Pope Soil & Water

Minnesota Walk In Access Program Sign Up Now

Are you looking to get an additional income from your conservation land? This spring you should look into enrolling into the Walk In Access Program (WIA). The primary objective of the Walk In Access Program is to provide new hunting opportunities on private lands currently enrolled in conservation programs with quality wildlife habitat, such as the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM), and the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP). Other natural lands may also be eligible for enrollment if high-quality habitat exists.

Once enrolled, the land is open to public hunting access during any open hunting season, including spring turkey. The location of areas enrolled will be publicized in an annual book and posted on the DNR website. Bright yellow-green signs will be installed along WIA boundaries once land is enrolled. WIA land is for hunting only. There is no target practice, trapping, dog training, camping, horseback riding, driving, or fires allowed on the property. Landowners are protected from liability, unlike private leases. Trespassing and hunting violations will be dealt with by DNR Conservation Officers.

Eligible sites must meet the minimum size of 40 acres. Acreage smaller than 40 acres may enroll if the land is contiguous with a Wildlife Management Areas (WMA), Waterfowl Production Areas (WPA), or another WIA resulting in at least 40 contiguous acres open to public hunting. Landowners sign into a one year or up to three year contract, with the ability to cancel the contract at any time without penalty.

Payment rates for signing up with the WIA program include:

$10/acre base payment
$1/ac. incentive payment if area is more than 140 acres
$1/ac. incentive payment if land is located within a half-mile of other public hunting (WMA/WPA)

$1/ac. incentive payment for a multi-year agreement.

So if you have land in CRP, RIM, WRP, CREP, or any other conservation program and would be interested in earning extra money from it please contact Nicole Brede with the Pope Soil & Water Conservation District. You can stop by our office or call us at 320-634-5327. We would be happy to answer any questions and assist with enrollment of your land. For more information, you can also visit www.mndnr.gov/walkin. Deadline for enrollment is April 27, 2018.

North Fork Crow River 1 Watershed 1 Plan 60 Comment Period

From: Crow River Organization of Water

Re: Submittal of the North Fork Crow River One Watershed, One Plan

The North Fork Crow River Water Planning Partnership, on behalf of the members, is pleased to present the North Fork Crow River One Watershed, One Plan for 60-day review. Plans developed through One Watershed, One Plan will build off existing local water management plans and priorities, existing and new studies and data, Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS) and other related plans from state agencies.

The Plan is available through the following link:

www.crowriver.org

Link will be listed on the CROW’s Home page

and also under the

CROW’s Water Quality Menu, click North Fork 1W1P (One Watershed, One Plan)

Comments on the Plan should be sent to both:

Diane Sander, Watershed Coordinator Steve Christopher, Board Conservationist

Crow River Organization of Water MN Board of Water and Soil Resources

311 Brighton Avenue, Suite C 520 Lafayette Road North

Buffalo, MN 55313 St. Paul, MN 55155

diane.sander@mn.nacdnet.net Steve.Christopher@state.mn.us

On behalf of the Partnership members, thank you.

North Fork Crow Water Planning Partnership

Kandiyohi County Kandiyohi Soil and Water Conservation District

McLeod County McLeod Soil and Water Conservation District

Meeker County Meeker Soil and Water Conservation District

Pope County Pope Soil and Water Conservation District

Stearns County Stearns Soil and Water Conservation District

Wright County Wright Soil and Water Conservation District

Middle Fork Crow River Watershed District North Fork Crow River Watershed District

Crow River Organization of Water

DRAFT PLAN

APPENDICIES

LANDOWNERS HAVE NEW OPTIONS TO HELP WITH BUFFER LAW

Today, the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources announced two additional resources for landowners working to come into compliance with the state’s buffer law. The law, which was passed with bipartisan support in 2015 and signed into law by Governor Dayton, requires the implementation of a buffer strip on public waters by November 1, 2017 and a buffer on public drainage ditches by November 1, 2018.

These additional resources, both financial and found online, are designed to help landowners be successful in complying with the law.” explained John Jaschke, Executive Director BWSR. “Local SWCDs and landowners have been working together over the past 18 months and, we are making great progress with 64 counties already 60-100% compliant.”

COST-SHARE PROGRAM

The Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources has approved a new buffer cost-share program, allocating almost $5 million dollars to support landowners in meeting the requirements of the state buffer law.

The funds will be distributed to soil and water conservation districts (SWCDs) and are to be used for cost-sharing contracts with landowners or their authorized agents to implement riparian buffers or alternative practices on public waters and public drainage ditches.

These Clean Water Funds, passed by the legislature and signed by Governor Dayton at the end of the 2017 legislative session, provide important support to the Governor’s Buffer Initiative.

The 2017 legislation also recognizes that some landowners may have hardships (such as weather) in meeting the public waters deadline. The added language allows for an eight-month extension for implementation when a landowner or authorized agent has filed a riparian protection “compliance plan” with their local SWCD by November 1, 2017. Compliance waivers offer a buffer deadline extension until July 1, 2018.

NEW ONE-STOP WEBSITE

Minnesota landowners with questions about compliance waivers and other buffer topics also have another option available today with the launching of a new one-stop website for information and tips to implement the buffer law. The new site, mn.gov/buffer-law, is a user-friendly and convenient resource for landowners and the public to learn about the law, find answers about alternative practices, and get information about financial and technical assistance and more.

The new buffer site, launched by the State of Minnesota is found at https://mn.gov/portal/natural-resources/buffer-law/ For more information on the buffer law, including the cost-share program, contact your local soil and water conservation district.

COMPLIANCE

Soil and Water Conservation Districts have been hard at work with landowners statewide and progress toward compliance is being made. 64 of Minnesota’s 87 counties are 60 – 100 percent in compliance with the buffer law. Statewide, preliminary compliance with the buffer law is 89%.

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BWSR is the state soil and water conservation agency, and it administers programs that prevent sediment and nutrients from entering our lakes, rivers, and streams; enhance fish and wildlife habitat; and protect wetlands. The 20-member board consists of representatives of local and state government agencies and citizens. BWSR’s mission is to improve and protect Minnesota’s water and soil resources by working in partnership with local organizations and private landowners.

Pope SWCD TO HOLD URBAN STORMWATER WORKSHOP JULY 24TH

City of Glenwood Urban Stormwater Project Flyer

The Pope Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) is hosting an Urban Stormwater Project Workshop on July 24^th starting at 6:30 p.m. at the Community Room at the Courthouse. The workshop is being held to highlight information in the Stormwater Quality Assessment Project completed and provide information about urban stormwater projects that can be completed by individual property owners. Presentations will be given by Larry VanHout from Widseth Smith and Nolting, Joe Lewis from Houston Engineering, and Holly Kovarik and Jessica Oldakowski from Pope SWCD. Topics include: City Street Project Overview, Stormwater Quality Assessment Project, Project Implementation Opportunities, and the Grant Program Opportunity.

The Pope SWCD has been working on a project funded by a State of Minnesota Board of Soil and Water Resources’ Clean Water Fund Grant to model the city’s stormwater conveyances and target potential water quality project locations. This project was funded in 2015 by a grant application submitted by the Pope SWCD. This project was completed to assess water quality of the contributing stormwater runoff from within the city to Lake Minnewaska. This comprehensive watershed analysis was critical to identify and predict water quality load reductions from projects based on location. The goal of the project is to improve water quality within Lake Minnewaska by reducing the concentrations of sediment and nutrients originating from within the City of Glenwood. The secondary goal of the project is to assess the capacity of the stormwater conveyance system within the study area. The study has been completed and the report findings will be shared. The study was funded by the Clean Water Land and Legacy Fund which was a 3/8 of a percent sales tax increase that started in 2008. Pope SWCD had to competitively apply for the funding in order to do this project and the project must have an emphasis on improving water quality to be funded. That is the primary focus of this project but the Pope SWCD also recognizes that there are secondary benefits of flooding reduction that can also be looked at as well. This was kept in mind during the analysis conducted and coordinated with the city.

The City of Glenwood has been coordinating other work with the street reconstruction project. They will provide an update on the progress of this effort. This street reconstruction project will begin in 2018 and will have impact on Highway 28 and 104 that go through downtown. This is a separate project from the work the Pope SWCD has been working on. Most of the areas identified for retention and detention are in the upper part of the watershed. These are the areas where we will gain more benefit for volume of water retained and greater reductions in pollutants.

The Pope SWCD works in private lands conservation projects and will enter into projects with interested individual landowners. We have identified in this study projects in certain parts of the city on city property but also on private property that might be well suited for a project. It is our intent to gain feedback from landowners interested in implementing some of these urban stormwater projects to improve water quality in Lake Minnewaska. Some examples include raingardens, rain barrels, adjustments to rain gutters, tree trenches, retention or detention ponds, pervious pavers, and grit chambers. Not all project locations will be suited to construct some of these projects. A site investigation will be necessary to determine if the soil types, utilities, and location will work to allow the project to function as designed.

The Pope SWCD intends to apply for grant funding through the Board of Water and Soil Resources to attain Clean Water Funds to provide cost share up to 75% to implement these stormwater projects. The Pope SWCD does not currently have funding and this effort is to attain information from interested and motivated landowners to implement one or more of these projects. This information will strengthen the grant application and increase the likelihood of receiving additional grant funds. The Pope SWCD will know in early 2018 if they are funded and then will begin work on planning, designing, and implementing these projects in 2018-2021. If the application is not successful the SWCD will likely reapply in the fall of 2018. If you are interested in learning more please attend this workshop or you may call Holly or Jessica at 320-634-5327.