultural Land Management – Reduce soil
erosion (sheet, rill, wind, gully and streambank)
on agricultural land to recommended “T” value or
below
Surface Water Quality – Protect to the greatest
extent possible, all surface and groundwater
resources from soil erosion, sedimentation,
nutrient and chemical contamination
Storm Water/Flood Management – Encourage
coordination between cities and township with
implementation of the Scott WMO, Prior Lake
Spring Lake WD, and Vermillion River WMO
Comprehensive Water Resource Management
rules, on developing lands, which address storm
water and downstream assessment of water
conveyance systems
Wetland Management – Preserve, protect and
enhance areas to improve water quality, prevent
fl ooding and erosion from surface fl ows, protect
fi sh and wildlife habitat and promote groundwater
recharge
Urban Land Development – Encourage the
protection and preservation of prime and
important farmland and the reduction of soil
erosion (sheet, rill, wind, gully) from urban land
disturbing activities
Future Projects
Massive slope failures in Spring of 2006 and
2007 have resulted in an estimated 560 tons of
soil lost directly into Sand Creek. Unstable soils
are the primary cause of the failure. The proposed
corrective measures include stabilizing the hillside,
re-constructing the hillside in geo-grid layers, and
installing perimeter drains behind and under the
project area.
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