2017 - SWCD Local Capacity Services (Hennepin County)
The SWCD Local Capacity Services grant program provides funds to Soil and Water Conservation Districts that focuses on increasing capacity to address four resource concern areas - Soil Erosion, Riparian Zone Management, Water Storage and Treatment, and Excess Nutrients.
Marcey Westrick
[SWCD Local Capacity Services 2017] (o) $11,000,000 the first year and $11,000,000 the second year are for payments to soil and water conservation districts for the purposes of Minnesota Statutes, sections 103C.321 and 103C.331. From this appropriation, each soil and water conservation district shall receive an increase in its base funding of $100,000 per year. Money remaining after the base increase is available for matching grants to soil and water conservation districts based on county allocations to soil and water conservation districts. The board and other agencies may reduce the amount of grants to a county by an amount equal to any reduction in the county's allocation to a soil and water conservation district from the county's previous-year allocation when the board determines that the reduction was disproportionate. The second-year appropriation cancels if new buffer requirements are not enacted in 2015.
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.
Funds were used for staff salary for Rural Conservationist who will work with agricultural community in western portion of the county on buffers, best management practices, cost share projects, and water quality, as well as working with rural watersheds on planning and executing plans. Additionally, funds were used to conduct 350+ site visits in conjunction with transportation department, looking at culverts, bridges, drainage issues, answered resident complaints, and worked on launching a new SWA in Diamond Creek. Worked on the County's MS4 audit by MPCA and
continued work towards following the PCA's recommendations stemming from said audit.
LOCAL LEVERAGED FUNDS