St. Croix River Gully Stabilization Implementation Program
The St. Croix River is a national Wild and Scenic River. The river continues to see a decline in water quality due to elevated nutrient levels. Erosion of gullies along the river contribute large amounts of sediment and nutrients to the river.
This project builds on a 2011 Clean Water Fund grant to inventory the active gully erosion sites along the St. Croix River from the Wild River State Park to the Chisago/Washington county line. This inventory is being used to contact landowners and begin the process of developing a plan to implement conservation practices to correct and stabilize these priority sites. This project will result in reduced phosphorus loading to the
The 20-member BWSR board consists of representatives of local and state government agencies and citizens. Members are appointed by the governor of the state of Minnesota consistent with Minnesota Statutes 103B.101. Board members at the time the grant was made were: County Commissioner Appointees: Quentin Fairbanks; Tom Loveall; Brian Napstad; Soil and Water Conservation District Appointees: Paul Langseth, Louise Smallidge and Bob Burandt; Watershed District or Watershed Management Organization Appointees: Gene Tiedemann, LuAnn Tolliver and Todd Foster; Citizen Appointees: Paul Brutlag ; Gerald Van Amburg; John Meyer; Cities & Townships: Sandy Hooker -Township; Christy Jo Fogarty -Metro City; Keith Mykleseth -Non-Metro City; Agency: Chris Elvrum - Minnesota Department of Health; Rebecca Flood - Pollution Control Agency; Tom Landwehr - Department of Natural Resources; Matt Wohlman - Minnesota Department of Agriculture; Faye Sleeper - Minnesota Extension Service;
Wayne Zellmer -BWSR Grants Coordinator; Matt Drewitz -BWSR South Region Clean Water Specialist; Art Persons -MDH Planning Supervisor Drinking Water Protection; Jeff Hrubes -BWSR North Region Clean Water Specialist; Marcey Westrick -BWSR Metro Clean Water Specialist; Julie Westerlund -DNR Clean Water Coordinator; Robert L. Sip -MDA Environmental Policy Specialist; Anna Kerr -MPCA -Stormwater / TMDL Coordinator; Nick Proulx -DNR Central Region Clean Water Legacy Specialist; Karen Evens - MPCA -Watershed Projects Manager; Joshua Stamper -MDA Research Scientist, Pesticide & Fertilizer Management; Norman R. Mofjeld -MDA Hydrologist P.G. Well Management Section;
Nicole Clapp
(a) $13,750,000 the first year and $13,750,000 the second year are for pollution reduction and restoration grants to local government units and joint powers organizations of local government units to protect surface water and drinking water; to keep water on the land; to protect, enhance, and restore water quality in lakes, rivers, and streams; and to protect groundwater and drinking water, including feedlot water quality and subsurface sewage treatment system (SSTS) projects and stream bank, stream channel, and shoreline restoration projects. The projects must be of long-lasting public benefit, include a match, and be consistent with TMDL implementation plans or local water management plans.
St. Croix River escarpment gully stabilization implementation program. - St. Croix River & Lake St. Croix Proposed Reductions: 72 lbs/year Phosphorus and 80 tons/year Sediment
With this grant, the Chisago SWCD installed 6 water and sediment control basins that corrected 7 gullies that were identified in the St. Croix River Escarpment Gully Inventory report. In addition, a vegetated swale with rock ditch checks was installed upstream of another identified gully. Together, these projects have reduced the Total Phosphorus and Sediment reaching the St. Croix River by 120 pounds year and 118 tons per year respectively.
The source of additional funds varies from project to project, but generally consists of federal, local and non-public sources.