Throughout Minnesota, landowners are working with state, federal, and local conservation partners to improve and protect lakes, rivers, wetlands and drinking water sources. These stories highlight the resources and people behind the projects.

More stories are available through BWSR’s Story Library where you can search by keyword, county, major watershed basin, publication date, funding source, or publication type.

Aerial view of Island Loon Lake stormwater retrofit work

Crow Wing SWCD's lake protection work leads to Crosslake projects

The Clean Water Fund project that protects Big Trout Lake’s cold-water fish habitat by treating pollution-carrying stormwater became a catalyst for similar water-quality work at two more sites along Crow Wing County Road 66.
Snow covers a wellhead protection area. Adrian skyline is in the background.

Adrian secures wellhead protection

Clean Water Fund project involving willing landowners, Nobles SWCD, Minnesota Rural Water Association, ensures permanent cover continues to filter nitrates from city drinking water supply
A metal pipe extends from a ditch bank to a ditch with open water. Construction equipment sits at the edge of a field.

Pennington County ditch fixes stabilize banks, stanch erosion

Landowners work with county engineer, Pennington SWCD on sediment reduction in Red Lake River watershed. Side-water inlets stop erosion where field outlets drain into county ditches. Clean Water Funds make the projects possible.
Mark Larson checks on a herd of rotationally grazed cattle

Kittson County livestock producers find success with NRCS grazing plans

All 40-some plans implemented with EQIP assistance over the years remain in operation. With reliable water supplies installed, farmers see faster weight gain in calves and higher-quality forage in paddocks.
portrait of dairy farm owners

Douglas County dairy transition taps NRCS, Clean Water Funds

A first-generation farmer with a passion for cows gets a start, and a longtime producer finds a way to pass on his farm. Assistance from the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service and Clean Water funds from BWSR play a role in the gradual transition that will result in a more efficient and environmentally sound setup.
pipegras easement landscape

Rock County easements target nitrate reduction

Native grasses replacing row crops have shown the most dramatic results in efforts by Rock SWCD, Rock County, Rock County Rural Water, BWSR, state departments of health and agriculture working with landowners.
Pennington SWCD staff stand in front of the Greenwood Street bridge, which spans the Red Lake River in Thief River Falls.

Red Lake River bank stabilizations protect water quality, infrastructure

Pennington SWCD is working with Thief River Falls to stabilize three prioritized sites where erosion is contributing to a downstream water quality impairment. One site is encroaching upon city wastewater treatment infrastructure.
Landowner Craig Brose, right, and Wright SWCD resource conservationist Andrew Grean in front of a 10-acre pond

Wright County farmers, lake residents anticipate improved drainage, water quality

Wright SWCD's $490,000 project treats 10% of county ditch system affecting Ann Lake, taps multipurpose drainage management Clean Water Fund grant
Grass, shrubs and trees border a creek

Landowners, leveraged funds, partners key to $10M Whiskey Creek restoration

Clean water, wildlife habitat, drainage solutions are priorities of Wilkin SWCD, Buffalo-Red River Watershed District project that taps 7 funding sources including a $2.9M NRCS award, MPCA pilot
Dead bucktorn shrubs, at center back, are the result of spraying.

Initiative extends conservation to forest, streams in Root River watershed

A Winona County landowner is working with Root River SWCD staff and assistance from the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service to remove invasive buckthorn from hunting property bordered by a trout stream. Water quality and wildlife benefit.
A crew from Minnesota Native Landscapes worked Dec. 19, 2019, on a Pioneer-Sarah Creek Watershed Management Commission project to stabilize a ravine in the Baker Park Reserve campground.

Three Rivers' Baker Park ravine work aids Lake Independence

Pioneer-Sarah Creek Watershed Management Commission taps $416,000 Clean Water Fund grant from BWSR, $59,500 grant from Hennepin County, to reduce phosphorus loading to nutrient-impaired lake
Restored wetland filled with water

Lincoln County wetland easements fix ditch, create water storage, wildlife habitat

The project that saved farmers $175,000 could become a statewide model. Landowners, along with local, state and federal partners, made it work.
Cattle grazing

Becker County farm sees grazing, cover crops as a way to expand its cattle operation

With soil health in mind, Todd and Michelle Andresen tap Becker SWCD and NRCS technical expertise to fine-tune full-season cover crops and install fencing. BWSR Clean Water Funds and NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program assistance cut the financial risk.
Becker SWCD staff visit the project site with landowner Bill Steffl

Becker SWCD, NRCS’ expertise, funds, converge in Upper Buffalo River watershed

Conservation gains momentum as staff works with willing landowners on targeted sediment reduction designed to improve water quality. Partners include the Buffalo-Red River Watershed District. Clean Water Funds, EQIP assistance, EPA grants are in play.
Wolverton Tour

Restoring Wolverton Creek

Water-quality benefits of a 21-mile-long Wolverton Creek restoration extend to the Red River. The restoration will improve drainage, widen habitat corridors, curb soil erosion and flood damage to fields, and cut Fargo-Moorhead’s drinking water treatment costs. The project leverages Clean Water Fund dollars.
Goodhue SWCD

Trout habitat helpers: Arresting upland erosion

Upland dams built to stop gully erosion and retain topsoil keep sediment out of trout streams that enter the Mississippi River/Lake Pepin. The prioritized work centered on spots where conservation fixes would do the most to improve water quality and stream habitat.
BoisDeSioux

‘It will demonstrate what we’re capable of’

Traverse County’s first ditch retrofit eases flood damage as it improves water quality within west-central Minnesota’s Bois de Sioux Watershed District.
ACUB

Buffering Camp Ripley

Buffer preserves wildlife habitat, provides water-quality benefits while protecting 24/7 regional training center from development in Morrison, Crow Wing and Cass counties. The Mississippi River corridor benefits. BWSR and NRCS programs are in play.
RootRiver

Root causes, Root solutions

This is the story of one farm family involved in the Root River Field to Stream Partnership, which delves into how farm practices affect water quality. Findings apply to fields and rivers across southeastern Minnesota.
Misty boggy area in Mille Lacs County within the Rum River watershed

Rum River gains RIM easement option for water quality, wildlife protections

In a watershed spanning from Lake Mille Lacs to the Mississippi River, voluntary enrollment of targeted, prioritized parcels would protect a Twin Cities and St. Cloud drinking water source, aid wildlife habitat