NRCS assistance and Clean Water Funds support new manure storage solutions that curb runoff and benefit water quality. Stearns County SWCD and NRCS staff led the $1.9 million endeavor.
An NRCS National Water Quality Initiative award, MPCA pilot grant, Outdoor Heritage Funds and BWSR Clean Water Funds support the Wilkin SWCD and Buffalo-Red River Watershed District's work with landowners, which will benefit water quality, water quantity and wildlife habitat.
BWSR Clean Water Funds and NRCS assistance support water-quality work in the East Branch Chippewa River watershed, which spans Pope and Swift counties and eventually flows to the Minnesota River.
Water-quality improvement work didn’t stop once Lily Lake was removed from the state’s impaired waters list — an effort that took 20 years, involved the Middle St. Croix WMO and a host of partners, and tapped nearly $1 million in Clean Water Funds from BWSR.
One element of the $4.2 million revitalization, stormwater work supported by a BWSR Clean Water Fund grant addresses a temperature impairment in Miller Creek, a designated trout stream.
The McLeod SWCD’s collaboration with the city of Winsted resulted in a constructed wetland that filters stormwater bound for Winsted Lake. Backed by a multipurpose drainage management Clean Water Fund grant, the work builds upon the SWCD’s erosion-control projects with farmers upstream.
Contact: Mary Juhl; mary.juhl@state.mn.us, 612-358-5733
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) is now seeking applications for its Clean Water Fund Competitive Grants Program. More than $9.6 million in grants and $3.4 million in loans are available to local governments. Eligible applicants include soil and water conservation districts, watershed districts, watershed management organizations, counties, joint powers boards and municipalities with approved water management plans.
“Supporting local efforts to improve water quality and protect drinking water is essential to BWSR’s mission,” said BWSR Executive Director John Jaschke. “These grants will help local governments advance meaningful conservation work throughout Minnesota.”
The application period opens June 28 and closes August 22. Grants are typically awarded during the winter following the application period. Interested applicants can find the Request for Proposals on BWSR’s website.
About the Minnesota Clean Water Fund Minnesota voters approved the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment in 2008 to protect, enhance, and restore wetlands, prairies, forests, and fish, game, and wildlife habitat; to preserve arts and cultural heritage; to support parks and trails; and to protect, enhance, and restore lakes, rivers, streams, and groundwater. The Clean Water Fund receives 33 percent of the sales tax revenue generated by the Legacy Amendment. More information about the Clean Water Fund is available here.