Conservation Programs
State Programs
Buffer Law Program
This program is designed to
support SWCDs technical assistance efforts in informing and implementing
the buffer law passed by Governor Mark Dayton.
The law establishes new perennial vegetated
buffers that have an average width of 50 feet with a minimum of 30 feet
along rivers, streams and ditches that are classified as public waters.
Cooperative Weed
Management Area Grant
The Cooperative Weed Management Area (CWMA) grant is designed to educate
and assist landowners while providing cost share assistance to control
invasive plant species on their managed pastures. The cost share funds
will allow for financial assistance to control invasive plants in
pastures – including woody invasives such as Japanese barberry,
multiflora rose, honeysuckle, buckthorn and biennials and/or perennials
such as Queen Ann’s Lace, Canada Thistle and wild parsnip.
CWL - Clean Water Land
& Legacy Amendment Cost-Share
The Clean Water Land & Legacy Amendment Cost-Share funding has been made
available for select projects that will accelerate the protection or
restoration of water quality.
SWCDs and other local units of government (LGUs) submit
application requests for specific projects.
Click here for more information: Legislative Coordinating
Commission
http://www.legacy.leg.mn
Clean Water Fund Stories
http://www.bwsr.state.mn.us/cleanwaterfund/stories
Houston County Township
Nitrate-Nitrogen Testing Program
The MN Department of
Agriculture (MDA) conducted a major revision of the Nitrogen Fertilizer
Management Plan (NFMP) in March 2015. The plan calls for an assessment
of nitrate-nitrogen concentrations in private wells at the township
scale. The MDA has identified townships throughout the state that are
vulnerable to groundwater contamination and have significant row crop
production.
Homeowners in the MDA identified townships will receive a sampling kit
in the mail. The water sample will be collected by the homeowner and
sent to the certified lab (in a prepaid mailer). If nitrate is detected
in the water sample, the homeowner may be offered a subsequent test for
pesticides. A trained professional will come to your home to collect the
water samples for pesticide analysis.
The MDA works with SWCDs and counties to coordinate the testing program
in the identified townships. SWCDs/counties will gain knowledge about
the current nitrate conditions in their county to enable more informed
local planning and decision-making.
Results from individual wells are sent directly to the well owner
(homeowner), along with a letter explaining the results.
After the MDA receives all the well testing results in a township, the
data is analyzed and information about well depth, well age and well
construction is reviewed. In some cases, visits to wells may be needed
to confirm results. After the analysis is complete, the MDA writes a
summary document and sends it to the local partner (SWCD). After the
local partner has had a chance to review results and the information
with community, summary documents will be posted on the MDA web page.
Local Capacity Grant
This non-competitive
Clean Water Fund grant invests in building the capacity of local soil
and water conservation districts. The grant targets four resource
concern areas—Soil Erosion, Riparian Zone Management, Water Storage and
Treatment, and Excess Nutrients—and supports increased capacity by
funding expenses in the following categories: Staffing, Cost
Share/Incentives, Technology/Capital Equipment, and Operations.
Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program (MAWQCP)
This program is a
voluntary opportunity for farmers and agricultural landowners to
take the lead in implementing conservation practices that protect our
water.
Those who implement and maintain approved
farm management practices are certified and in turn obtain regulatory
certainty for ten years.
The program will help address concerns
about changing regulatory requirements from multiple state and federal
agencies.
Certainty is a commitment provided by the
Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), the Minnesota Board of Water
and Soil Resources (BWSR), the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
(DNR), and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA).
RIM – Reinvest in
Minnesota
The Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM) Reserve Program, one of the first such
programs of its kind in the country, began in 1986 and is administered
by the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources. Landowners are
compensated for retiring environmentally sensitive lands into easements
that protect and improve water quality, reduce soil erosion, and enhance
fish and wildlife habitat on privately owned lands. Managed through a
conservation plan, practices are established by planting native
vegetation and restoring wetlands. Other benefits include flood control
and groundwater recharge.
Click here for more information on the RIM
program.
Root River
Field To Stream Partnership Phase II Implementation Grant
The Root River Field to Stream Partnership (FSP) is a cooperative
project between state and local government, farmers, and agricultural
and environmental groups. The goals are to evaluate losses from
agricultural fields and measure the effectiveness of conservation
practices at both the field and watershed scale. The FSP represents one
of the most comprehensive and intensive studies of its kind in the upper
Midwest. Three sub-watersheds were selected for this study in 2009. The
watersheds are less than 5,000 acres and located within the three main
geomorphic regions of Southeast Minnesota. Six years of baseline
monitoring has been collected at various scales including edge-of-field,
spring-shed and in-stream. Flow weighted mean concentrations and yields
have been computed for sediment, nutrients and pesticides. This data
along with other complimentary watershed studies and farm practice
surveys will provide a benchmark in which to detect water quality
changes after additional practices are installed. Sediment, nutrients,
pesticides and bacteria are the primary nonpoint pollution concerns.
The goals are to restore and protect the water resources in the project
sub-watersheds and downstream areas to make progress toward meeting both
local and state water quality goals for aquatic life, drinking water,
and aquatic recreation and help restore those waters that are closest to
meeting state water quality standards.
FSP fills a critical gap in our understanding of how pollutants
transported at the field scale translate into downstream water quality.
The intensive baseline monitoring and extensive planning to prioritize
the placement of conservation practices provides a comprehensive
framework for evaluating practices to guide future implementation
activities not only in these watersheds, but the entire Root River
watershed and other southeast Minnesota watersheds.
Root River One
Watershed, One Plan Pilot Program
Root River, Olmsted, Fillmore, Winona, Mower and Steele counties’ and
SWCDs along with the Crooked Creek watershed district have joined
together and were selected by BWSR as pilot funded project to work
cooperatively as one watershed rather than individual counties and SWCDs
to protect water quality as the Root River Watershed as a whole.
Southeast MN Volunteer Nitrate Monitoring
Network
This
program is a continued partnership with the SE MN Water Resources Board.
Funding assistance has been awarded by the
state of Minnesota through a Minnesota Department of Agriculture grant.
The program is a study of long-term trend
monitoring for nitrates in drinking water from private wells.
Volunteer participants from various nodes
throughout the county provide samples of their well water for nitrate
testing.
These samples are submitted to a certified
lab.
Through testing, the nitrate level is determined.
The Root River SWCD acts as the county well
network coordinator.
An up-to-date database is maintained with
well locations of the volunteer participants along with their contact
information.
The SWCD works with a certified lab by
providing them the volunteer participants’ information and serves as a
local contact for the volunteer participants.
They also distribute newsletters to well
owner participants semi-annually and provide written reports of activity
to the SE Minnesota Water Resource Board and participates in organizing
an annual volunteer appreciation event.
State Cost-Share
Through the State Cost Share Program, landowners or occupiers can
request technical assistance from the SWCD office to implement best
management practices. Eligible practices include: grassed waterways,
terraces, grade stabilization structures, and water & sediment control
basins.
WCA
- Wetland Conservation Act
The purpose of the Wetland
Conservation Act (WCA) of 1991 is to maintain and protect Minnesota's
wetlands and the benefits they provide.
The Root River SWCD recognizes the
importance of the wetlands and partners with Houston County (LGU).
An SWCD representative serves
on the Technical Evaluation Panel (TEP), reviews various wetland
conservation applications, provides guidance and technical assistance to
consultants, developers and private landowners while mitigating and
verifying that projects will be in compliance with the Wetland
Conservation Act.
They also write restoration plans for
violations or provide exemptions where they apply.
Federal Programs
CREP - Conservation
Reserve Enhancement Program
The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) is a voluntary land
retirement program that helps agricultural producers protect
environmentally sensitive land, decrease erosion, restore wildlife
habitat, and safeguard ground and surface water.
Click here for more information on the CREP
program.
CRP
- Conservation Reserve Program
The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) provides technical and financial
assistance to eligible farmers and ranchers to address soil, water, and
related natural resource concerns on their lands in an environmentally
beneficial and cost-effective manner. The program provides assistance to
farmers and ranchers in complying with Federal and State environmental
laws, and encourages environmental enhancement.
Click here for a CRP Fact Sheet.
CSP
– Conservation Stewardship Program
The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) is a voluntary conservation
program that supports ongoing stewardship of private agricultural lands
by providing payments for maintaining and enhancing natural resources.
CSP identifies and rewards those who meet the highest standards of
conservation and environmental management on their operations.
It also creates a powerful incentive for other producers to meet
the same standards of conservation performance, while providing benefits
to the public for generations to come.
EQIP - Environmental Quality Incentive Program
The Root River Soil and Water Conservation District in partnership with
the local USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service annually conducts
an Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) Local Work Group
Meeting.
The local input helps determine what practices or systems should receive
priority for EQIP funds in Houston County. Parameters are set in
order to prioritize funding to the most critical environmental problems
in our county.
Click here for more information on the EQIP
program.
WHIP - Wildlife Habitat
Incentive Program
The Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) is a voluntary program for
conservation-minded landowners who want to develop and improve wildlife
habitat on agricultural land, non-industrial private forest land, and
Indian land.
Click here for more information on the WHIP
program.
County Programs
AIS
– Aquatic Invasive Species Program
The Legislature provides
Minnesota counties a County Program Aid grant for Aquatic Invasive
Species (AIS) prevention.
Houston County has designated the oversight
of the county’s AIS prevention efforts to the Root River SWCD.
Funds are to be used to educate the public
of this resource impairment and to prevent the introduction or limit the
spread of aquatic invasive species at all access sites within the
county.
Building Site
Inspections
The Root River SWCD technical
staff assists the Houston County Zoning Department with the review of
various building site applications.
On-site visits as well as technical
assistance are provided.
MPCA Feedlot Program
The Root River SWCD partners with Houston County in conducting annual
feedlot compliance spot checks and provides technical assistance to
county landowners/operators with their feedlot needs.
Ag BMP Loan Program
The AgBest Management Practices (AgBMP) Loan Program provides low
interest financing to farmers, agriculture supply businesses and rural
landowners to encourage agricultural best management practices that
prevent or reduce non-point source pollution identified in the local
water plan. The plan reduces existing water quality problems
caused by agricultural activities, helps the County implement the local
water plan and can be used to fund the private portion of projects
partially funded by state or federal cost-share or other sources of
funding.
The AgBMP Loan Program allows local governments the flexibility needed
to address specific local water quality concerns and provides financing
at below-market rates. The
3% low-interest loan saves you money, making it more economical to
implement practices.
Loans for:
* Feedlot improvements, manure storage basins and spreading
equipment
* Conservation tillage equipment
* Terraces, waterways, sediment basins
* Septic systems
* Variable Rate Technology
* Well Relocation & Sealing
* Secondary fuel containment
* Other projects that improve water quality
Local Water Management Plan
The purpose of the local water management plan is to protect the water
resources in the county from point and non-point sources of pollution.
Coordination of these protection efforts between the various local,
state, and federal agencies and organizations reduces duplication and
eliminates gaps in implementation strategies aimed at a common goal of
water protection.
The SWCD provides educational and technical
assistance in the implementation of Houston County’s Comprehensive Water
Plan.
Each year the Houston County Water Plan Committee
allocates funds as an incentive to landowners for the installation of
push-up ponds.
Additional funds are allocated to reimburse
individuals in the testing of their well water if they are pregnant or a
toddler is in the home.
Also, in conjunction with Houston County
Public Health the SWCD sponsors free nitrate testing clinics
periodically.
Other Cooperative Programs
Crooked Creek Watershed District
The SWCD partners with the Crooked Creek Watershed
District by providing technical and administrative assistance to meet
various conservation needs in their watershed.
MN Corn Growers Grant
The objectives of this grant is
to stabilize and reconnect 1,500 feet of trout stream reducing sediment
and phosphorous redistribution, improving aquatic habitat and regulating
peak flows by reconnecting stream to adjacent floodplain on the Riceford
Creek.
This stream bank stabilization project will
educate landowner and resource professionals on low cost practices such
as cedar tree revetment.
Collaborating partners in this project
include Winona State University, Conservation Corp of Minnesota (CCM),
Root River SWCD and landowners.
Rain Monitoring Program
This program coordinates with
the Minnesota Climatological Network.
Volunteers throughout Houston County
measure and record precipitation on a daily bases. The SWCD acts as a
local point of contact, provides the volunteers with the necessary
materials and provides the State Climatology Department with the
collected recordings on a monthly bases.