Conservation Corps of Minnesota and Iowa Work Crew: Erosion Control Projects at Timber Bay Camp

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1 Conservation Corps of Minnesota and Iowa Work Crew: Erosion Control Projects at Timber Bay Camp Project Status: Initiated 8/31/17 Project approved: 4/17/18 Completed 6/8/18 Funding: CCMI Crew Josh, Austin and Tom On June 4-8, 2018 a CCMI crew worked at Timber Bay Camp to do maintenance work to existing shoreland planting projects. This included the removal of introduced non-native species and planting native species to prevent erosion in a forested area. The MLLWMG partnered with Timber Bay in 2012 and 2013 to replace turf grass along shoreland areas with native plants to capture, absorb and filter storm water runoff. Native plants were installed in shoreland areas with bare soil to prevent further erosion of soils. Some of these areas had become infested with turf grass and Reed Canary Grass. The CCMI crew dug out the non-native invasive species and replanted these areas with additional native plants Clean Water Fund Grant to cover the costs associated with hiring a CCMI Youth Crew for two weeks. Landowner contribution: Timber Bay will provide a camping space with restroom facilities and firewood. Timber Bay staff will supervise the crew and work alongside them. MLLWMG CWP14 Grant: $1,125 for native vegetation plants Cost of project: $1,500 Resource Concern: This project will reduce sediment transport into Whitefish Lake in the Mille Lacs Lake Watershed. Mille Lacs SWCD Aitkin SWCD Mille Lacs lake Watershed Management Group Timber Bay Camp Location: Timber Bay Camp Woodland Road, Onamia Watershed: Mille Lacs Lake Mille Lacs Soil & Water Conservation District 2017

2 Unused Well Sealing at th Street, Milaca, MN Landowner: Tim Klofstad Project Status: Initiated: Contract approved: Completed: Funding: Total cost: $1, Implementation assistance: $ State Cost Share FY16 and FY17 and SWCD Capacity Fund FY16 Landowner cost: $ This well was loosely covered with broken concrete Resource Concern: Groundwater protection. This project sealed a well at th Ave in Borgholm Township. This was a large hand dug well located in an old well house which was filled with debris. The well was loosely covered with broken pieces of concrete. An unused, unsealed well provides an open channel between the surface and groundwater, allowing polluted surface water to reach an uncontaminated aquifer. Mille Lacs Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) Funder: Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) Landowner: Tim Kofstad Contractor: Sealed well in Borgholm Township Able Well Inc. Elk River, MN Location: Rum River Watershed

3 Ag Best Management Practices Loan Application Agriculture Best Management Practices (Ag BMP) Loan Program The Ag BMP Loan Program is administered through the MN Dept. of Ag to provide low interest loans to land owners for water quality improvement projects. Brookview Winery in Bogus Brook watershed The well supplying drinking water to the home and water to the winery has a great deal of sediment in it. The landowner wants to drill a new well to provide safe clean water to make wine for his onsite business and for his home. This well does not meet current MN Department of Health well construction standards. Sediment in the well water indicates a cracked well casing. Available Funds Deanna Pomije, local Ag BMP program coordinator, states there is sufficient funds available to Mille Lacs, Pine, Isanti, Aitkin and Kanabec SWCDs for this Ag BMP Loan. Pollution Reduction Up-grading this drinking water well will provide safe, clean drinking water for the home and commercial winery. Resource Concern Excess sediment in well water. SWCD Loan Approval: Approved by SWCD. Lender Loan Approval: This loan was denied by the lender. Location of project in the Bogus Brook Watershed

4 Unused Well Sealing at th Street, Milaca, MN Landowner: Arlyn Wall Project Status: Initiated: Contract approved: Completed: Funding: Well sealed on Total cost of well abandonment: $ Implementation assistance: $200 SWCD Capacity Fund FY16 Landowner cost: $ Resource Concern: Groundwater protection This project will sealed a well at th Street in Bogus Brook Township. This well was originally installed in the 1970 s and while it meets the standards for that time, it did not meet modern well construction standards. In addition, this well produced water that was full of sediment, indicating a cracked casing, The landowner has drilled a new well to replace the abandoned well. An unused, unsealed well provides an open channel between the surface and groundwater, potentially allowing polluted surface water to reach an uncontaminated aquifer. Mille Lacs Soil and Water Conservation District Funder: Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources Landowner: Arlyn Wall Contractor: Traut Companies Waite Park, MN Location: This well in Bogus Brook Township will be abandoned due to sediment which is likely caused by a cracked casing. Bogus Brook Watershed

5 Ag Best Management Practices Loan Application Agriculture Best Management Practices (Ag BMP) Loan Program The Ag BMP Loan Program is administered through the MN Dept. of Ag to provide low interest loans to land owners for water quality improvement projects. Property at th Ave, Princeton, MN This landowner is applying for an Ag BMP Loan to up-grade his septic system. This house was built in 1976 and the septic system likely dates from the same time. Using BWSR s Onsite Sewage Treatment Program Septic System Improvement Estimator, it has been determined that up-grading this septic system will result in reductions of Total Suspended Solids, Phosphorus, Nitrogen, Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and bacteria measured as Fecal Coliform. Available Funds Deanna Pomije, local Ag BMP program coordinator, states there is sufficient funds available to Mille Lacs, Pine, Isanti, Aitkin and Kanabec SWCDs for Ag BMP Loans. Pollution Reduction Up-grading this non-compliant septic system will prevent untreated wastewater from contaminating nearby wells, groundwater and drinking water sources. Resource Concern Non-compliant septic systems contribute to the pollution of groundwater. All residents of Mille Lacs County get their drinking water from groundwater wells. Loan Approval: Approved by SWCD. Location of project in Unknown DNR Minor Watershed east of Rum River watershed.

6 BWSR Academy 2018 Professional Development Training Ms. Maslowski had a great experience at BWSR Academy and took away valuable information that will help in her Watershed Coordinator position. This information included effective communication with landowners and partners, outreach strategies, and how to have successful and effective meetings. The classes she attended provided her with strategy for communication in areas of difficult conversations and complex topics. These strategies aid in building trust, credibility, and positive relationships. Classes addressed understanding the community and getting conservation concepts across in a way that makes stronger connections with the values of the landowner. Classes offered insightful ways to facilitate a meeting with successful outcomes. This will be valuable in her role as Mille Lacs Lake Watershed Management Group (MLLWMG) organizer and as the SWCD enters into comprehensive watershed management planning. She found value in making network contacts with whom she can exchange outreach ideas with in the future. Ms. Kuchenbaker attended classes pertaining to finances, outreach, and policies. She attended two sessions on how to track grants using QuickBooks. She learned a few tricks and it grew her confidence on how to use QuickBooks effectively. She enjoyed meeting with other administrative staff to discussed what they are doing in their offices, what works and does not work. The networking before and after class is beneficial. Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) Academy Goal: To provide high quality training for local government staff that maintains and improves the delivery of conservation work and meets the shared expectations of BWSR and local resource management boards. The first priority is offering training sessions that improve the technical skills and administrative expertise that are useful in implementing BWSRsponsored programs or those activities that are directly related to BWSR programs. Held: October at Breezy Point Resort. All SWCD staff attended the three day training. The academy offers six training skills: Organizational Capacity, Technical, Outreach, Programs, Basics, and Workshops. Each staff attended nine different trainings over three days. Harmony Maslowski, Casey Field, Susan Shaw, Lynn Gallice, Maggie Kuchenbaker

7 Mr. Field attended sessions in areas including: how to work with landowners, agricultural economics, outreach, and technical practices. Building positive relationships with landowners is the most important way to build trust and get conservation on the ground. It is important to know the economics of farming and how that effects conservation efforts. The importance of outreach with social media will continue to grow as younger farmers start taking over family run farms. Technical sessions are important to stay up to date with best management practices to put the best project on the ground for any particular landowner and their unique situations. Ms. Gallice attended a two part class on stormwater management that provided information, references, terms, and modeling programs that will enable her to better communicate water quality standards with communities and engineers when designing stormwater control BMPs in urban settings. Classes on groundwater introduced her to the Groundwater Restoration and Protection Strategy (GRAPS), a report for watershed that translates ongoing groundwater and drinking water programs and data to the watershed scale and works with multiple agencies to develop strategies to integrate this information into local water management plans. Groundwater classes also provided useful information on how and why water moves through subsurface geology. Ms. Gallice learned of new resources for choosing appropriate native vegetation for projects as well as tips for working in small communities. She also represented Area 3 at the Annual Minnesota Association of Conservation District Employees (MACDE) business meeting and hosted a social networking event that was very well attended. Ms. Shaw attended trainings that included budgeting and preparing financial statements. Templates were provided to display financial trends using excel tables and graphs. It was suggested that boards consider establishing an unrestricted fund balance target. Of additional value was training provided by MCIT and the Sherburne County Attorney on navigating MOUs and Joint Powers Agreements such as will be needed for One Watershed One Plan (1W1P). Last but not least was ongoing training for personnel management. Recommendations included personnel policies and new hire practices. Jill Carlier, Pine SWCD Jacque Kelzenberg, Kanabec SWCD Maggie Kuchenbaker,Mille Lacs SWCD Susan Shaw, Mille Lacs SWCD Casey Field, Mille Lacs SWCD

8 2018 Compass Shoreland Stewardship Plan Development Resource Concern: This project will reduce nutrient and sediment transport into Mille Lacs Lake. Mille Lacs SWCD Location of 2018 Compass Shoreland Stewardship Plans : A shoreland technician visited with five landowners in 2018 to discover what actions they can take on their shoreland to protect water quality in Mille Lacs Lake. Five individualized shoreland stewardship plans were developed from these visits. The technician and landowner reviewed the finished plans together to see what BMPs the landowner would like to tackle. Each stewardship plan address erosion, stormwater run off, habitat loss and AIS prevention. Each plan is tailored to the individual landowners situation and goals. BMPs are chosen where Compass water quality goals find common ground with landowner goals. Discussing erosion control on the Mille Lacs shore with a landowner. Native plants can be planted into existing rock to stop erosion and provide habitat. Mille Lacs Lake Watershed Management Group (MLLWMG) Landowners in the Mille Lacs Lake Watershed Terms: BMP Best Management Practice, describes acceptable practices that could be implemented to protect water quality. For example, a native plant shoreline buffer or a rain barrel. Shoreline stewardship plans address erosion, run off and lack of habitat that result from shorelines with rip-rap and turf grass.

9 Conservation Awareness Day 2018 The Mille Lacs Soil and Water Conservation District held its annual Conservation Awareness Day on May 16 at Rec Park in Milaca. Nearly 300 students from Milaca Elementary, Princeton Elementary, Nyquist Elementary in Isle and Nay-Ah-Shing Schools in Onamia participated in the event. Students traveled around the park to stations staffed by 12 area conservation professionals who gave 15 minute presentations on various conservation subjects. Event Objective: Conservation Awareness Day introduces students to the idea that protection of natural resources is important for everyone in a community and demonstrates how community members are working to protect natural resources. The event engages students in a variety of conservation concepts and shows them how they can participate in protection of our natural resources. Funding: General Operational Funding Attendance: 300 middle school students, 12 conservation agency/group volunteer presenters and 3 Future Farmers of America (FFA) volunteers from Milaca High School. Host: Mille Lacs SWCD Volunteers: FFA Volunteers SWCD Board Members: Jake Janski Kathy Stoeckel Kurt Beckstrom Jessamyn Foley, MN DNR Roxanne Gerads, Jim s Mille Lacs Disposal Eric Altena, MN DNR Mitch Lundeen, SWCD Forester Bre Bauerly, Minnesota Native Landscapes Robin Delong, Sherburne Wildlife Refuge Stephanie Reynolds, Mille Lacs County Environmental Services Diane Hamann, Master Gardener Carl Klimah s Assistant, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe NDRE Kelly Applegate, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe NDRE Shelley Larson, Hayland Wood Native Nursery Dave Totzke, National Turkey Federation FFA Members Location: Recreation Park, Milaca, MN