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

Pictured: This 50-plus -acre wetland enhancement was
completed in the fall of 2006. The wetland is home to a
nesting pair of Trumpeter Swans along with many other wildlife
species. In the background is a newly planted native grass
fi eld and tree planting enrolled into the Conservation Reserve
Program in 2006. This is one of two 2006 General CRP
contracts on this wetland. Partners include Pheasants Forever,
USFWS, IMPACK6, NRCS, and the DNR.
A streambank stabilization and rain garden
project was completed by the SWCD and partners on the Sunrise
River. The streambank was stabilized using cedar reventments,
native plants and installing a series of rain gardens that
collect, treat and slow down the runoff before it reaches the
newly stabilized and vegetated slope. Partners included U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, USDA Natural Resources Conservation
Service, and the IMPACK 6 Joint Powers Board.
A Wetland Restoration/Native Grass
planting project was completed on the property of three
neighboring landowners. The project required two Conservation
Reserve Program native grass plantings (24 acres of
native grasses were established) and one 50-acre wetland
restoration. Partners included Pheasants Forever, USFWS,
NRCS, FSA, MN DNR and the IMPACK 6 JPB.
A vegetative fi lter strip and other best management
practices recently were established at a local dairy
farm. Utilizing a combination of State Cost-Share, Feedlot
Water Quality Management Grant, and EQIP funds, the
SWCD installed the fi lter strip along 1/2 mile of shoreline, a
520,000-gallon manure storage facility, and an earthen berm
and fi lter strip to capture and treat all feedlot runoff. The
dairy now implements nutrient and pest management plans.
Partners included USDA NRCS and the IMPACK 6 JPB.
Chisago Soil & Water Conservation District
The SWCD provides a staff forester
to assist landowners with management of their forestry
resources. Programs include forest stewardship plans,
technical and fi nancial assistance for the control of oak
wilt and other shade tree pest, and a spring tree and shrub
sale. Partners include the Minnesota DNR.
Water Quality Monitoring is done by
SWCD staff on six streams in Chisago County. The
SWCD collects water quality data at nine sampling locations,
keeps the data locally and makes it available to the
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to assess the health
of local streams. Partners include Chisago County, the
Minnesota DNR and the MPCA.
Top 5 Natural Resource Concerns
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Protecting/Restoring Water Quality in the St.
Croix River
Promote Environmentally Sound Land Practices
Lakeshore/Streambank Restoration/Preservation
Protection of Ag Base/Open Space Land
General Public Awareness of SWCD Programs
Future Projects
North Branch of the Sunrise River fecal coliform
reduction project -- In 1998 the MPCA listed the
North Branch of the Sunrise River as an impaired water
due to elevated levels of fecal coliform. In 2006,
Clean Water Legacy funds were received by Chisago
County which will allow the Chisago SWCD to work
with rural landowners to promote and install best
management practices on their property, which will
reduce fecal coliform runoff into the North Branch of
the Sunrise River.
Renewable energy study -- The Chisago SWCD
will be assisting Chisago County with a state funded
feasibility study of the economic and technical viability
of developing a multistream renewable energy
biofuels demonstration facility in Chisago, Isanti, or
Pine County. A fi nal report is due to the Legislature
no later than February 1, 2009.
29