Watershed Achievements Report
wq-cwp8-18
wq-cwp8-18
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
Minnesota River Basin <strong>Watershed</strong> <strong>Achievements</strong> <strong>Report</strong> 2015<br />
9. Permanent easements are a difficult sell.<br />
10. Interest in filter strips dropped off as commodity<br />
prices increased.<br />
11. Requiring escrows from the land owners helped<br />
make sure they followed through on applications and<br />
that the SWCDs did not spend a lot of time designing<br />
only to have the application canceled. We only had<br />
three cancellations over the course of the project.<br />
12. Staff time providing technical assistance was critical<br />
and was an additional project cost of about 35% to<br />
50% (as a percentage of the BMPs).<br />
13. Encumber the dollars early so that the last year of the<br />
project is spent finishing projects.<br />
14. Over-encumber some of the dollars in anticipation<br />
that some of the applicants will not get their practices<br />
completed. The Scott WMO could do this since the<br />
grant was not the only source of funding for the<br />
Technical Assistance and Cost Share (TACS) program<br />
and therefore could still fund all the projects even if<br />
they all finished on time – otherwise there is a risk.<br />
The partners are appreciative of the support provided<br />
by the USEPA and MPCA through the grant. The only<br />
suggestions we have for improving the program are:<br />
1. To review the grant contract language from<br />
the perspective of the receiving local unit of<br />
government. The language is a little one sided<br />
toward the agencies when the grant recipient is<br />
providing 45% to 50% of the project cost. Should<br />
reflect more of a partnership.<br />
2. Keep the same reporting form every year. Having<br />
to use a new form every year requires unproductive<br />
time to populate repeat information.<br />
Financial information<br />
Funding type: Section 319<br />
Grant amount: $489,765<br />
In-kind: $30,971<br />
Matching funds: $424,143<br />
Contact information<br />
Paul Nelson, Environmental Services Program Manager<br />
Scott County<br />
200 Fourth Avenue West<br />
Shakopee, MN 55379<br />
952-496-8054<br />
pnelson@co.scott.mn.us<br />
MPCA Project Manager: Chris Zadak<br />
After<br />
Before<br />
Maynard Schmidt, 27740 Keystone Lane, Belle Plaine, Minnesota<br />
– Grade Stabilization<br />
This project addressed a head cut of a large ravine in the Blakeley<br />
bluff area that was eroding due to runoff and groundwater<br />
seeps, and a cattle access lane. Multiple conservation practices<br />
including a water and sediment control basin, check dams,<br />
critical area shaping, subsurface drainage, livestock exclusion<br />
and water bars were installed to stabilize this site<br />
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency www.pca.state.mn.us 72