111 8 th Street, Box 207 Gaylord, MN 55334 Spring of 2010 Vol. 7 Issue 1 RIVER WATCHER NEWSLETTER High Island Creek & Rush River Watershed Implementation Projects High Island Creek Clean Water Partnership Grant Ending Soon!!! After almost three years of working with watershed residents to help clean up the High Island Creek Watershed, the Clean Water Partnership (CWP) is coming up to its final stretch. The project began in September 2007 and will be finished this coming August. This grant concludes the second phase of the implementation project aimed at promoting positive land use changes in order to improve and protect water quality and quantity, along with promoting a sense of watershed stewardship and awareness. The CWP, funded by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Clean Water Legacy Act along with cash match/ in-kind from 24 partner organizations, Photo taken by Bob Gildea provided a strong foundation to work towards our goals. Between September 1 st, 2007 and April 1 st 2010, the CWP, project partners, and landowners were able to enroll 53.4 acres of filter strips, 20 acres of wetland restoration, 2,096.51 acres of cover crop, installed 64 open intake alternatives, 1 raingarden, 1 structural practice, and provided 50 rain barrels to watershed residents. If you live in the High Island Creek Watershed it s not too late to receive cost share or incentives for BMPs such as: open intake alternatives, cover crop, filter strips, wetland restorations, structural practices, and feedlot waste management systems. I would also like to remind everybody that sign-up prior to installation is required and bills for these practices should be turned as soon as possible to remain eligible for any watershed incentives. Money not spent on BMP implementation at that time will be returned to the state coffers. With state budgets tightening up, it is unlikely that the remaining money will be used for water quality projects, either in the High Island Creek Watershed or elsewhere in MN. I would like to thank everyone for their support for the watershed project. I feel that even though we may still not meet the state s water quality standards, we have made some great strides towards achieving this goal. One thing I have discovered over the years is that it takes a tremendous amount of time and effort to make a significant impact on water quality improvements. For more information about the High Island Creek Watershed Clean Water Partnership, please visit our website at: http://mrbdc.mnsu.edu/major/lowminn/subshed/hi/index.html or contact the project at (507)237-4050 or joelw@co.sibley.mn.us
MN River Paddler Program Launch Event Saturday, June 12th, 2010 Rapidan Dam Park, Blue Earth Co. Starts at 10:00am The Watershed Alliance, along with other partners including Blue Earth County, Clean Up the River Environment and Water Resources Center at Minnesota State University Mankato, will be hosting a Blue Earth River Paddle on June 12, 2010 (in case of bad weather the event will be held the following Saturday on June 19th. People will be invited out to the Rapidan Dam County Park to participate in a diverse selection of activities including: A Blue Earth River Paddle starting at 10 o clock from the county park to the new canoe landing at County Road 90 for just over 9 miles. Award ceremonies to present the patches/decals who have met the criteria Information booths and displays Canoe and Kayak Rental businesses Music Kids games Fishing contest Elementary safety course/refresher. Free Rain Barrels! Due to the tremendous amount of interest during last years program, the High Island Creek and Rush River Watersheds will again be giving out free rain barrels this year! After your reservation is made, you will be notified when your barrel is ready for pick-up. To reserve your barrel today please call (507)237-4050 or e-mail us at joelw@co.sibley.mn.us 2010 Photo Contest Reminder Don t forget to send your pictures in for the 2nd Annual High Island Creek and Rush River Watershed Photo Contest! Photographs are asked to be emailed to: joelw@co.sibley.mn.us Please include the following information in your email: Photographer s name, age, address and phone number. Small picture description, including the general location of photograph. Date of Photo (please remove timestamp). SSTS Program is Coming to an End! Ron Otto, Watershed Technician The time to install a compliant septic system with low interest loan funds is coming to an end this fall. The Rush River and the High Island Creek watersheds 3 year Clean Water Partnership loan program will be ending about December 1, 2010. At this point funding for the future is uncertain. Joel Wurscher, the coordinator for both the High Island Creek and Rush River Watershed Implementation Projects, will be applying for additional funding this summer. The low interest loans have been available in the High Island Creek watershed since 2004 and in the Rush River watershed since 2006. The loans can be approved for up to 10 years in length at 3% interest. Since the beginning of the loan programs, about 150 septic systems have been installed with low interest loans in these two watersheds. The upcoming construction season will be your last chance to get a loan to upgrade your septic system. Residents of the High Island Creek watershed in Sibley, McLeod and Renville Counties still have an opportunity to use the $220,600.00 if they apply and install a system this year. Residents in the Rush River watershed in Sibley and Nicollet County have $309,000.00 to spend on loans this year. This money will be loaned to watershed residents on a first come basis, so get your applications in early! If you are interested in securing a loan for a septic system contact: Ron Otto Paula Krook Roger Berggren Sibley SWCD Nicollet Environmental Services McLeod Environmental Services 111 6 th St 501 S Minnesota 830 11St E, Suite 110 Gaylord, MN 55334 St. Peter, MN 56082 Glencoe, MN 55336 ron.otto@sibleyswcd.org pkrook@co.nicollet.mn.us roger.berggren@co.mcleod.mn.us 507-237-5435 507-934-0250 320-864-1214 Diane Mitchell Joel Wurscher Renville Water Management Watershed Grants Coordinator County Office Building, 410 E DePue Ave. 111 8 th St., PO Box Olivia, MN 56277 Gaylord, MN 55334 diane_m@co.renville.mn.us JoelW@co.sibley.mn.us 320-523-3760 507-237-4050
Minnesota River Paddler Program Scott Kudelka, Communications Coordinator, WRC The Minnesota River flows for 335 miles from Big Stone Lake on the South Dakota border to its confluence with the Mississippi River at Fort Snelling. As the river meanders across the broad valley, it picks up a diverse selection of tributaries both large and small. There is the Chippewa River as it slowly cuts across the prairie landscape, or the boulder-filled Beaver Creek and the fast-flowing streams of the Blue Earth River Watershed. Once upon a time, rivers played an important role in how people traveled, moving goods from one place to another, and stirring the imagination of artists and explorers. This is where we established our cities, constructed our industries and spent our leisure time. As time went on people began to turn their backs on the rivers as floodwalls were built, the dumping of raw sewage and other garbage, and finally losing a personal connection to what these waterbodies can offer. Interest in the Minnesota River and its tributaries and what they had become began to change in the late 1980s and early 90s. More people started to recognize the importance of these rivers and the need for restoration and protection. Today, those efforts continue with individuals, nonprofit organizations, citizen groups, and government agencies working together to bring positive changes to our rivers and surrounding landscape. The Minnesota River Watershed Alliance (Watershed Alliance) has developed and will be launching the first-ever Minnesota River Paddler Program. We hope this patch/decal will help people connect or reconnect with the Minnesota River and its many tributaries. As more people take an interest in paddling and other recreational activities, we would like to see them develop a greater appreciation of the natural environment around them. We feel the paddle patch/decal is a fun way to motivate people to explore some or all of the Minnesota River and its tributaries. This will in turn promote other aspects of the Minnesota River Watershed including local businesses, culture sites, recreational opportunities, natural features, and community events. Ultimately, we hope the paddle patch/decal will increase the number of river advocates. Program Outline The Watershed Alliance will award three paddle patch/decals to anyone who meets the following criteria. MN River Tributary Paddler: Paddle any three of these major tributaries: Chippewa River, Lac qui Parle River, Pomme de Terre River, Yellow Medicine River, Hawk Creek, Redwood River, Cottonwood River, Watonwan River, Le Sueur River, Blue Earth River, and one stretch of the Minnesota River for a total of four paddles. MN River Extreme Paddler: Paddle the following rivers in the Minnesota River Watershed: Little Minnesota River, Whetstone River, Yellow Bank River, Chippewa River, Lac qui Parle River, Pomme de Terre River, Beaver Creek, Yellow Medicine River, Hawk Creek, Redwood River, Cottonwood River, Little Cottonwood River, Watonwan River, Le Sueur River, Blue Earth River, Big Cobb River, Maple River, Rush River, High Island Creek, Sand Creek, and three stretches of the Minnesota River (Upper, Middle and Lower) for a total of 23 paddles. Documentation is required for this patch/decal photos, affidavit from another source, etc. Minnesota River 335 Paddler: For anyone who paddles the entire length of the Minnesota River from the Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge to Fort Snelling at the confluence with the Mississippi River either in one paddle or by segments. Documentation is required for this patch/decal photos, affidavit from another source, etc. If you think you may be eligible to receive a paddle patch/decal contact Scott at either (507)389-2304 or scott.kudelka@mnsu.edu
A New Beginning! As we all are probably aware of by now, bacteria is a significant concern in the Rush River, with three reaches of Rush River being listed as impaired for e.coli on the Federal 303d impaired waters list. Found in the intestines of warm blooded animals, the presence of e.coli bacteria indicates that disease causing pathogens or disease-producing bacteria could also be present. High levels of bacteria indicate waters might not be safe for body-contact and can also be linked to low dissolved oxygen levels. With that in mind, the watershed project applied for and received funding for reducing bacteria levels in the watershed. Specifically, the goal of the project is to work towards reaching the TMDL geometric means which was written for fecal coliform in the Rush River Watershed. This means that project activities for the Map representing the boundaries of the RR watershed. next four years will be focused to on-the-ground implementation practices that reduce bacteria levels and educational activities. The following are breakdowns of the various implementation activities the project will be able to provide under this new grant. If you live in the Rush River Watershed you may be eligible to implement these practices on your farm. Manure Management Plans The project will provide a cash incentive of $900 ($300 per year) to feedlot operators with 0-300 animal units to develop and maintain a manure and nutrient management plan. Producers will be required to work with a certified crop consultant, agronomist, UM Extension staff or the NRCS in the creation of their plan. In order to receive the second and third year s payment, proof of following the MMP must be shown. Manure Application Calibrations Manure application equipment should always be calibrated prior to applying manure in order to ensure the proper rate of application. Project staff will assist producers with equipment calibration using either scale pads or the method of calibrating a spreader by using a tarp and a bathroom scale. Open Intake Removal The project will provide 75% cost-share up to $300 for the removal of an open tile intake. A landowner is not eligible for this cost-share if they are removing an open intake in one area of their farm and replacing it in another section. Pasture Management The project will provide operators with a $15 per acre incentive payment for their enrollment in and installation of a rotational grazing plan through NRCS EQIP (with a max of 320 acres per plan for 3 years). This incentive would be added to the funds already provided through EQIP. Structural Practices for Feedlot Runoff Controls The project will provide up to 75% cost-share in conjunction with other state and federal funding, such as EQIP, for structural practices that control feedlot runoff. These practices will include but are not limited to: clean water diversions, catch basins, waste storage facilities, field borders and vegetative treatment areas. If a potential practice application is deemed beneficial but doesn t quality for EQIP or state cost-share, the project will consider funding at 75% cost-share upon approval. Low Interest Loan for Septic System Upgrades A 10 year low interest loan with an annual interest rate of 3% is available to upgrade non-compliant septic systems. The Following systems are not eligible: refinancing a previously installed system, septics for a new home, non-residential property, the project started before design and loan approval, or under court order to repair system. For more information stop in at your local SWCD office or call (507)237-5435 ext. 105.
Low Interest Loans available for upgrading of Noncompliant Septic Systems Owners of a Subsurface Sewage Treatment System (SSTS) are eligible for low-interest loans to upgrade their non-conforming septic system. This low-interest loan program is available at a 3% interest rate for a ten year period. To Be Eligible: It must serve a residential, non-commercial property located in either watershed. Applicant must be a property owner of a non-conforming septic system: Discharge to the surface Tiled to drainage or road ditch Discharge to cesspool, seep-age pits or dry wells Less than a 2-foot separation to seasonally saturated soil Lack of a system Does not meet setbacks to existing well Not Eligible: Refinancing a previously installed system Septic for new homes Non-residential property Project started before design and loan approval Under court order to repair system Contact Information: Sibley County: Ron Otto Sibley SWCD office 111 6 th Street, P.O. Box 161 Gaylord, MN 55334 507-237-5435 ext. 105 Nicollet County: Paula Krook Environmental Services Office 501 South Minnesota Avenue St. Peter, MN 56082 507-934-0250 McLeod CO: Roger Berggren Environmental Services Office 830 11 th Street East, Suite 110 Glencoe, MN 55336 320-864-1214 Renville County: Diane Mitchell Water Management Office County Office Building 410 East DePue Avenue Olivia, MN 56277 Cost Share & Incentive Monies Available for Best Management Practices A variety of cost-share and incentive monies are available to producers looking to implement conservation practices in the High Island Creek & Rush River watersheds. Practices include Open Tile Intake Alternatives, Structural Practices, Cover Crops for Canning Ground and Sugar Beet fields and Vegetative Practices. Open Tile Intake Alternatives: cost-share monies are available for the following options: 1. Removal of intake 2. Removal of intake and replacement with denser pattern tiling 3. Removal of intake and replacement with a rock inlet 4. Installation of a slotted riser 75% cost-share for removal of a structure or installation of a rock tile inlet, with a cap of $300 per intake. Cost of Slotted Riser intake is paid. Cover Crops for Canning Ground & Sugar Beet Fields: Incentive payment of $10 per acre will be offered for producers planting a cover crop after the harvest of canning crops and sugar beets. Structural Practices: An additional 25% cost-share will be offered for those projects being funded through the USDA s Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Practices will include Water and Sediment Control Basins, Terraces, Diversions and Grade Control Structures. Vegetative Practices: Filter strips, riparian buffers and grassed waterways installed under the USDA s Continuous CRP program may be eligible for an incentive payment. An upfront one time incentive offer of $15/acre/year equaling to $150/acre for a 10 year contract and $225/acre for a 15 year contract. Wetland Restoration: This program allows producers to restore wetland complexes that are located outside the recognized 100-year floodplain. There is no size requirement, just a 4 to 1 buffer to wetland ratio. Landowners are eligible for an upfront incentive payment on top of CRP payments given by FSA. Waste Management systems: Due to the potentially high cost of these systems, both Watersheds may provide up to 25% of funds for a specific project deemed highly beneficial for water quality.
High Island Creek & Rush River Watershed Implementation Projects 111 8th Street, Box 207 Gaylord, MN 55334 PRESORTED STANDARD US POSTAGE PAID GAYLORD, MN 55334 PERMIT NO 61 Project Sponsor Sibley County Sponsors: Renville, McLeod & Nicollet Counties Sibley, Renville, McLeod & Nicollet SWCDs Sibley County Water Resource Advisory Committee Renville Co. Water Protection & Management Environmental Services: Sibley, Renville, McLeod & Nicollet County University of Minnesota Extension Service High Island Creek Watershed District Natural Resource Conservation Service Fishy Facts MN has 158 known species swimming in over 4 million acres of water. There are 6,564 rivers and streams in MN that totals over 69,200 miles. The total surface area of water in MN including wetlands totals 13,136,357 acres. There are 5,493 fishable lakes which totals 3,800,000 acres. The ten most common lake names in MN include: Mud, Long, Rice, Bass, Round, Horseshoe, Twin, Island, Johnson, Spring. There are 386 minnow dealers in MN and 920 minnow retailers. MN sells an average of 1.2 million fishing licenses per year ranking it first nationally in the sales of licenses per capita. In 2006, 1.58 billion dollars were spent on fishing in MN. In MN waters roughly 35 million pounds of walleye, 3.2 million pounds of pike, and 64 million pounds of panfish are harvested a year. There are 5 coldwater (trout and salmon) hatcheries and 12 warm water (walleye, muskie, catfish, ect.) hatcheries in MN. On an average year, 250 million walleye fry, 2 million walleye fingerlings, 54,000 walleye yearlings, & 32,000 walleye adults get stocked into MN waters. The state record walleye was 17.8 lbs and was caught in 1979 in the Seagull River. MN Department of Natural Resources Cities of Arlington, New Auburn, Gaylord, Winthrop, Gibbon & Lafayette U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Minnesota Board of Water & Soil Resources Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Coalition for a Clean Minnesota River Pheasants Forever Sibley & McLeod Co. Chapters Conservation Partners of America Green Isle Sportsman s Club Gaylord Protective League This newsletter is sponsored by the High Island Creek & Rush River Watershed Implementation Projects. This publication is issued quarterly and is funded through the Clean Water Partnership grant program from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and various local and state organizations. Both Projects are equal opportunity organizations and employers. Questions and comments can be directed to: Joel Wurscher, Watershed Grants Coordinator, E-mail: joelw@co.sibley.mn.us Phone: (507) 237-4050