Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources

Multiple ways to drain, conserve

BWSR Chief Engineer Al Kean provided the article, “Multiple ways to drain, conserve” to the June 2013 Farmer Magazine, outlining multipurpose drainage techniques. Click here to read the article.

Research shows a wood chip denitrifying bioreactor is effective in treating agricultural tile drainage.

June Featured Plant: Minnesota's Milkweeds

Despite our cool, cloudy weather, the diversity of milkweed species in Minnesota are starting to emerge in our wetlands, prairies, savannas and forests. With high concentrations of pollen, milkweeds attract a wide range of pollinators from butterflies, moths, bees, ants and wasps. Check out June’s Featured Plant article to learn more about the Minnesota’s Milkweed.

Wetland monitoring season gets underway

From getting vehicles stuck in tire-high mud in the most remote locations in Minnesota, to invitations for beer, food and even taking a swim in a landowner’s pool, BWSR monitoring staff members have seen it all. Since 2005, Karli Tyma, Carol Strojny and Eric Mohring have logged thousands of miles and have monitored countless wetland restoration sites as part of the Board of Water and Soil Resources’ (BWSR) monitoring efforts. This year, the BWSR staff trio expects to visit nearly 100 wetland sites throughout monitoring season.

BWSR Monitoring Staff: Carol Strojny, Karli Tyma and Eric Mohring.

Dodge County improving water quality by fixing one septic system at a time

While most people don’t give any thought to the toilet water that is flushed away with each trip to the bathroom, Sandy Schaefer does.

Schafer, an environmental services staff member at Dodge County, is paid to think about wastewater and how it affects Minnesota’s lakes and rivers.

Installation of a new septic system in rural Dodge County

Bio-engineered project reduces erosion of Hawk Creek

In the lower reaches of the Hawk Creek’s main stem, the water meanders so much that five road miles equals nearly 14 river miles. This natural meandering often causes stream bank erosion that carries sediment into the river. In order to help alleviate the problem, HCWP staff designed a sizable bio-engineered stream bank stabilization project.

Final view from nearby bridge with rock veins installed.

Utilizing SWCD experience to improve a family farm

Since high school, Tim Nolte has known that grass and water are two very important aspects of a beef and dairy operation.

Today, with wife Rita and four children, Louise, Jacob, Eric and Eva, Nolte’s family is constantly driven to find better methods to provide for their livestock while exercising caution about the operation’s impacts to the environment.

DNR and BWSR partner to protect private forests within Tullibee Lake watershed

For the first time ever, state and local governments are partnering to protect water quality through a private forest land management initiative. Through a $710,000 appropriation from the Clean Water Fund, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) and local Soil and Water Conservation Districts are targeting seven counties in northern Minnesota for the Tullibee Lake Watershed Forest Stewardship Project.