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

AFTER BEFORE
Pictured: Streambank restoration project along the
Buffalo River.
Severe streambank erosion was repaired
along a stretch of the Buffalo River that runs through the city
of Hawley’s public golf course. Numerous fl ood events were
undercutting the river bank along this sharp bend in the Buffalo
River. A 12-foot vertical bank was formed. A series of six stream
barbs, using up to 12-inch diameter rocks, were strategically
placed to steer the river’s current away from the outer bend of the
river and direct its energy towards the center of the stream. This
project also involved the use of shaping, seeding, and mulching
the river bank. Once established, the grass seeding will provide
the reinforcement needed to sustain long-term soil protection.
The SWCD’s two No-Till Drills have
been used to plant over 26,000 acres since 1993. To educate
landowners to the benefi ts of using reduced tillage in their
farming operation, the Clay SWCD purchased the drills
and rent them out to interested farmers. Through 2007, 24
farmers have taken advantage of the Ag BMP Low Interest
Loan Program and purchased their own no-till drills after
renting the SWCD’s drills.
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Monitoring / Research $4,127
Education / Outreach $37,142
Wetland Conservation Act $49,523
Cost Share / project construction,
implementation and maintenance
$127,934
Planning/ other local water management duties $76,836
Conservation easement funding / assistance $24,761
Programs and Operations $92,367
Total $412,690
Water Quality
Natural Resource Enhancement & Protection
Erosion
Flood Damage Reduction
Restore Water Quality & Reduce Sedimentation
in the Wolverton Creek/Comstock Coulee
Future Projects
Clay Soil & Water Conservation District
2005 Expenditures by category
Top 5 Natural Resource Concerns
Whisky Creek Tributaries Water Resource Management
Project (2006 MAWD Project of the Year): The
Buffalo Red River Watershed District Mediation Project
Team spearheaded this project, which features a multifaceted
approach to achieve fl ood damage reduction and
natural resource enhancement, including fl ood water
retention through an impoundment, stream channel
restoration, set-back levees, ring dikes for key homes,
buffer strips and two large wetland restorations. The
SWCD is working with landowners in the impoundment
area to enroll over 120 acres of CREP II easements.
Wolverton Creek Watershed Sedimentation Reduction
Clean Water Legacy Project: The Clay SWCD
recently partnered with the Wilkin SWCD to secure
$289,000 to address the water resource needs of the
Wolverton Creek Watershed. These funds will be
used in conjunction with existing programs to address
erosion, sedimentation and fl ood damage reduction
by establishing buffer and fi eld windbreaks, side inlet
pipes, grade stabilization, and outlet protection.
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