FARIBAULT COUNTY SWCD 2008 Annual Report

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2 FARIBAULT COUNTY SWCD 2008 Annual Report Throughout 2008, the Faribault County Soil and Water Conservation District, along with the Planning and Zoning Department, had many opportunities to assist the citizens of Faribault County in improving water quality, reducing soil erosion and enhancing wildlife habitat. This was accomplished through the promotion of new and existing programs; financial incentives, one on one working relationships, and education to landowners; and collaboration with multiple entities. The following report demonstrates the many activities that were completed during the past year. In addition to this report, the Faribault SWCD also reports to the Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) on state funding provided to the district, as well as funds received for the implementation of the Local Water Management Plan, which includes the Wetland Conservation Act (WCA), Shoreland, Subsurface Sewage Treatment Systems (SSTS), Feedlots, and State Cost Share. This is done through their reporting program, elink, which enables the state to efficientlymanageprogramsandmeasurepositiveadvances in water quality and soil conservation. The SWCD also reports annually to Faribault County on local funds received via the Joint Powers Agreement, to MPCA on the Urban Stormwater project, and Minnesota Department of Ag on the SRF program SWCD Staff: Manager/Water Plan Coordinator Michele Stindtman Assistant Manager Brandee Douglas Technician Shane Johnson Water Quality Technician Chad Viland Secretary Linda Berndt CWP Technician John Billings Urban Outreach Specialist JesiMatthew P&Z Administrator Bruce Blakesley 2008 SWCD Board: Don Ziegler Chairman Larry Wigern Vice Chairman Bill Anderson Secretary Jim Robertson Treasurer Jean Millmann P/R 2 The Faribault County SWCD holds its Board Meetings on the second Monday of every month at 8:30 a.m. in the SWCD office.

3 2008 SWCD PROGRAMS & SERVICES Cost Share is available for conservation practices Conservation Easements (CREP, RIM) Well Sealing limited cost share assistance is available State Revolving Fund (SRF) low interest loans are available for conservation tillage and manure handling equipment Wetland Conservation Act (WCA) technical assistance Tree Program services include ordering and planting Rain Gauge Network Frost Depth Gauge Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are utilized to provide landowners maps on drainage systems, aerial photography, soils, setbacks, etc. Crop Equivalent Ratings (CER) & Crop Productivity Index (CPI) Tile Camera is available for public and private tile Drainage System Inventory provides accurate county drainage maps and information to landowners Local Water Management Plan Citizen Stream Monitoring Program Outstanding Conservationist Award Small Community Stormwater Management Project Environmental Day Camp teaches Faribault County 5th graders about environmental topics through hands on learning opportunities Envirothon is an outdoor competition on nature and the environment held annually for 9th 12th graders Community Education is an opportunity for youth to spend the day exploring, experimenting, and investigating area lakes with the Ecology Bus Stewardship Program materials are offered annually to County Churches Students for Environmental Education in Schools (SEEDS) educate fellow students about environmental protection Classroom Education 2008 PLANNING & ZONING PROGRAMS: County Zoning Ordinance Subsurface Sewage Treatment Systems (SSTS) permitting, site & final inspections, maintenance, education County Septic Plan for all County nonshoreland residents Huntley Sewer Service District (SSD) Feedlot Officer provides permitting of new and existing feedlots, assistance filling out permit application materials Building Permits for all rural residents Ag / Weed Inspector Shoreland Ordinance Conditional Use / Variance 911 Addressing for any new rural site within the County Commercial & Non Commercial Applicator Tests 3

4 WATER QUALITY Surface Water Ground Water Lake Watershed Management Wastewater Non Point Source Pollution STORMWATER MANAGEMENT Urban Stormwater Urban Flood Damage Reduction DRAINAGE MANAGEMENT Drainage Management Agricultural Flood Damage Reduction EROSION CONTROL Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Bank and Shoreline Erosion Construction Site Erosion AGRICULTURE Animal Agriculture Manure Management Nutrient Management Planning 2008 Annual Report The outline of this plan directly reflects the Faribault County Local Water Management Plan, astheswcdisthe Water Plan Coordinator, and utilizes the plan for general operations and yearly planning. NATURAL RESOURCES Natural Resources 4

5 WATER QUALITY SURFACE WATER Developed 2008 Inventory of Impaired Waters Map for Faribault County Updated PWI and TMDL web pages on the SWCD website Recruited 3 additional volunteers for 2 sites to expand the CSMP network to 11 sites Developed and distributed 2007 Faribault County CSMP Year in Review Newsletter Monitor station through Blue Earth River Clean Water Partnership on Center Creek Entered required monitoring station data into STORET GROUND WATER Cost shared well sealing projects totaling $1, Isolation distances for a water supply well updated on permit forms and Faribault SWCD website LAKE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT Sediment Holding Pond installed prior to discharge into Minnesota Lake Assisted Minnesota Lake in preparing and receiving DNR Shoreland Habitat Grant for the Old Mill Pond Installation of sediment holding pond in conjunction with street reconstruction project in Minnesota Lake 5

6 WASTEWATER Staff 2 Certified Inspectors Notified 245 homeowners on the Faribault County 12 Year Septic Plan Mailed 150 pumping notifications with Septic Pumping and Maintenance Newsletters Issued 100 permits for SSTS installation Completed 350 site visits for SSTS installations Completed final in home inspections for Huntley Active participant in the Huntley Sewer Service District Completed contract with Walters for technical assistance Completed 48 connection inspections for Walters Applied for grant funding for SSTS upgrades in Guckeen Held 2008 Contractor Meeting/Training 28 attendees Coordinated local Pipelayer Certification Class in Blue Earth 55 attendees Enforce Faribault County SSTS Ordinance Update SSTS inventory and pumping records Work with homeowners on property transfer and building permit upgrade requirements Serve on Technical Advisory Panel (TAP) 6

7 NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION Continued promotion and implementation of Best Management Practices through new & existing programs Attended Lake Pepin TMDL Annual Conference in Mankato Involved with Blue Earth River Basin Turbidity TMDL Continued involvement in TMDL projects with the Greater Blue Earth River Basin Alliance (GBERBA) Involved with Blue Earth River Basin Fecal Coliform TMDL Implementation Plan Involved with Minnesota River DO TMDL Implementation Plan 7

8 STORMWATER MANAGEMENT URBAN STORMWATER Continue to employ Urban Outreach Specialist to work with 11 communities providing stormwater education and outreach Continue to update Urban Stormwater Project webpage on the SWCD website Attended city meetings throughout Faribault County Developed brochures, poster campaign, presentations and curriculum available for download for communities to customize to their educational needs Conducted classroom hands on activity with BEA High School students where students reported findings to the School Board Created stormwater/shoreland display for Minnesota Lake FestAg Planned and attended metro stormwater tour Initiated Master Gardener s Rainbarrel program Completed storm drain stenciling with local Boy Scouts in Wells Donated The Blue Thumb Guide to Raingardens to all local libraries Assisted in installing 6 raingardens Conducted 4 stormwater and raingarden presentations Organized 5 workshops with guest speakers Municipal BMP s (MECA), Raingardens (MECA), Stormwater U URBAN FLOOD DAMAGE REDUCTION Attended I Wheel training to address urban/rural drainage and flooding issues Worked with Walters on identifying Inflow and Infiltration issues in conjunction with their wastewater project 8

9 DRAINAGE MANAGEMENT DRAINAGE MANAGEMENT Work with Drainage Authority, Auditor, and a private consultant on Phase II of the county s records modernization Applied for and received BWSR Drainage Records Modernization Grant Applied for funding for Drainage Interactive MapMaker through a local private source Coordinated with Blue Earth River CWP for Drainage Records Modernization funding Assisted Ditch Viewers, Drainage Authority, and landowners with maps and information Continue to be an active member of the County Drainage Policy Committee Completed 8 Tile Camera projects on County Ditch systems Attended Drainage Conference in St. Cloud AGRICULTURAL FLOOD DAMAGE REDUCTION Completed CREP wetland restoration project on JD #11 9

10 EROSION CONTROL SOIL EROSION AND SEDIMENTATION Received additional funding for BMP implementation through GBERBA Installed 17 projects utilizing state and Clean Water Legacy cost share funding Provided $25, in cost share to landowners Soil saved through state cost share projects installed was 1,849 tons per year Sediment reduced through state cost share projects installed was 14,967 tons/year Phosphorous reduced through cost share projects installed was 13,661 lbs/year Installed 5 projects utilizing Clean Water Legacy funds Sold 4,100 trees & shrubs for conservation purposes Entered project information into elink Installed 9 rock tile inlets Soil saved through rock inlets was 16 tons/year, Sediment 328 tons/year, and a phosphorous reduction of 488 lbs/year BANK AND SHORELINE EROSION Promotion of buffer strip establishment through the Blue Earth and Maple CWP s Worked with NRCS to secure CRP buffer enrollments for JD 301 re determination area Information on buffers added to website CONSTRUCTION SITE EROSION Include homeowner on site erosion fact sheet on website Include Erosion Control section on Guide to Rural Living website Sediment Basin 10

11 AGRICULTURE ANIMAL AGRICULTURE 161 sites inspected and registrations completed Inspection data entered in elink and county GIS system Attended 3 CFO training sessions Attended Annual CFO conference Feedlot article on Nutrient management and SRF loan program 6 construction short form permits completed Updated spreading acre information on GIS system Responded to 2 feedlot complaints MANURE MANAGEMENT Assisted with the completion of 24 Manure Management Plans Reviewed over 93 Manure Management Plans MN Farm training and implementation OTHER AGRICULTURE Applied for grant to fund interpretive signs on Agriculture for Green Giant Park Assisted county in developing a weed policy NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT PLANNING Worked with Nutrient Management staff hired through GBERBA Developed 3 nutrient management plans according to NRCS standards Displayed Nutrient Management information at County fair 11

12 NATURAL RESOURCES NATURAL RESOURCES Developed a Conservation and Recreation Areas webpage on the SWCD website Worked with the Chamber of Commerce to develop a Wildlife Viewing/Birding Map of Faribault County Continue to work with the Watchable Wildlife organization Worked with the City of Blue Earth on signage for the Steinberg Nature Park kiosk 12

13 OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS WETLAND CONSERVATION ACT WCA presentation to City of Blue Earth & Contractors Meeting Site visits with state and local government units Attended 4 WCA/wetland trainings Provided maps and GIS information for sites Provided restoration, replacement & banking info to landowners, cities, county departments, legislators, and a private company. Provided technical assistance to 6 landowners Made 4 WCA determinations Investigated 1 potential WCA violation Frost Gauge FROST GAUGE Monitor depth measurements once a week during winter months Current information posted on SWCD website STATE REVOLVING FUNDS Loaned out $477, Ag waste management projects 7 Minimum Tillage equipment project 2 ISTS loans for the Huntley Wastewater Project E 911 PROGRAM Continued to update County E 911 database Assign new E 911 addresses RAIN GAUGE NETWORK Monitored 28 sites April through October Current information posted on SWCD website 13

14 OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS CONT. EDUCATION 4 Ecology Bus presentations through Community Ed Set up Stormwater Tunnel, raingarden, rainbarrels, and related stormwater and watershed materials for the Faribault County Fair SEEDS (Students for Environmental Education in Schools) did 6 presentations to 90 ECFE students on recycling and trees Coordinated the seventh annual 5 th Grade Environmental Day Camp for 250 students from 5 schools Coordinated the Area VI Envirothon event for the 15 th year Developed and sent out Envirothon newsletters to nearly 200 educators in Area VI Attended various training opportunities Promoted and offered Stewardship Program materials to all county churches High School Stormwater Project SEEDS Envirothon GIS Attended the GIS/LIS Annual Conference and Workshops on LIDAR Active on the county GIS committee Provide mapping services to landowners, county departments, and other partners 14

15 COLLABORATION Throughout 2008, the Faribault County SWCD paid dues, spent time attending meetings, assisted with meeting development, organized,and attended events with the following partners: Faribault County Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) Greater Blue Earth River Basin Alliance (GBERBA) Minnesota River Board (Mr. River) MN Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts (MASWCD) MN Association of Conservation District Employees (MACDE) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Three Rivers Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D) Area VI MASWCD Zone 10 Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) University of Minnesota Extension Service 15