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1 Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation District News & Notes Volume 32, Number 1, Spring/Summer 2013 To sign up for ed notification when the SWCD newsletter is available online, visit From Drenched to Dry to Snowy Spring Minnesota Weather Keeps Us on Our Toes Are You Planning Ahead? Record flooding in southeast Dakota County last June brought a big set of challenges and extra work to farmers, road maintenance crews, the Dakota County Parks Department, and others. Parts of the County received over 17 inches of rain in one week resulting in numerous new gullies in fields, washed out roads, destroyed grassed waterways, and torn up streambanks. Flood relief funding is coming from a variety of government sources including the State of Minnesota, Federal funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the USDA s Natural Resource Conservation Service, and local funding from the Metro Conservation District Non-Point Engineering Assistance Program and Dakota County. This funding is used to repair damaged waterways, streambanks, and water and sediment control basins, and install new practices where needed. Despite the June floods, the rest of last summer and fall saw very few rainy days and storms, contributing to drought conditions and more challenges. Although Minnesota escaped the most severe drought conditions seen in other areas of the country, the state s drought situation is the result of abnormally dry weather that began in fall For southeast Dakota County, the long dry spell was interrupted by last June s floods, only to have summer and fall 2012 precipitation shortfalls downgrade the situation again. While Mother Nature forced patience upon us in waiting for spring, there is upside to the long, cold, snowy winter: drought conditions have eased. Snow, slush and rain totals exceeded historical averages in our area and soil moistures are near normal, especially in southern Dakota County. However, as reported by the Minnesota Climatology Working Group, when the soils thaw completely, the dry plant rooting zone will claim "first mortgage" on water infiltration. This means that spring recharge of aquifers will be less than typically expected. Water table well levels, and base flow to surface water systems, will be slow to react. In other words, there is more catching up to do! Conservation practices can help keep a balance to your land, despite dramatic swings in the weather. Well-designed waterways and control structures keep critical soil on the fields, even during big rains. Residue management, cover crops, and no-till farming can reduce soil erosion and help conserve soil moisture when dry weather hits. And, irrigation water management can conserve groundwater supplies. See page 5 for examples of two of these practices or contact the SWCD office to learn about financial and technical assistance.

2 News & Notes A semi-annual publication of the Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation District th St. West Suite 102 Farmington, MN Ph: ; Fax: Board of Supervisors Joseph Meyers, Chair Chris Nielsen, Vice Chair Laura Zanmiller, Secretary Kevin Chamberlain, Treasurer Marian Brown, Public Relations and Information Officer District Staff Brian Watson, District Manager & Wetland Specialist Lana Rotty, Finance and Accounting Specialist Jim Davidson, Senior Urban Conservationist Brad Becker, Senior Resource Conservationist Laura Jester, Watershed Conservationist Todd Matzke, Resource Conservationist David Holmen, Resource Conservationist and Information Technology Specialist Mike Isensee, Urban Conservationist Jessica Van Der Werff, Water Resource Specialist Curt Coudron, Resource Conservationist Assisted by USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Michelle Wohlers, District Conservationist Matthew Schaar, Soil Conservation Technician Lucas Altwegg, Soil Conservation Technician Last December, the SWCD was awarded two Clean Water Fund grants from the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources totaling $400,000. This funding will allow the SWCD to continue two of its most successful cost share funding programs: the Community Conservation Partnership and the Conservation Initiative Funding Program. This is the third time the SWCD s Community Conservation Partnership has received grant funding. Through this program, the SWCD partners with local governments - like cities, townships, and the County - to retrofit best management practices (BMPs) in already developed areas. The grant funding is used to offset (or share) the cost of the project and also pays for the SWCD s technical assistance on the project. This year, the SWCD is working with several cities to design and install projects that will reduce runoff pollutants like phosphorus and sediment from reaching our water resources. The Conservation Initiative Funding Program has also received grant funding in the past. This program supports medium-sized conservation practices on commercial or multiple properties by providing technical and cost share assistance. Depending on project ranking and the availability of funding, cost share amounts up to $25,000 may be approved to reimburse the applicant up to 65% of the actual project cost. This program is designed to help property owners like churches, school organizations, and homeowners associations install BMPs on their property. Examples of projects include large raingardens, shoreline stabilization, and bioretention cells. Projects are ranked on a variety of features including water quality improvement, benefits to water bodies, habitat improvement, collaboration with others, and public outreach efforts. Contact the SWCD office if your organization is interested in learning more. The Dakota County SWCD Board of Supervisors meets on the first Thursday of every month at 8:30 a.m. Meeting times are subject to change. Visit for complete information. All programs and services of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Dakota County SWCD are offered on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sec, age, marital status, or handicap.

3 A Hearty Welcome to Three Newcomers! The SWCD is proud to welcome two new Supervisors, Marian Brown and Laura Zanmiller; and a new staff member, Jessica Van Der Werff. At the SWCD Board of Supervisors meeting on January 3 rd, newly elected officers Laura Zanmiller and Marian Brown took the oath of office. Re-elected Supervisors Joseph Meyers and Chris Nielsen also renewed their oaths. Supervisor Laura Zanmiller says she ran for the Supervisor position because of her interest in improving the environment and her love for the outdoors. Laura says she hopes to engage others in environmental stewardship because individuals can and do make a difference. Laura has lived in Dakota County since 1997 and has worked as a probation officer for the last 18 years. She has a degree in Sociology of Law, Criminology, and Deviance. Laura s primary hobby and passion is gardening. I started gardening when I moved into my home in I put in a rain garden with the help of the Blue Thumb program two years ago and have been moving toward planting native species, says Laura. She also loves camping, hiking, fishing, and all things outdoors. This is Supervisor Marian Brown s second time as a Dakota County SWCD Supervisor. She also served as a Supervisor from 2005 to Marian remembers her father buying tree seedlings from the SWCD when her family lived on 40 acres on Cedar Ave in the 1950 s, one reason she was drawn to run for SWCD Supervisor. Marian received a degree in home economics and a Master s degree in liberal studies from the University of Minnesota and Hamline University, respectively. She s held a variety of interesting jobs over the years including rural high school teacher and epidemiology research assistant. She is very active in her church and in her community. Last year she was honored with an award and banquet for her 50-years of volunteering with the 4-H organization. A note from Jessica: Hello! I am excited to be a part of Dakota County SWCD as the new Water Resource Specialist. In mid-march I joined the team and immediately began coordinating for the full monitoring season ahead. My experience with water resources spans the spectrum of land uses, from the urban Minneapolis Chain of Lakes to the rural Cannon River watershed a mix which describes Dakota County quite well. While working as the Water Monitoring Program Coordinator at Cannon River Watershed Partnership, I focused mainly on stream assessment. Prior to that, I had studied nutrient cycling in lakes and earned a Master of Science in Water Resources Science from the University of Minnesota. I am excited to get back into working with both in a County rich with streams, rivers, and lakes. Thank you for the warm welcome I ve received so far. I look forward to working with my peers throughout the state to better understand and manage Dakota County s soil and water resources!

4 Wetland Laws Apply to Everyone! Photo by George Jett Spring is finally here! As the weather warms many folks get started on that longplanned outdoor improvement project. If you are planning a project that requires excavating, moving or filling soil on your property, first check with the SWCD office to ensure wetlands are not present in the affected area. Although once thought to be a nuisance, wetlands are important natural features that slow and soak up flood waters, provide habitat for birds and wildlife, and recharge groundwater aquifers. Wetlands are protected under the Wetland Conservation Act (WCA) in Minnesota and your activity may require a state permit. Landowners and contractors are responsible for obtaining proper permits and approvals before working in a wetland. Always check with your city or township, since local ordinances may also apply. Common projects that may require a review and approval include drainage tile installations, ditch construction or maintenance, development of access roads, and excavations of wildlife ponds. If you plan to work in or near a wetland within a township, contact our office at (651) to discuss your proposed work. For tiling and ditching projects, you may also need to contact the USDA office to determine Federal Farm Bill compliance. If you are located within the municipal boundaries of a city, contact your city hall. Soil and Water Conservation Districts across the State often assist local units of government with implementing the WCA. At the Dakota County SWCD, our goal is to meet the requirements of the WCA, avoid delays in permitting, and decrease the instances of unpermitted or noncompliant activities. Funds Available to Restore Wetlands The SCWD can help restore your wetlands! There are a number of funding options available to landowners to restore wetlands and develop conservation easements on private property. In fact, restorations can be used to generate wetland credit that can be purchased by other land developers to offset wetland impacts at another location. This practice of wetland banking gives landowners flexibility in determining their risk level and payment amounts for the wetland credits restored. To be eligible for funding under a wetland restoration option, a previous wetland needs to have been effectively drained or an existing wetland needs to have been hydraulically degraded. Additionally, there can be no issues regarding legal ownership, no conflicting easements, and the wetland must be restored without affecting adjacent lands. Interested landowners should contact the SWCD office to determine if a site is a good fit for the wetland restoration program and to evaluate various funding options. The SWCD will work with landowners to complete necessary application materials.

5 Cover Crops Provide Multiple Benefits Photo: Mark Zumwinkle, MDA Cover crops are grasses, legumes or forbs planted to provide seasonal soil cover on cropland when the soil would otherwise be bare; before crops emerge or after they re harvested. Cover crops are planted in addition to a producer s typical crops. They can improve soil quality, boost soil fertility, conserve soil moisture, reduce soil runoff and improve pest management. In addition to their agronomic benefits, cover crops can also provide water quality benefits and critical protection to exposed soils after harvest. In Dakota County, where canning crops are relatively popular, cover crops can help shield the soil from erosion after the initial crop is removed. Canning crops are usually harvested much earlier than traditional crops like corn and soybeans, and typically leave little residue on the land. This early harvest and lack of residue can leave soils exposed for long periods of time - sometimes from July until the following spring when a fresh crop is planted. A cover crop can provide a low-cost option to protect the land during this time and can provide multiple secondary benefits for soil health. Common cover crops include oats, barley, rye, red and white clover, and tillage radishes. Federal programs exist for helping producers establish cover crops on their farms. For more information on cover crops feel free to contact the USDA or SWCD office. Controlling Erosion Protecting Field and Stream After years of heavy rains and annual snowmelts, eroding gullies require constant attention or they will continue to grow, eating up cropland and sending sediment and nutrients into streams. For one producer in Vermillion Township, the rains of last June were the last straw he sought assistance from the SWCD to permanently eliminate the gullies and stabilize his field. It wasn t easy, however. The field s extremely sandy soils, the cropping system in place, and the location directly adjacent to the Vermillion River offered challenging obstacles to finding a workable solution. The SWCD worked with the producer to design a project that would protect the site from erosion but also accommodate the field s center-pivot irrigation system. The fix involved a combination of practices. The steepest hillside was planted with native prairie vegetation, stabilizing the steep slopes and providing wildlife habitat while allowing the irrigator to travel over the area without obstruction. A 400-foot grassed waterway was also established to eliminate a gully that was persistent over the years but greatly expanded after last June s rain. A portion of the project was funded through a special appropriation from the State to repair damage caused by that storm, and the producer picked up the balance of the project cost. This project is estimated to stop significant amounts of sediment and phosphorus from leaving the land and entering the Vermillion River every year. Before After

6 Creating Baselines and Tracking Trends Last year, SWCD staff collected 239 water samples from 12 stream and river sites and 4 lake sites. This monitoring was done on behalf of (and with funding from) numerous partners including the Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Organization, the North Cannon River Watershed Management Organization, the City of Inver Grove Heights, and the Metropolitan Council. Water monitoring offers a way to track changes in water quality over time and can help resource managers prioritize areas in need of conservation practices. So what do the latest results tell us? The 2012 monitoring season was characterized by drought conditions with a few significant rain events in mid-may and mid-june. When flows are low, water tends to be warmer and contain more nitrate; when flows are high, runoff from the land brings E. coli bacteria, phosphorus, and sediment into streams, rivers and lakes. The data, which include both low and high flow conditions, suggests that E. coli bacteria (an indicator of disease-causing pathogens) and turbidity (cloudy water) are still above threshold values in the Vermillion River. Low dissolved oxygen levels and high waters temperatures, both factors that can stress trout populations, were also measured at many points along the Vermillion River. In Chub Creek, turbidity and suspended sediment levels were within an acceptable range which boosts the overall stream health; however, the trend of high nitrate and high E. coli bacteria continues. Dakota County Extension and Conservation Center th St. W. Suite 102 Farmington, MN 55024