Wolverton Creek Restoration

Wolverton Creek is a 25 mile long tributary to the Red River of the North. Its watershed drains approximately 105 square miles located in Wilkin and western Clay Counties. Wolverton Creek is the outlet for numerous ditch systems and natural drainage in the area and is a significant contributor of sediment to the Red River. The City of Moorhead and other downstream communities obtain drinking water from the Red River. Since 85% of Moorhead's drinking water comes from the Red River, high turbidity results in
higher treatment costs for their drinking water system.
The Buffalo-Red River Watershed District (BRRWD) along with the Clay and Wilkin SWCDs will reduce erosion and sedimentation in Wolverton Creek by installing side inlets, bufferstrips, and conservation tillage. Significant gully erosion and scour erosion occurs along Wolverton Creek creating the turbidity and sediment problem. The Project will identify lands for bufferstrip establishment and locations for side inlets and grade control for BMP implementation. The project is expected to reduce sediment loadings by 1295
tons/year and phosphorus loadings by 1480 lbs/year. In addition, installation of buffer strips and conservation tillage is expected to significantly reduce sediment and phosphorus loadings. A restoration plan for a segment of Wolverton Creek will be developed with input from the Department of Natural Resources through a separate grant and and integrate additional conservation
practices.
The teamwork of the BRRWD and the Clay and Wilkin SWCDs has resulted in success in addressing sediment and water erosion issues in the outlet of the Wolverton Creek watershed. With the grant from the Clean Water Fund, this project will continue the implementation of conservation measures to reduce sediment and nutrient loadings further upstream.