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

Pictured: This photo of a feedlot runoff control system was
taken after a 17-inch rainfall.
A runoff control system was designed to control
the release of liquids and solids by means of a picket fence and
a buffer area to effect adequate treatment of feedlot effl uent on
a local farm (pictured). A curb wall was constructed to direct
liquids through the picket fence where most of the solids are
collected. Liquids then enter a rock level spreader where more
solids are collected, and the remainder of the liquids are spread
out and enter the buffer at a level sheet. A milk house waste
irrigation system was also installed, with two irrigation zones
to alternate infi ltration areas. This project is a design from the
University of Minnesota.
A project to stabilize a closed landfi ll
site was completed by the SWCD working with Winona
County Environmental Services. The project area was about
30 acres, and it involved installation of numerous structures
including rock chutes, water and sediment control structures,
diversions, and fi nal vegetative cover of native prairie. The
SWCD was also involved with the stabilization of the landfi ll
site during the recent cell replacement project, and another
25-acre restoration project was completed in the fall of 2007.
A project to fi lter milk house waste
was developed by the SWCD, University of Minn.
Extension and MPCA. This demonstration project included
experimental practices like bark bed fi ltration of waste, and
a sprinkler system to distribute waste evenly across crop
ground according to soil type. This project resulted in being
a component of the cost-share program through EQIP.
Top 5 Natural Resource Concerns
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Winona Soil & Water Conservation District
Erosion from wind and water on steep slopes
Sedimentation that adversely affects water resources
from a quality and quantity perspective
Feedlots in high priority areas within 300 feet
from a water resource or sinkhole
Promoting soil and water conservation and
environmental protection through landowner
assistance
Coordinating public and private efforts by
serving as a forum on natural resource issues
Future Projects
Prairie Sustainable Bionergy Project: Winona
County has a unique opportunity to be a distributor
of energy from biomass. Eric Kreidermacher owns
Pork and Plants nursery in the Whitewater watershed
in Winona County. He currently uses 20,000 bushels
of corn to burn in his boiler to keep the greenhouses
heated. Because of the high cost of corn and input
costs, he researched another source of fuel to heat
his greenhouses. He chose to grow perennial native
grasses on marginal and prime farmland to reduce his
dependence on high-input corn. He has planted and
harvested the native grasses on his land, pelletized
them, and now burns them in his boiler to heat his
greenhouses. A biofuel committee was formed by
the Winona SWCD to help expand this project. The
committee is seeking grants to study the effects of
this project on wildlife habitat, soil, and economics.
Eric and the Winona SWCD see this project as an
opportunity to start small; have research completed
by Winona State University to answer many different
questions; and then potentially develop contracts
with electrical energy producers to supply those
companies with perennial biomass as an alternative
fuel for electrical generation. This will be the pilot
project for larger alternative energy production in
Winona County, and be a demonstration area for the
rest of the state to follow.
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