HERON LAKE WATERSHED DISTRICT ANNUAL REPORT 2015

Transcription

HERON LAKE WATERSHED
DISTRICT
ANNUAL REPORT 2015
WATERSHED
ASSISTANCE
THROUGH
EDUCATION &
RESOURCES
H
ERON
LAKE WATERSHED DISTRICT
1008 3rd Ave., P. O. Box 345
Heron Lake, MN 56137
507-793-2462
Fax 507-793-2253
Email address: [email protected]
Web address: www.hlwdonline.org
Meeting: 3rd Tuesday of the
month at 7:00 p.m. September
through April; 8:00 p.m.
May through August
Table of Contents
Section I: Executive Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Section II: Mission Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Section III: Board of Managers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Section IV: Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Section V: HLWD Advisory Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Section VI: BMP Implementation Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
General Operating Levy Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Clean Water Partnership (CWP) Loan Program: Heron Lake Phosphorus Reduction Project . . . . . . . . . . 7
EPA 319 Grant: Jack and Okabena Creek Sediment Reduction (JOSR) Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Conservation Partners Legacy Grant: HLWD Aquatic-Upland Prairie Restoration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Aquatic Habitat Program: Heron Lake Watershed Shoreline Restoration Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Heron Lake Sediment And Phosphorus Reduction Implementation Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Livestock Nutrient Reduction Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Third Crop Phosphorus Reduction Effort. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
WFDMR Targeting and Prioritizing Endeavor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Summer Interns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Reinvest In Minnesota (RIM) Easement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
HLWD Minnesota Conservation Corps Sediment Reduction Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Schindler Property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Engler Property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Grant Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Section VII: Surface Water Monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Surface Water Assessment Grant (SWAG) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
HLWD Monitoring Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Section VIII: Impaired Waters and TMDL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
WFDMR TMDL Implementation Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Section IX: Regulatory and Permits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Rules and Regulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
HLWD WMP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Section X: Flood Damage Reduction Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Section XI: Public Drainage System Management Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Jackson County JD #31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Jackson County JD #30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Jackson County JD #30 Branch A-1 of Ditch 2 and Lateral to Branch A-1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Jackson County Ditch (CD) #3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Jackson County JD #19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Section XII: Capital Improvement Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Section XIII: Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
2
EPA 319 Grant: Fulda Phosphorus Reduction Initiative. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Corn Systems Coordinated Agricultural Program (CSCAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Soil Health Research in Southwest Minnesota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Website . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Earth Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
CE Support Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Watershed Professionals Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Financial Accountability Newsletter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
WFDMR Watershed Project – Phase 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Cover Crop Learning Tour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Other Education Opportunities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Section XIV: Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Surface Water Monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
BMP Implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Impaired Waters and TMDL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Permits and Notifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Flood Damage Reduction Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Public Drainage System Management Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Capital Improvement Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Section XV: 2016 Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Section XVI: Account Balances Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Table of Tables
Table 1. General Operating Levy Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Table 2. Education Endeavors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Table 3. 2015 Projects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Table 4. BMPs Installed through Grants and Loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Table of Figures
Figure 1. Average Concentrations of Total Phosphorus from 2004 through 2015 at Jack Creek,
Okabena Creek, and the Heron Lake Outlet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Figure 2. Average Concentrations of TSS from 2004 through 2015 at Jack Creek, Okabena Creek,
and the Heron Lake Outlet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Figure 3. 2014 Average Rainfall. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Figure 4. 2015 Average Rainfall. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Figure 5. Grant, Loan, and General Operating Levy Project Locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
3
ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
SECTION I: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Heron Lake Watershed District – HLWD
Watershed Management Plan – WMP
Best Management Practices – BMP
Water and Sediment Control Basin - WASCOB
West Fork Des Moines River – WFDMR
Total Maximum Daily Load – TMDL
Major Watershed Project - MWP
Prairie Ecology Bus Center – PEBC
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency – MPCA
Civic Engagement – CE
Major Watershed Plan – MWP
Local Work Group - LWG
Reinvest In Minnesota – RIM
Total Suspended Solids – TSS
Total Phosphorus – TP
Judicial Ditch – JD
Clean Water Partnership – CWP
Soil and Water Conservation District – SWCD
Environmental Protection Agency – EPA
Jack and Okabena Creek Sediment Reduction – JOSR
Department of Natural Resources – DNR
Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota
Resources – LCCMR
Natural Resources Conservation Service – NRCS
Southwest Prairie Technical Service Area – SWPTSA
Clean Water Fund – CWF
Board of Water and Soil Resources – BWSR
Houston Engineering, Inc. – HEI
Geographic Information System – GIS
Digital Elevation Model – DEM
Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy WRAPS
North Heron Lake Game Producers Association NHLGPA
Minnesota Department of Agriculture – MDA
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education –
SARE
Surface Water Assessment Grant – SWAG
Wire Weight Gage – WWG
Minnesota Valley Testing Laboratories – MVTL
Orthophosphorus (OP)
Okabena-Ocheda Watershed District – OOWD
University of Minnesota – UM
Useful2Usable – U2U
Iowa State University – ISU
Hydrologic Simulation Program Fortran – HSPF
Aquatic Invasive Species – AIS
Association of District Administrators – ADA
Minnesota Association of Watershed Districts –
MAWD
Heron Lake and its watershed encompass many of the
same problems seen in other rural, agricultural areas in
Minnesota. Point and non-point source pollution, intensive
tillage, non-compliant septic systems, feedlots, and urban
stormwater runoff are all problems that must be addressed.
To work toward achieving the goals set in the Heron Lake
Watershed District (HLWD) Watershed Management Plan
(WMP), a watershed approach was used to implement,
educate, monitor, and plan in 2015. This was done through
the use of general operating levy funds, the administration
of fourteen grants, and implementation of one low-interest
loan program.
HLWD staff meets one-on-one with landowners and
operators to provide information about best management
practices (BMP) programs offered through local, state, and
federal organizations. This resulted in the installation of
two water and sediment control basins (WASCOB) projects,
three cedar revetment projects, one J-hook weir project,
200 acres of cover crop seeding, six feedlot improvements,
eleven septic system replacements, and three alternative
tile intakes.
The HLWD strives to provide educational opportunities for
watershed residents on a regular basis. In 2015, this was
done through the website, newsletters, newspaper articles,
and news releases. In addition, several education events
were held including presentations for the commissioners in
Nobles, Jackson, Murray, and Cottonwood Counties; Jackson
County Water Plan Committee; West Fork Des Moines
River (WFDMR) and Heron Lake Total Maximum Daily Load
(TMDL) Advisory and Technical Committees; HLWD Advisory
Committee; WFDMR Major Watershed Project (MWP) Local
Work Group (LWG); Cover Crop Steering Committee; Prairie
Ecology Bus Center (PEBC) Earth Day; Rain Garden Open
House; Cover Crop Learning Tour; and Conversations about
Cover Crops.
Monitoring was done to measure water quality
improvement. Samples were collected at three stream
sites in the HLWD and 12 stream and one lake site for the
MWP. Monitoring data was submitted to Minnesota Pollution
Control Agency (MPCA) in October 2015.
HLWD staff actively sought additional funding to continue
implementation and education efforts. Seven applications
were submitted. Two were chosen for funding. Two were
unfunded and three are being considered. Results will be
known in January and February 2016.
4
SECTION II: MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the HLWD is to protect and improve
the water resources within its boundaries by supporting
watershed residents through the use of education and
financial programs.
SECTION III: BOARD OF MANAGERS
President Jim Buschena has served on the board of managers since 2008 and was appointed by the Murray County
Commissioners. His term ends February 24, 2017. Jim can be contacted at 2140 41st St., Fulda, MN 56131 or 507-4252649.
Mike McCarvel served on the board of
managers beginning in 2000 and was appointed
by the Nobles County Commissioners. His term
ended February 24, 2015. Vice President Bruce
Leinen was appointed by the Nobles County
Commissioners. His term ends February 24, 2018.
Bruce can be contacted at 14213 Palm Avenue,
Fulda, MN 56161 or 507-425-2370.
Treasurer Gary Ewert has served on the
board of managers since 1995 and was appointed
by the Nobles County Commissioners. His term
ends February 24, 2016. Gary can be contacted
at 2725 N. Rose Avenue, Worthington, MN 56187
or 507-360-7200.
Secretary Dale Bartosh has served on the
board of managers since 2004 and was appointed
by the Jackson County Commissioners. His term
ends on February 24, 2016. Dale can be contacted Board of managers: (L to R) Dale Bartosh, Jim Buschena,
at 33499 880th, Heron Lake, MN 56137 or 507- Bruce Leinen, Roger Hartman, and Gary Ewert
793-2682.
Manager Roger Hartman was appointed by the Jackson County Commissioners in January of 2012. He resigned his
position effective December 31, 2015. The Jackson County Commissioners will appoint someone to fill the vacancy in early
2016.
SECTION IV: STAFF
Jan Voit has worked for the
HLWD for 33 years, serving as
District Administrator for 20 years.
She is responsible for grant writing,
administration,
and
reporting,
cost-share and incentive program
development, education efforts, and
watershed district administration
including staff oversight, permitting,
meeting organization, finances, and Jan Voit
civic engagement (CE).
Catherine Wegehaupt served as
Watershed Technician since January
of 2014. She is responsible for
contacting individual landowners,
BMP design and installation, water
quality monitoring, assessing the
watershed, assisting with grant
applications and reports, costshare and developing incentive Catherine
programs, and erosion control Wegehaupt
permit applications and inspections.
On July 13, 2015, Amanda Schultz informed the
HLWD that she had accepted a new job. On July 14,
2015, Katherine Pekarek-Scott,
MPCA; Amanda Schultz, and Jan
Voit met to review grant work
plans. The job description and
advertisement were updated on
July 21, 2015. They were sent
to Katherine Pekarek-Scott for
review. The job description and
advertisement were distributed to Amanda Schultz
local news media and colleges on
July 22 and 23, 2015. Seven applications were received
for the Watershed Coordinator position. One application
was incomplete. Two applications did not meet the
criteria. Four candidates were
chosen for interviews. They were
held on September 8, 2015. The
interview committee recommended
hiring Erin Nordquist. The board of
managers approved her hiring on
September 15, 2015. On September
16, 2015, Jan Voit spoke with Erin
Nordquist regarding the Watershed
Coordinator position. She accepted Erin Nordquist
and began her duties on October
5, 2015. She is responsible for working with MPCA and
project partners to complete the MWP.
5
SECTION V: HLWD ADVISORY COMMITTEE
The board of managers appoints advisory committee members each year in January. Following is a list of the 2015 members.
Paul Pietz. . . . . . . . . . .
Robert Dieter . . . . . . . .
Rod Sankey . . . . . . . . .
Rosemary Schultz . . . . .
Jerry Ackermann . . . . .
Allen Jensen. . . . . . . . .
Naomi Hill . . . . . . . . . .
Clarence Madsen . . . . .
Kevin Stevens. . . . . . . .
Andy Geiger . . . . . . . . .
Dave Thiner . . . . . . . . .
Jerry Christopherson . . .
Wayne Smith . . . . . . . .
Chris Hansen . . . . . . . .
Marv Zylstra . . . . . . . . .
Ed Lenz . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chris Bauer . . . . . . . . .
Howard Konkol . . . . . . .
Kay Gross . . . . . . . . . .
Julie Lopez. . . . . . . . . .
Mark Hiles . . . . . . . . . .
Katherine Pekarek-Scott
Randy Markl. . . . . . . . .
Brian Nyborg . . . . . . . .
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. . . . . . . . . . . . PO Box 865, Lakefield, MN 56150
. . . 20697 Sundberg Avenue, Brewster, MN 56119
. . . . . 1917 Clary Street, Worthington, MN 56187
. . . . . . . . . . . . PO Box 426, Lakefield, MN 56150
. . . . . . . 39750 820th Street, Lakefield, MN 56150
. . . . 89133 380th Avenue, Heron Lake, MN 56137
. . . . . . . 36327 210th Street, Brewster, MN 56119
. . . . . . . . . . . . PO Box 175, Okabena, MN 56161
. . . . . . . . 700 Plum Avenue, Windom, MN 56101
. . . . 603 South Highway 86, Lakefield, MN 56150
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . PO Box 401, Fulda, MN 56131
. . . . . . . . 211 16th Street, Heron Lake, MN 56137
. . . . . . . . . . . . Box 187, Worthington, MN 56187
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . PO Box 57, Slayton, MN 56172
. . . 18364 Read Avenue, Worthington, MN 56187
1567 McMillan Street #3, Worthington, MN 56187
. . . . 603 South Highway 86, Lakefield, MN 56150
. . . . . . . . . .2740 22nd Street, Slayton, MN 56172
. . . . . . . . . . . 339 9th Street, Windom, MN 56101
. . . . 32557 210th Street, Worthington, MN 56187
. . . . . . . 261 Highway 15 S., New Ulm, MN 56073
. . . 1601 East Hwy 12. Ste. 1, Willmar, MN 56201
. . . . . . 175 County Road 26, Windom, MN 56101
. . . . . . 175 County Road 26, Windom, MN 56101
On February 19, 2015, Jan Voit spoke with Paul Pietz regarding the
agenda for the upcoming advisory committee meeting. He set agenda
items. A draft agenda was sent to him on February 23, 2015. The
agenda and meeting minutes were distributed to committee members
on February 24, 2015.
The HLWD Advisory Committee met on March 4, 2015. There
were 11 members present. The minutes of the October and December
2014 meetings were approved. Committee members provided meeting
observations for the December Communication Workshop and the
December, January, and February HLWD meetings. Julie Lopez was
nominated for membership. Discussion was held regarding a new
grant award, pending grant applications, judicial ditches, Governor
Dayton’s buffer initiative, and interbasin transfer of water.
On May 18, 2015, Paul Pietz and Jan Voit discussed the upcoming
HLWD Advisory Committee meeting and agenda items. An agenda was drafted and sent to him for review the same day.
On May 26, 2015, Paul approved the agenda. Contact information was updated. A memo, agenda, March 3, 2015 meeting
minutes, contact information, and meeting schedule were sent to committee members.
The HLWD Advisory Committee met on June 3, 2015. There
were 19 members present. The minutes of the March meeting were
approved. Julie Lopez, Naomi Hill, and Rod Sankey were introduced.
Committee members provided meeting observations for the March,
April, and May HLWD meetings. Discussion was held regarding new
grants, judicial ditches, HLWD Reinvest In Minnesota (RIM) easement,
and the WFDMR TMDL Implementation grant.
The HLWD Advisory Committee met on September 3, 2015.
There were 12 members present. The minutes of the June meeting
were approved. Committee members provided meeting observations
for the June, July, and August HLWD meetings. Discussion was held
regarding grant applications, staffing change, general operating levy,
Jackson County Judicial Ditch (JD) #30, cover crop learning tour, final
reports, secretary position, and the meeting date and time. A motion
6
... continued from page 6
was passed to meet on a quarterly basis one hour before the HLWD monthly meetings. Paul Pietz approved the agenda and
draft minutes. They were distributed to committee members on December 8, 2015.
The HLWD Advisory Committee met on December 15, 2015. There were nine members present. The minutes of the
September meeting were approved. Committee members provided meeting observations for the September, October, and
November HLWD meetings. Discussion was held regarding the Engler property, grant applications, staffing change, judicial
ditches, litigation, Fulda Lake, and the secretary position. The committee voted unanimously to recommend the HLWD’s
acceptance of the Engler property. Allen Jensen volunteered to be the secretary.
Paul Pietz gave a short committee report at the HLWD meeting on December 15, 2015.
SECTION VI: BMP IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM
GENERAL OPERATING LEVY PROJECTS
The HLWD provided cost-share funds through the general
operating levy for the following projects shown in Table 1:
Table 1. General Operating Levy Projects
HLWD General Operating Levy Projects - 2015
County
Nobles
Nobles
Nobles
Nobles
Nobles
Nobles
Jackson
Total
Project
Hart terraces
Nelsen terraces
Uit de Flesch cedar revetment
Kanten cedar revetment
Leinen cedar revetment
Perkins waterway
Mixner rock inlets
Amount
2,201.72
2,393.06
532.00
532.00
532.00
674.10
296.25
7,161.13
The following information
Duration:
was sent to contractors, county
06/01/2012 –
water plan coordinators, and Soil
05/23/2015
and Water Conservation District
(SWCD) staff on April 28, 2015.
Loan amount:
The HLWD has $275,300.00 in low
$450,000.00
interest loan dollars through the
CWP loan program from the MPCA.
Major tasks:
Of these funds, $185,300.00 is
Low interest loans
available for septic system replacefor septic system
ment. The remaining $90,000.00
replacement and
is to be used for conservation tillconservation tillage
age equipment purchase.
equipment
The interest rate is 3.5 percent with a seven-year term. The maximum loan amount is
$15,000.00. The project costs are assessed to the property
and payments are made semi-annually with taxes. The
deadline for using these funds is May 23, 2016. All projects
would have to be completed by early May 2016 to qualify
for funding.
An advertisement for the low interest loan program ran
in May 6, 2015 edition of the Tri County News and Fulda Free
Press. The cost for these ads was $75.00. The advertisement
also ran in the May 9, 2015 edition of the Daily Globe. The
cost for this ad was $113.40.
Eleven septic system replacement loans were disbursed
in 2015 - eight in Nobles County totaling $100,416.54 and
three in Jackson County totaling $31,465.00.
Cedar revetment project installation
CLEAN WATER PARTNERSHIP (CWP)
LOAN PROGRAM: HERON LAKE
PHOSPHORUS REDUCTION PROJECT
The HLWD was awarded CWP loan funds for septic
system replacement and conservation tillage equipment in
May of 2012. The low interest loan program is administered
through the Heron Lake Phosphorus Reduction Project. The
HLWD currently has $142,483.49 in loan funds remaining.
Septic system
... continued on page 8
7
EPA 319 GRANT: JACK AND OKABENA
CREEK SEDIMENT REDUCTION (JOSR)
PROJECT
The HLWD was awarded an
Duration:
Environmental Protection Agency
08/01/2012
–
(EPA) 319 Development, Educa08/31/2016
tion, or Research Project grant
for the JOSR Project to install
Grant amount:
practices to reduce streambank
$20,600.00
erosion in 2012.
Major tasks:
On May 6, 2015, a change
One J-hook weir
order for the JOSR Project was
project on Okabena
submitted to MPCA. The change
Creek and one
order requested an increase in the
on Jack Creek
number of J-hook projects from
two to three. Additional funds
through the Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program the
Okabena Creek project received funding. Because of this additional funding, there was a remaining balance of $7,778.91.
HLWD staff contacted the landowner and secured an
additional project upstream from the site that was installed
in 2014. The timeframe to complete the task was also extended. The change order was approved on May 12, 2015.
The Okabena Creek project was installed on September
22, 2015.
Catherine Wegehaupt conducted spot spraying where the
burn and seeding took place. Mostly Candian Thistles, Sweet
Clover, and Brome were identified. Plant species that were
identified at the site on July 28, 2015 included: Big Blue Stem,
Purple Prairie Clover, Black-eyed Susan, Heath Aster, Swamp
Milkweed, and Little Blue Stem.
The annual report was submitted and approved on November 19, 2015.
Cole Sinnamon spot spraying
Michelle Chapel spot spraying
AQUATIC HABITAT PROGRAM:
HERON LAKE WATERSHED
SHORELINE RESTORATION
PROJECTS
Duration:
Okabena Creek J-hook weir project installation
CONSERVATION PARTNERS
LEGACY GRANT:
Duration:
HLWD AQUATIC01/09/2013 –
UPLAND PRAIRIE
06/30/2016
RESTORATION
Grant amount:
Catherine Wegehaupt did a
site check on April 22, 2015. The
aquatic plantings showed significant growth. They have well
established since the August 2014
planting. For weed maintenance
in 2015, the summer interns and
8
$24,999.00
Major tasks:
Clean accumulated
sediment and restore
vegetation in
Seward 21
The HLWD was awarded the
08/01/2012 –
Aquatic Habitat Program for the
08/31/2016
Heron Lake Watershed Shoreline
Grant amount:
Restoration Projects in 2012. With
$36,455.00
these funds, the HLWD implemented three shoreline restoration
Major tasks:
projects within the watershed.
Install three shoreline
On April 28, 2015, a letter was restoration projects in
sent to Luke and Rachel Isder and
the Heron Lake
Dale and Barb Bergman regardWatershed
ing the annual maintenance and
monthly monitoring requirements
for their shoreline restoration projects. The summer interns
conducted monthly monitoring at the Bergman site. The
Isder’s conducted monthly monitoring at their site.
The annual report for the Heron Lake Watershed
Shoreline Restoration Project was submitted on November
19, 2015. During the process, the Department of Natural
Resources (DNR) project manager requested that a change
order be done to move funds from implementation to maintenance. The change order and annual report were approved
on December 14, 2015.
Bergman shoreline restoration project
HERON LAKE SEDIMENT AND
PHOSPHORUS REDUCTION
IMPLEMENTATION
Duration:
07/01/2013 –
PROJECTS
In 2013, the HLWD was
awarded $122,000 from the Legislative-Citizen Commission on
Minnesota Resources (LCCMR)
for the installation of two streambank stabilization projects, three
(WASCOBs), two biodetention basins, and one bioretention basin.
Through this grant, water samples
were collected and analyzed over
Paulzine terraces
06/30/2016
Grant amount:
$120,000.00
Major tasks:
Install projects,
monitor water
quality, and
outreach
a three-year period. The data will be compared to data
gathered since 1996 to determine project effectiveness. The
results of these efforts will be summarized in a newsletter
distributed to approximately 3,500 HLWD residents, agency
personnel, and legislators. A one-day field day will be held
in an effort to reach 50 watershed landowners and share
information regarding water quality improvement and what
can be done to assist in pollution-reducing projects.
In early April, the landowner, the HLWD staff, and the
engineers were in contact with the contractor to begin work
at the Graham Lakes Bioretention Basin. The contractor was
busy with other jobs and was unable to get to the site. The
landowner contacted another local contractor to complete
the project. That contractor did not have suitable equipment
for excavation of the site. The crop surrounding the project
area was planted. To avoid any crop damage the original
contractor is hoping to return to complete the project in the
spring of 2016.
The WASCOB project in Fenton Township was surveyed
and designed in the fall of 2014 by HLWD and Murray County
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) staff. The
landowner wanted to change his planting rows, so Murray
County NRCS was contacted to create a different design
that fit with the landowners’ farming practices. The site was
surveyed and the design completed in April and May. The
contractor started locating tile on June 8, 2015. Construction
began on June 16, 2015. The project has been completed.
Agreements are in place with the adjacent landowners that
allowed for tile installation after harvest.
In early 2015, a different location and cooperator were
chosen for the WASCOB project in Graham Lakes Township.
In April, the HLWD and NRCS staff put together estimates,
surveyed, and designed structures for this site. The renter
and landowner couldn’t agree on the project being installed,
so the landowner changed his mind and decided not to do
anything on site. Currently the HLWD is working with two
other landowners along a tributary of Jack Creek to see if
there is interest in installing a structure that will provide a
greater sediment and nutrient load reduction.
The contractor was not able to complete the Graham
Lakes Bioretention Basin because he was busy with other
jobs and unable to get
to the site. The contractor has promised
that the project will be
completed right away in
the spring.
The WASCOB project in Fenton Township
was nearly complete at
the end of June. The
project was certified
to meet NRCS requirements on July 1, 2015.
The site for the
WASCOB project in Graham Lakes Township
was secured. It will be
located in Section 20,
9
Bloom Township, Nobles County. The project was surveyed
and designed by NRCS. Due to staff shortage, the NRCS was
unable to complete a Cultural Resources Check on the site.
Catherine Wegehaupt contacted the engineers at Southwest
Prairie Technical Service Area (SWPTSA) to determine if
they could complete a Cultural Resources Check. SWPTSA
completed the check and approved the design on November
9, 2015. The project will be installed in the spring of 2016.
Water quality monitoring was conducted from April to
September. Catherine Wegehaupt met with landowners regarding project installation throughout the year.
In 2015, streams were sampled 22 times. The DNR
visited the continuous gage locations to collect the necessary field data every four to six weeks. The DNR maintained
stage-discharge relationships and will compute discharge
records for continuous gage sites throughout the monitoring
season. An annual report of daily discharges, data collection
summaries, and stage-discharge relations will be provided
by January 31, 2016. Catherine Wegehaupt will begin summarizing the monitoring data in early 2016.
The annual report for the LCCMR grant was submitted
on December 8, 2015. The report contained an amendment
request to extend the project completion date to June 15,
2016. The report and amendment request were approved
on December 14, 2015.
BWSR. She had the opportunity to speak with Mark Hiles,
BWSR about the CWF grant reporting process. In the course
of the conversation, Mark said that there may be a possibility
of using the money for another feedlot fix.
If a project with a similar MinnFARM number that fixed all
of the site problem, and a willing landowner could be found,
the remaining funds could be used. Amanda Schultz spoke
with Jon Bloemendaal, Murray County Feedlot Officer, regarding these circumstances. If a potential project emerges, he
would let her know.
On May 14, 2015, a conference call was held to discuss
the Livestock Nutrient Reduction Project. Mark Hiles, BWSR;
Russ Hoogendoorn, SWPTSA; Joe Risacher, Amanda Schultz,
and Jan Voit were in attendance. It was determined that
either a roof structure or relocation of a potential site were
eligible for cost-share, but relocation and construction of a
roof structure were not. Landowners decided it was best
to use federal funds, instead of grant funds for the project.
The funds were repaid to BWSR on September 15, 2015.
LIVESTOCK NUTRIENT REDUCTION
PROJECT
The HLWD was awarded $264,535.00 in a Clean Water
Fund (CWF) Grant from the Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR). The Livestock
Duration:
Nutrient Reduction Project will
04/03/2014
–
reduce nutrient loading to Beaver
09/24/2015
Creek by constructing a storage
Grant amount:
basin to hold manure and milk
$149,760.63
house wastewater from a remodeled dairy facility.
Major tasks:
On January 13, 2015 and
Install storage
January 22, 2015, Amanda Schultz
basin for dairy facility
and Jan Voit worked on grant
reporting. Project costs to date
total $221,133.51. A payment of $82,925 (50%) was issued
to Chuck Hill on January 22, 2015. Project invoices were
uploaded to eLINK.
Jan Voit spoke with Mike Skogland, SWPTSA regarding
the final payment to Chuck Hill on March 30, 2015. Jan Voit
worked on the final payment and final report on April 7, 2015
and April 14, 2015. The final report was submitted to BWSR
on April 14, 2015.
On March 30, 2015, Mike Skoglund contacted the HLWD
office regarding the final payment for the project. He informed
the HLWD that Chuck Hill installed the fencing on December
16, 2014. HLWD staff was under the assumption that the
fencing would be completed in the spring of 2015. Final payment was made to the landowner on April 21, 2015.
After the Chuck Hill project was completed, the remaining
fund balance was $98,685.37. Jan Voit was in the process of
completing the final report and returning these funds to the
10
Hill feedlot
Hill feedlot
Hill feedlot
THIRD CROP PHOSPHORUS
REDUCTION EFFORT
The Heron Lake Third Crop
Duration:
Phosphorus Reduction Effort pro07/01/2014 –
vides financial assistance to estab08/31/2017
lish 200 acres of cover crops on an
Grant amount:
annual basis during the three-year
$33,120.00
grant period. In addition, a steering committee was established
Major tasks:
to assist in identifying barriers to Establish 200 acres of
making changes and developing
cover crops annually
strategies for behavior change for
and establish a
cover crop implementation.
Steering Committee
On April 1, 2015, a memo was
sent to the partners in the Third Crop Phosphorus Reduction
Initiative reminding them of the grant requirements for the
coming year. Those included:
• Cover crop termination. The cover crop will be terminated with herbicide each spring before corn or
soybeans are planted. The costs for terminating the
cover crop will be an inkind contribution from the
landowners. The associated cost is $20 per acre.
Jan Voit will need to have copies of your invoices for
purchasing the herbicide used to terminate the cover
crops. Please submit those as soon as possible.
• Secure seed. The same mix will be used throughout the
grant period. Please let me know if you have ordered
seed for 2015.
• Establish cover crops. Please let me know when the
pilot has been secured and dates set for seeding the
cover crops.
• Soil samples. Extended Ag Services is responsible for
collecting soil samples in the spring and fall. Please
let me know when this has been completed.
• Tillage transects and infiltration tests. Catherine Wegehaupt is responsible for tillage transects and infiltration test. Please let her know when you have finished
planting your crops so she can complete the tillage
transects and infiltration tests in a timely manner.
One of the work plan requirements is to gather input and
thoughts from the local watershed community and increase
awareness of the need for water quality improvement efforts
within the watershed.
Through this process, the steering committee will be
meeting to brainstorm about needs, wants, and perceptions
of watershed landowners as they relate to water quality
improvement, focusing on cover crops. They will be putting
together recommendations for the HLWD.
The change order for the Third Crop Phosphorus Reduction Effort was approved on June 22, 2015. Through this
change order, the number of steering committee members
was increased from five to a maximum of 15. The steering
committee members will determine the meeting schedule.
On July 2, 2015, contact was made with potential committee members. A memo was sent to the members on July
7, 2015. Catherine Wegehaupt and Jan Voit met on July 16,
2015 to plan the steering committee meeting. The meeting
agenda and detailed agenda were drafted. The agenda was
sent to committee members on July 17, 2015.
The Crop Steering Committee met on July 28, 2015.
Following an evening meal and an ice breaker, introductions
were given. An explanation of the grant and description of
expectations were discussed. A snow card activity was done
for the question, “What does water quality mean to you?”
Discussion was held regarding meeting dates and times, the
Cover Crop Learning Tour, expectations, and the end result
of the steering committee efforts.
The Cover Crop Steering Committee planned to meet in
conjunction with the Cover Crop Learning Tour on September
15, 2015. A memo and information about the tour was sent
to committee members on August 25, 2015.
Nancy Ackermann contacted Jan Voit on August 29,
2015. The cover crops on their property and the Christoffer
property were seeded that day. The Perkins and Hansberger
sites were seeded on August 30, 2015.
The cover crop seeding summary was drafted on September 10, 2015. The document was uploaded to the website
on September 14, 2015.
Catherine Wegehaupt and Jan Voit met on September
1, 2015 to plan the next Cover Crop Steering Committee
meeting. The meeting was held on September 15, 2015 in
conjunction with the Cover Crop Learning Tour. There were
six committee members in attendance.
On October 5, 2015, the Corn and Soybean Digest article
regarding the cover crop grant was distributed to project
partners.
Kickoff at Okabena Legion Hall
11
At their meeting on September 15, 2015, the Cover Crop
Steering Committee asked for an opportunity to visit cover
crop fields after harvest. They also suggested that area farmers be invited. On October 8, 2015, Catherine Wegehaupt
and Jan Voit met with Jerry and Nancy Ackermann to begin
planning the event. The day will begin at the Okabena Legion
Hall with a few short presentations and then visit harvested
cover crop fields. An agenda and flyer were drafted. The documents were distributed to project partners for comments.
On October 22, 2015, the press release for the Conversations about Cover Crops was drafted and distributed. A flyer
and mailing list were created. The flyer and press release
were mailed on October 26, 2015.
The flyer and press release were mailed to additional
addresses that were provided on November 2, 2015. PowerPoint presentations were created for Christoffer, Ackermann,
Brunk, and Post on November 5, 2015. Revisions were made
on November 9 and 10, 2015.
The HLWD hosted Conversations about Cover Crops on
November 10, 2015 from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Participants
met at the American Legion Hall in Okabena. Coffee and
cookies were served during registration. The event included
presentations about 2015 cover crop results from Bryan
Biegler, Brian Post, Bruce Brunk, Tim Hansberger, Dave Christoffer, Jerry Ackermann, and Darwin Roberts. Following the
question and answer session, attendees made a site visit to
harvested cover crop fields. In addition, a map was provided
that contained the locations of cover crop fields in Jackson
and Nobles Counties. There were 36 people in attendance.
On December 10, 2015, Jan Voit began drafting the
Third Crop Phosphorus Reduction Effort annual report and
reimbursement request. The first draft of the report and reimbursement request were submitted on December 15, 2015.
Revised versions were sent to MPCA on December 29, 2015.
Conversations about Cover Crops
On October 21 and 22, 2015, time was spent revising
the flyer and press release for the cover crop field day. A
mailing list was developed. The flyers were mailed on October 26, 2015.
Filling airplane
Cover crop seeding
12
WFDMR TARGETING AND
PRIORITIZING ENDEAVOR
The following summary reDuration:
garding the WFDMR Targeting and
06/15/2015 –
Prioritizing Endeavor was provided
06/30/2018
to managers in March of 2015.
Grant amount:
In August 2014, HLWD staff
$21,955.00
informed managers that the SWPTSA received a CWF grant for a
Major tasks:
terrain analysis for the WFDMR GIS datasets, summary
watershed to accurately reflect maps, and a technical
water flow across the landscape at
memorandum
the field scale. The terrain analysis
describing suitability
is being conducted by Houston
for BMP
Engineering, Inc. (HEI).
HLWD staff also explained that our partners wanted a
terrain analysis and other targeting tools created in conjunction with the MWP. Since the terrain analysis was already
being done, HLWD staff explored the possibility of additional
targeting tools. Contact was made with Mark Hiles, BWSR.
He suggested contacting HEI since they are on the leading
edge for developing this type of product.
On August 25, 2014, HLWD staff and Katherine PekarekScott, MPCA, participated in a webinar with Drew Kessler
and Larry Kramka, HEI. HLWD staff provided managers with
information regarding this webinar and explained that the
proposed targeting tools were consistent with the current
BWSR vision for prioritized, targeted, and measured projects.
Following the webinar, HLWD staff worked with HEI to
develop a CWF grant application entitled An Opportunity to
Prioritize, Target, and Measure in the WFDMR Watershed.
The project identified in the application proposed building
upon the terrain analysis products developed by SWPTSA.
At the September 16, 2014 meeting, the board of managers
approved the grant application.
On January 22, 2015, the HLWD was notified that the
CWF grant application was not selected for funding. There
were 33 projects funded, ours was ranked 34. HLWD staff
informed the managers that additional application options
were being researched.
Because this application is for the same project approved at the September 2014 meeting, HLWD staff began
working with HEI on the WFDMR Targeting and Prioritizing
Endeavor through the CWP program soon after the request
for proposals was announced. At the February 2015 meeting, HLWD staff explained the proposal and the difference in
the match requirements. The board of managers approved
submitting the application. The application was submitted
on March 3, 2015.
Working with HEI is the most cost-effective option for
making the best use of taxpayer dollars if this grant application is funded because:
• They are the contractor approved to conduct the
WFDMR terrain analysis.
• They are the contractor approved to create the Prioritized, Targeted, and Measurable Application for BWSR.
• They are the contractor creating a similar product for
Rock County through a CWF grant.
On May 5, 2015, the HLWD was notified that MPCA staff
are recommending to Commissioner John Linc Stine that
we be awarded funding for the CWP application submitted
in March 2015. Upon approval of the Commissioner, the
CWP grant will be sent to us for processing. When the grant
agreement is fully executed, an extensive work plan will be
drafted detailing work activities, measureable outcomes,
timetable, and budget.
A summary of the application follows. Through the
WFDMR Targeting and Prioritizing Endeavor, the HLWD proposes to build upon the terrain analysis products developed
by SWPTSA Area 5 and extend the data products to include
BMP suitability, BMP effectiveness, and BMP value datasets.
The extended data products are derived by using advanced
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and engineering
methods, developed by HEI and applied to the hydrologically
corrected Digital Elevation Model (DEM). The outcome of this
project will be GIS datasets, summary maps, and a technical
memorandum describing the suitability for BMP placement,
effect of implementation on priority resources, and the
measurable cost-effectiveness of pursuing opportunities to
implement BMPs. All of these methods are complimentary
to implementation, restoration, and protection strategies
identified within the Watershed Restoration and Protection
Strategy (WRAPS) process and will aid local CE efforts.
On July 21, 2015, Jan Voit started the work plan for the
WFDMR Targeting and Prioritizing Endeavor. The draft document and excel spreadsheets were sent to Larry Kramka, HEI.
On August
11, 2015, Larry
Kramka, HEI sent
a revised draft of
the work plan for
the WFDMR Tar-
geting and Prioritizing
Endeavor. The draft
document and excel
spreadsheets were revised and returned to
him for further information. Larry sent a
revised version on August 12, 2015. Further
revisions were made. A draft version was submitted to MPCA
the same day.
The work plan for the WFDMR Targeting and Prioritizing
Endeavor was revised and submitted to Katherine PekarekScott, MPCA on August 20, 2015. Katherine Pekarek-Scott,
MPCA; Larry Kramka, HEI; and Jan Voit met via conference
call on August 27, 2015. Discussion was held regarding the
work plan. The budget will be finalized at the beginning of
September.
The work plan for the WFDMR Targeting and Prioritizing
Endeavor was approved on September 18, 2015. The project
will begin after HEI submits their contract.
On October 5, 2015, Katherine Pekarek-Scott, MPCA and
Jan Voit discussed time tracking for the Targeting and Prioritizing Endeavor. On October 6, 2015, Jan Voit reviewed the
contract with HEI. The contract and comments were sent to
Larry Kramka, HEI for consideration. A revised version was
submitted on October 12, 2015. The contract was approved
by MPCA.
On December 3, 2015, Jan Voit had the opportunity to
discuss the WFDMR Targeting and Prioritizing Endeavor with
Larry Kramka, HEI. Work began on the annual report on
December 10, 2015. The draft document was sent to Larry
Kramka for the purpose of adding additional information.
Larry sent the revised document to Jan Voit on December 28,
2015. The first draft was submitted to MPCA on December
29, 2015.
SUMMER INTERNS
Over the past twenty years, the HLWD, North Heron Lake
Game Producers Association (NHLGPA), and other partners,
have provided thirty five students with the opportunity to
gain experience, meet professionals in the field, and develop
life-long skills.
The summer intern job description and advertisement
were revised on January 8, 2015. The documents were sent
to Catherine Wegehaupt, Amanda Schultz, and Dan Livdahl
for review and comment. Changes were incorporated. The
application information was distributed to colleges and universities, as well as local news media. The application deadline
was February 12, 2015.
Catherine Wegehaupt and Jan Voit reviewed applications
for the summer intern positions on February 18, 2015. Eleven
applications were submitted. Four were chosen to interview.
Letters were sent to the four individuals regarding interview
date and time.
Contact was made with Sherry Schoewe, Lloyd Kalfs,
and Mark Fest regarding serving on the interview committee.
Lloyd and Mark volunteered to help with interviews.
13
On February 23, 2015, one
Each day I can be found at the
of the candidates contacted the
University Police Department,
office to indicate she had aclogging crimes and taking fincepted a position with another
gerprints.
organization. Catherine WegeI spent the summer after
haupt and Jan Voit reviewed
my freshman year of college
the remaining candidates and
as a park ranger intern in Great
chose another to offer an interFalls, Montana. When I wasn't
view. A letter was sent to the
giving interpretive programs
candidate the same day. The
or welcoming visitors at the
candidate accepted. Interviews
ranger station, I roved the park
were held on March 5, 2015.
keeping kids in line. The followOffers were made on March 6,
ing summer I traveled with a
2015. On March 9, 2015, both
team to Altai Republic, Russia
candidates declined the offers.
researching the local ecology
Catherine Wegehaupt and
and connecting with the native
Jan Voit reviewed the remaining
Altayan people. This coming
applications and chose two cansummer I am very excited to
didates to interview on March 9,
be an intern and meet you all
2015. A letter was sent to the Cole Sinnamon and Michelle Chapel
in Heron Lake!
Cole Sinnamon began his
candidates the same day. Both
internship on May 12, 2015. Michelle Chapel began her inaccepted. Interviews were scheduled for March 16, 2015.
ternship on May 18, 2015. They completed their internship
One candidate was interviewed in person, but declined. The
on August 13, 2015.
second did not attend the Skype interview.
The HLWD and partners recognize that water pollution
Several possible candidates were contacted on March
reduction efforts for Heron Lake and its watershed must
18, 2015. Catherine Wegehaupt called Rolf Mahlberg on
include the environmental education of future generations.
March 19, 2015 regarding the possibility of any Minnesota
Through the internship program, students gain valuable expeWest students being interns. One interview was scheduled
rience and knowledge from their efforts, which assists them
for March 26, 2015, with the potential for two more.
in obtaining full-time employment, developing their careers,
An interview was held on March 26, 2015. Michelle
and working toward overall environmental improvements in
Chapel accepted a summer internship on March 27, 2015.
diverse fields. The HLWD and NHLGPA have made a commitAn interview was held on March 30, 2015. Cole Sinnamon
ment to continue with the internship program. Both organiaccepted a summer internship the same day.
zations are proud of the interns and graduate students and
Cole Sinnamon
look forward to continuing the project for a very long time.
Hello, my name is Cole Sinnamon and I live in Dundee,
Minnesota. I am the son of Kim and Kathy Sinnamon, and
have one brother, Ryan. While growing up, I went to Fulda
REINVEST IN MINNESOTA (RIM)
Public Schools where I graduated in 2011. After high school
EASEMENT
I attended the University of North Dakota to pursue a degree
On February 26, 2015, the application for funds to do a
in Meteorology, but unfortunately after 2 ½ years I realized
prairie enhancement on the RIM easement was submitted.
I wanted to switch majors. Currently I’m a transfer student
There are 5.5 acres that could be treated. Maximum costat Minnesota West in Worthington just finishing my generals.
share available is $300 per acre for a total of $1,650.
After this I’m planning to transfer back to another univerIt was decided that signs will be placed to mark the
sity and major in environmental science or environmental
boundaries of the RIM easement. A sticker containing the
management.
HLWD logo was made by KM Graphics, Worthington. The cost
My interests and hobbies include things such as fishing,
for the logo for the eight signs was $40. The sticker covered
ice fishing, watching hockey, and cheering on the UND Fightthe private property, ask to hunt information on the signs
ing Sioux, occasionally playing guitar, and storm chasing and
provided by BWSR.
spotting whenever I have the chance. I am really looking
In April of 2015, HLWD staff requested approval of $6,600
forward to working with the HLWD and NHLGPA this summer,
to cover the costs of sediment removal and mower rental
and doing things such as water sampling, goose banding,
for the RIM site.
and helping out the various organizations they work with.
On May 4, 2015, Eric Earhart, US Fish and Wildlife Service
Michelle Chapel
contacted Jan Voit. The east/north east wind was conducive
Hello! My name is Michelle, and I am looking forward
for the controlled burn on the RIM easement. He indicated
to serving as an intern this summer for HLWD and NHLGPA.
that the crew members would be contacting the landownAlthough originally from Washington, currently I attend
ers, fire chief, and police chief before the burn started. The
Montana State University - studying Conservation Biology &
event was successful.
Ecology with a minor in Water Resources. I love living where
On May 11, 2015, a special meeting was held at the RIM
the mountain trails are close in proximity to hike and run.
14
easement site. Bruce Leinen contacted Jan Voit on May 11,
2015 regarding a conversation he had with Randy Dierks following the meeting. Randy was concerned about removing
wood duck boxes he had placed in the RIM easement. Jan
Voit spoke with Howard Konkol on May 12, 2015 regarding
requirements. The wood duck boxes did not need to be removed. Bruce also let Randy know that the HLWD would like
to have a better working relationship with him.
HLWD MINNESOTA CONSERVATION
CORPS SEDIMENT REDUCTION
PROJECTS
Failing bank
Controlled burn at RIM easement
Through this effort, the HLWD stabilized four streambank
sites in Nobles County using a cedar revetment method.
In addition, invasive tree species removal was done along
a streambank site in Murray County. The purpose of the
cedar revetment projects is to reduce sediment from moving through Jack Creek, the major stream leading to Heron
Lake. Over time, the cedar revetments will trap sediment and
rebuild the streambank. This site has been burned, seeded
to native prairie, and mowed within the last two years. The
purpose of the brush management was to remove invasive
tree species along an unnamed tributary that enters Fulda
Lake to allow sunlight for these plant species and to promote
wildlife habitat and improve aquatic habitat while improving
water quality.
Minnesota Conservation Corps crew and summer interns
The Minnesota Conservation Corps crew worked within
the HLWD for four days to install streambank stabilization
projects and to remove all invasive tree species. Through the
installation of these projects, the estimated sediment reduction was 112 tons per year of Total Suspended Solids (TSS)
15
and an estimated 128 pounds of Total Phosphorus (TP) per
year. The crew makes it possible for HLWD staff to complete
projects within a reasonable time frame and makes the cost
of the projects feasible.
was contacted regarding the request. This item was discussed
at the May board meeting. The managers directed her to
obtain further information.
On June 8, 2015, Jan Voit spoke with Larry Schindler
regarding the possibility of purchasing his pond. They discussed the purchase price. Larry said he would provide that
by the end of the week. Jan Voit contacted him again on
June 16, 2015 to inquire about his selling price. He said he
would like $15,000 for the pond and rights to pump water
for his garden.
On June 17, 2015, Jan Voit contacted Brian Nyborg, DNR
regarding the Schindler pond. He responded on June 18,
2015. The pond is not a public water. No permits would be
needed from the DNR for sediment removal.
On July 7, 2015, Jan Voit spoke with Larry Schindler
regarding the pond. He has no interest in selling to the City
of Fulda. On July 15, 2015, Larry contacted Jan Voit and
asked her to stop at his house. On July 16, 2015, Jan Voit
met with Larry Schindler for a site visit. They discussed the
possibility of HLWD ownership.
The pond was discussed at the July and August meetings. In August of 2015, a motion passed to end the process.
ENGLER PROPERTY
Chuck Engler stopped at the office on September 14,
2015. He had a new will drafted. He intends to give his land
along Duck Lake to the HLWD at the time of his death. He is
doing this so that the lake is protected and the memory of
his wife is preserved. He was concerned about HLWD’s legal
counsel’s opinion on the gift. Jan Voit called Jim Buschena
regarding this issue. He asked her to contact Mike Tow.
Cedar revetment
SCHINDLER PROPERTY
Engler property
Schindler property
On May 14, 2015, Larry Schindler contacted Jan Voit regarding the possibility of the HLWD purchasing his pond. His
health no longer allows him to take care of it. Jim Buschena
16
Following is his response: If Mr. Engler devises land to
the District in his will, the District will have the right to accept or disclaim the devise at the time of Mr. Engler’s death.
The devise may be subject to the District satisfying certain
conditions which the District may or may not wish to comply
with relative to the memory of his wife or otherwise. There
is no legal impediment to the District accepting the devise, it
will simply become property of the District, and the managers
are specifically authorized under Minn.Stat. 103D.335, Subd.
11, to acquire real property by gift where the real property is
“necessary” for watershed purposes. As the land in question
is along Duck Lake, it can be used by the District as a buffer
strip for the lake protecting it from pollution and degradation.
Of course, the District will be liable for the property to the
same extent as any other landowner.
On November 10, 2015, managers and staff met at the
HLWD office at 7:45 am. The purpose for the meeting was
to have a site visit to the Engler property. The land gift was
discussed at length at the November and December meetings. On December 15, 2015, a motion was approved to
accept the land.
The transfer on death deed for the Engler property was
mailed to the Jackson County Recorder’s office on December
17, 2015. Also included was the $46.00 recording fee.
GRANT APPLICATIONS
Each year, an extensive amount of time is spent looking
for additional means to provide watershed residents with
financial assistance and educational opportunities.
The following grant applications were submitted:
• Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Grant – Soil Health
Research in Southwest Minnesota (January 2015)
• CWP – WFDMR Targeting and Prioritizing Endeavor
(March 2015)
• CWF – Targeting and Measuring Altered Hydrology in
Minnesota Watersheds (August 2015)
• CWF – South Heron Lake Nutrient Reduction Project
(August 2015)
• Conservation Corps Minnesota – HLWD Enhancement
and Sediment Reduction Projects (December 2015)
• 2016 Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education
(SARE) Farmer Rancher Grant Proposal – Increasing
Soil Health and Infiltration with Cover Crops (December
2015)
• National Wildlife Federation’s Cover Crop Champions
(December 2015)
SECTION VII: SURFACE WATER MONITORING
SURFACE WATER ASSESSMENT GRANT
(SWAG)
On January 26, 2015, Kelly
O’Hara, MPCA; Catherine Wegehaupt, Amanda Schultz, and Jan
Voit met to discuss the SWAG.
Kelly provided a list of priority
sites for E.coli sampling in 2015.
Sampling was increased to three
or four days a week in order to
meet E.coli holding time. The budget was revised and submitted to
him for review in early February.
Grant term:
04/01/2014 –
03/31/2016
Grant amount:
$48,626.41
Major tasks:
Water sampling
and analysis
Water sampling equipment
Because there were gaps in the sampling in 2014,
samples were collected again in 2015. Priority was given
to the sites that were borderline for necessary data. Once
the budget figures were revised and submitted to MPCA, a
determination was made as to whether this could be done
as a change order or if an amendment would be necessary.
Catherine Wegehaupt and Jan Voit met on February 18,
2015 to revise the SWAG budget. The revised budget was
submitted to Kelly O’Hara on the same day.
On February 23, 2015, Kelly O’Hara, Catherine Wegehaupt, Amanda Schultz, and Jan Voit met via conference call
to discuss the SWAG budget. Kelly offered to have MPCA staff
pick up four of the sampling sites in order for the E.coli holding times to be met. Time was spent revising the routes, staff
time, and mileage. The budget was revised and submitted
on February 25, 2015.
Kelly O’Hara had further questions regarding the budget. The document was revised on March 2 and March 4,
2015 and resubmitted. Kelly provided a revised budget and
work plan on March 6, 2015. Amanda Schultz and Catherine
Wegehaupt updated the documents and resubmitted them.
Kelly O’Hara sent a revised version of the budget on
March 17, 2015. Amanda Schultz contacted him with questions and revised the document. He sent revised budget
documents on March 23, 2015. Amanda Schultz and Jan
Voit reviewed the data on March 30, 2015. Kelly submitted
additional documentation on March 31, 2015.
Water sampling on Elk Creek
On May 11, 2015, Jan Voit signed the amendment agreement for SWAG. The document was signed by MPCA staff in
17
St. Paul on May 14, 2015. Amanda Schultz ordered supplies
on May 18, 2015.
Amanda Schultz, Catherine Wegehaupt, and the summer
interns collected water samples and submitted data to MPCA.
The SWAG Final Report was submitted on December 8,
2015. The final reimbursement request was also completed
and submitted.
HLWD MONITORING PROGRAM
Lisa Pearson, DNR Hydrologist Supervisor sent the following correspondence on May 12: Hi Jan, my staff in Marshall have been taking flow measurements and spot stage
measurements at this site. Ben, has requested that a wire
weight be installed at this site rather than just a tape-down
from the reference mark. The reason is due to the wind at
this site. It seems this site is always windy and the accuracy
of the tape-downs are questionable. A wire weight costs $900
to $1000 and the watershed would be responsible for the
cost. It is not cheap and I am not sure how much longer this
project will continue, but it may be worth investing in if you
think this site will continue long term. We could install it for
you, but it would be your equipment. I copied Kelli Nerem
on this email, in case MPCA has wire weights available for
use at this site.
Kelli Nerem, MPCA, sent the following response on May
13, 2015: Hey Jan-A wire weight gage (WWG) is a super nice
piece of equipment to have. It would make measurements
more accurate and eliminate the need for a tape down. Ideally it would be great to see WWG at all 3 of your sites but
that is quite a cost. I would suggest talking to the board
about it for the future or looking at putting it in a future grant
application. I would think the cost could be justified in a
grant application where you use the water quality results to
show progress. Lisa would be able to provide you with the
more information on purchasing and the exact cost. It would
be awesome if the DNR would install it and survey it for you.
It would not hurt to find out when those bridges are to be
replaced. I would expect the HLO bridge to be replaced soon.
I hope that helps. Let me know if there is anything else I can
do. Oh! Here is a video on what a WWG is and how to take
a reading. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhkFh5sUl4A
HLWD staff requested authorization to purchase a WWG
for the Heron Lake Outlet monitoring site.
Jan Voit sent the following correspondence to Lisa
Pearson, DNR and Kelli Nerem, MPCA on May 28, 2015.
The Board of Managers of the HLWD discussed the need
for purchasing the WWG at their meeting on May 26, 2015.
During the discussion, the cost of the gage was the major
focus. The board asked me to get in touch with you to see if
either of your organizations would have any funds to assist
with paying for the gage. Thank you for your consideration.
On May 28, 2015, Lisa Pearson, DNR responded to the
funding assistance request for the WWG. Her answer was
that DNR would not have funding. Kelli Nerem, MPCA also
responded. MPCA does not have funds, either. She did say
that it could be an eligible expense through an EPA 319 or
CWP grant in the future.
Catherine Wegehaupt and Jan Voit reiterated to the man18
agers that the water quality data that is collected annually
belongs to the HLWD, not MPCA or DNR. The lab analysis
results from Minnesota Valley Testing Laboratories (MVTL)
are shared with MPCA. The HLWD contracts with the DNR to
take flow measurements. The lab analysis and flow measurement data is used for FLUX modeling, which is what shows
the cumulative annual results. The recommendation by DNR
and MPCA to purchase this equipment was made to allow
the HLWD to have more accurate data for accountability to
our residents and in grant reporting.
As recommended by MPCA, Jan Voit contacted the
Jackson County Highway Department regarding their bridge
replacement schedule. The bridge at the Heron Lake Outlet is
scheduled within the next five years. The bridges at the Jack
Creek and Okabena Creek sites are not scheduled.
Purchasing a WWG for the Heron Lake Outlet was important to assure accurate data collection. The WWG was
ordered on June 9, 2015. Total cost with tax and shipping
was $1,012.36, which was approved at the June 16, 2015
meeting.
Wire weight gage
In 2015, during the months of May through September,
three streams sites were sampled 18 times. All samples taken
were sent to MVTL to be analyzed for TSS, TP, suspended
volatile solids, nitrate-nitrite, turbidity, ammonia nitrogen,
Kjeldahl nitrogen, (OP) orthophosphorus, and E.coli. Field
parameters were taken which included water temperature,
conductivity, pH, dissolved oxygen, and a Secchi tube reading. Results were recorded in the Environmental Quality
Information System and submitted to MPCA in October 2015.
Average concentrations were calculated and those results
are listed below. Loadings will be determined using FLUX 32
during the spring of 2016 and presented at the June 2016
board meeting.
Total Phosphorus
Phosphorus is a key nutrient in plant growth. The amount
present in water affects the amount of algae and other
aquatic plants. Sources of phosphorus included fertilizers,
animal waste, septic systems, plant decomposition, and sediment. TP indicates the total amount of phosphorus contained
in the various forms of phosphorus. Only a portion of TP is
readily available for algae growth, this is OP. Phosphorus is
a nutrient that attaches to soil particles, so during years of
heavy rainfall, it might show an increase in streams.
Compared to 2014 average concentration, TP decreased
by 18% at Jack Creek and eight percent at the Heron Lake
Outlet. There was a 23% increase at the Okabena Creek site.
(See Figure 1) Some possible reasons for the decrease in TP
at Jack Creek and the Heron Lake Outlet could be because of
the difference in rain events between 2014 and 2015. 2015
had small rain events. 2014 had most of the rainfall in early
June. (See Figures 3 and 4)
Total Suspended Solids
TSS is a measurement of solid materials, including organic and inorganic, that are suspended in water. Pollutants,
nutrients, pesticides, bacteria, and metals may also attach to
the particulate matter. TSS concentrations vary with physical
factors such as soil type, land use, and stream flows. All three
sampling sites, Jack Creek, Okabena Creek, and the Heron
Lake Outlet showed a decrease in TSS average concentration
in 2015 compared to 2014. Jack Creek had a decrease of
26%, Okabena Creek showed a decrease of six percent, and
Heron Lake decreased by 42%. (See Figure 2) TSS tends
to move with water, through erosion. This would explain
the decrease at all three sites. Again, 2015 had smaller rain
events over a longer period of time, compared to 2014, when
the watershed received most of its rainfall in early June.
According to the trend line, (shown in Figures 1 and
2), there is a decrease in TSS and TP average concentrations
over the years 2004 through 2015.
There are multiple ways to help prevent these nutrients
from getting into streams and lakes. For agricultural lands,
decreasing tillage intensity, installing a terrace or sediment
basin, using cover crops, establishing a buffer, and/or adding
a third crop, like wheat or alfalfa to the rotation are ways
to keep the soil from moving during rain events. For people
that live in town, excess rainwater can be captured by using
rain gardens. Rain water is infiltrated through the garden.
This infiltration process removes nitrates, phosphorus, and
sediment which can be later used by the native prairie
plants. The infiltrated water is moved through the ground
rather than through a storm sewer that outlets directly to a
stream or lake.
Figure 1. Average Concentrations of Total Phosphorus from 2004 through 2015 at Jack Creek, Okabena
Creek, and the Heron Lake Outlet
Figure 2. Average Concentrations of TSS from 2004
through 2015 at Jack Creek, Okabena Creek, and the
Heron Lake Outlet
Figure 3. 2014 Average Rainfall
Figure 4. 2015 Average Rainfall
19
SECTION VIII: IMPAIRED
WATERS AND TMDL
WFDMR TMDL IMPLEMENTATION
PROJECT
Work began on the final report
Grant term:
for the WFDMR TMDL Implemen01/01/2011 –
tation Project on May 13, 2015.
08/31/2015
On May 18, 2015, Paul Henning
Grant amount:
stopped to sign the contract for
$190,248.00
the feedlot fix on his property.
On July 13, 2015, Amanda
Major tasks:
Schultz informed Jan Voit that she
Level III Feedlot
accepted a new job. On July 14,
Inventory
2015, Katherine Pekarek-Scott,
MPCA; Amanda Schultz, and Jan
Voit met to review grant work plans. Most discussion was
regarding the WFDMR TMDL Implementation Project and
the upcoming final report. The job description and advertisement were revised and distributed to area news media and
college contacts.
Henning settling basin
Amanda Schultz completed the summary document of
the feedlot inventory before her departure. A change order
was done to add additional funds for the feedlot fixes, as
well as for a results newsletter for feedlot operators. All of
the other grant work plans were reviewed and discussed.
Amanda Schulz continued to work on the feedlot fixes.
Discussion was held regarding the possibility of additional
funds for the fixes. A change order was drafted to add additional funds for the feedlot fixes, as well as for a results
newsletter to be mailed to feedlot operators. It was submitted to Katherine Pekarek-Scott, MPCA on July 16, 2015. The
change order was approved on July 20, 2015.
The semi-annual meeting was held on July 29, 2015.
The first draft of the WFDMR TMDL Implementation
Project was submitted to Katherine Pekarek-Scott, MPCA on
August 24, 2015. The last feedlot fix project was completed
on August 28, 2015.
The Final Report for the WFDMR TMDL Implementation
Project was approved on September 28, 2015. The report,
along with the final budget and appendices were posted on
the website. The final payment of $59,458.32 was processed
within 30 days of project approval. The report was distributed
Kuehl feedlot project
SECTION IX: REGULATORY AND PERMITS
RULES AND REGULATIONS
The HLWD, in a joint effort with the Okabena-Ocheda Watershed District (OOWD), implemented rules for stormwater
and erosion control. The purpose of these rules is to afford
the greatest possible protection to the water quality, flow
regime, and habitat of the Heron Lake and Okabena-Ocheda
watersheds. The HLWD and OOWD adopted National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System Phase II standards for erosion
20
and runoff control. These changes were made in April 2005.
In 2015, six permits were issued for erosion control during and after construction.
HLWD WMP
Annual Work Plan and Budget
The HLWD WMP calls for an annual work plan and budget. This document was submitted to Mark Hiles, BWSR on
January 28, 2015.
SECTION X: FLOOD DAMAGE
REDUCTION PROGRAM
No flood damage reduction activities were undertaken
in 2015.
SECTION XI: PUBLIC DRAINAGE
SYSTEM MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
JACKSON COUNTY JD #31
An outline for the Final Acceptance Hearing for Jackson
County JD #31 was drafted. The outline was reviewed by
Mike Tow, HLWD legal counsel. He did ask that the following
information be brought to the managers’ attention. There are
three outstanding items yet to complete on the project set
forth on page two of the Final Construction Report. Duane
Hansel indicates that these items are covered under the
contractor’s warranty and “should not prevent final payment
from being made”. The board should be aware that if the
contractor fails to complete these items, a warranty claim
may need to be filed.
Duane Hansel also recommended consulting with Mike
Tow regarding whether the damages should be paid or
deducted from the benefits for each landowner. Minn.Stat.
103E.601 governing the drainage lien statement permits the
auditor to deduct damages due landowners from the liability
for each tract for the drainage project.
The Final Acceptance Hearing for Jackson County JD
#31 was held on January 21, 2015. On January 22, 2015,
Jan Voit had the opportunity to speak with Kevin Nordquist
regarding damages payments to landowners. She also spoke
with Ron Ringquist and Duane Hansel to confirm final figures
for damages.
On January 26, 2015, time was spent creating a spreadsheet containing landowner, tract, and payment information.
Letters to landowners were drafted. This information was
sent to Kevin Nordquist, Ron Ringquist, and Duane Hansel
for review and comment.
The Findings and Order for Acceptance of Contract was
drafted. The document was sent to Mike Tow, HLWD legal
counsel, for review.
Wayne Finnern contacted Jan Voit on February 17, 2015
asking for the exact acres of permanent right-of-way, exact
acres of crop damage, the price paid per acre for right-ofway and crop damage, and how the prices per acre were
determined.
After speaking with Duane Hansel and Ron Ringquist,
the following response was sent: The damage areas were
provided to the viewers by the project engineer. The exact
acres are contained in the attached Viewers’ Report. The
damage value is the viewers' opinion of the affected land
value because of the restriction of land use. In the viewing
process, they consider the market value of the land, with
the conditions that exist prior to the project. That is then
compared with the estimated market value with the change
of land use in place. This can include the lands taken for the
ditch, the buffer strip restriction on land use, and severance.
The construction easement area is usually for a one-year
cash rent and a reduction of rental value for the two following
years that are used to bring the land back into production.
The viewers did not consider cost of inputs or crop damage,
since they cannot know when the project will be constructed
or if those will occur.
On February 18, 2015, Jan Voit met with Gary Madsen
regarding the right-of-way payment on his father’s property. He wanted to know if the realignment of the ditch was
taken into account in the payment. After the discussion, she
contacted Duane Hansel. He sent a map which showed the
areas computed for damages on the Madsen property. The
yellow areas were permanent right-of-way and the orange
were temporary. This information was sent to Gary Madsen
for review.
On September 14, 2015, Jan Voit contacted Duane Hansel, Bolton and Menk, regarding the status of the JD #31
project repairs. Mathiowetz Construction still has one pipe
repair to check. They need to televise the pipe to determine
where the problem is and then fix it. They have not yet given
Duane Hansel a schedule for repairing it.
On October 20, 2015, Duane Hansel, Bolton and Menk,
contacted Jan Voit regarding the status of the JD #31 project
repairs. Mathiowetz Construction completed the project. Final
payment was made.
Jackson County JD #31
On July 21, 2015, Chuck Brandel contacted Jan Voit regarding Jackson County JD #30. He was close to finalizing the
report and was wondering about the possibility of applying
for a grant to assist with funding the BMPs (bioreactors and
pond). The CWF grant round was open. Chuck Brandel and
his staff will draft an application and send it to Jan for review.
The final engineer’s reports for Jackson County JD #30,
Jackson County JD #30 Branch A-1 of Ditch 2, and Jackson
County JD #30 Lateral to Branch A-1 were received on August
31, 2015. The documents were forwarded to the DNR for
review and comment.
The final hearing notices were drafted on September 3,
2015. Mike Tow reviewed and commented on the documents
21
The DNR comments on the Final Engineering Reports
for Jackson County JD #30 were reviewed by HLWD legal
counsel. In his review he stated that at the final hearing, the
Engineer will need to be prepared to address the recommendations/comments contained in paragraphs 3, 4, and 5 of the
DNR’s letter on JD #30 relating to exploration of rate control
options at the South Heron Lake outlet to reduce sediment
and nutrients, the option of a two-stage ditch, and coordination with the BWSR regarding work in RIM easements. Jan
Voit provided Chuck Brandel with this information.
The mailing list was updated with current information
obtained from the property owners’ report. The property owners’ report, determination spreadsheets, and redetermination
of benefits spreadsheets were mailed. An affidavit of mailing
was created, notarized, and filed. Jan Voit reviewed the final
engineering reports for all three projects and updated the
Orders Setting Final Hearing on September 29, 2015.
After consulting with Chuck Brandel, Bruce Sellers, Mike
Tow, Kevin Nordquist, and Ron Ringquist, a date and time
were chosen for the final hearings for JD #30. They will be
held consecutively on Thursday, November 5 beginning at
7:00 p.m. The Orders Setting Final Hearing will be approved
at the October meeting. The final hearing notices for Jackson
County JD #30 were mailed on October 21, 2015.
On October 27, 2015, time was spent drafting the scripts
for the final hearings. The draft documents were sent to
Mike Tow for review. He approved the scripts on October
29, 2015. The information was sent to the managers on
October 30, 2015.
JACKSON COUNTY JD #30 BRANCH
A-1 OF DITCH 2 AND LATERAL TO
BRANCH A-1
Chuck Brandel, I+S Group, contacted Bruce Sellers,
Wendland Sellers Bromeland, PA, and Jan Voit on February
15, 2015. The preliminary engineer’s report for Branch A-1
was complete. The Final Engineer’s Report for the JD 30
project was nearly complete. He was waiting for information
from the viewers. He wanted to know if the reports could be
combined or if they should be filed separately.
Bruce Sellers contacted Mike Tow, HLWD Legal Counsel,
regarding these projects. Because there are separate petitions for each project, they must be dealt with accordingly.
Each petition must be handled individually from a procedural
standpoint as to notice, hearings, costs, reports, maps, plans,
findings, orders, etc.; however the hearings may occur on
the same date.
Once Chuck Brandel submitted the individual engineer’s
reports, the preliminary hearings could be scheduled. Notices
for each separate/individual project must be noticed separately/individually pursuant to the statute just as has been
done in the past. The hearings will be opened, discussed,
approved/dismissed under each proposed projects’ individual merits as set forth under the statute, and then closed
separately as individual projects (i.e., preliminary engineer’s
report for the improvement petition will be formally opened,
discussed, approved/dismissed, and closed. The petition for
22
the lateral project will then be opened, discussed, approved/
dismissed, and closed). The drainage authority will issue
separate findings and orders for each individual project.
The Order and Notice of Hearing for Preliminary Hearing
for both Branch A-1 and Lateral to Branch A-1 were published
in the Tri County News on May 6, 2015. The preliminary
hearing notice was mailed to landowners on the ditch system
on May 4, 2015.
The preliminary hearing agendas and the Conduct and
Order for both preliminary hearings were reviewed and
approved by Mike Tow, HLWD Legal Counsel. The BMP information was taken from The Agricultural BMP Handbook
for Minnesota.
The preliminary hearings were held on May 13, 2015.
The draft minutes were sent to Chuck Brandel, I+S Group;
Bruce Sellers, petitioners’ legal counsel, and Mike Tow, HLWD
Legal Counsel for review on May 14, 2015.
The Order Appointing Viewers and Order Authorizing
Detailed Survey were drafted and sent to Mike Tow for review
on May 14, 2015. Revisions were made on May 18 and May
26, 2015 in response to his comments.
The Orders Authorizing Detailed Survey and Report were
sent to Chuck Brandel, I+S Group, on May 27, 2015. The
Orders Appointing Viewers were sent to Ron Ringquist, Tom
Mahoney, and M.D. Holland.
The final hearings for JD #30, Branch A-1, and Lateral
were held on November 5, 2015. The minutes were drafted
on November 16, 2015. The documents were sent to the
engineer, petitioners’ attorney, and HLWD legal counsel on
November 17, 2015.
JACKSON COUNTY DITCH (CD) #3
Expenses for ditch systems are monitored on a monthly
basis. Because Jackson CD #3 is a very large watershed and
an expensive improvement project, the bond was increased.
The expenditures as of April 21, 2015 were $145,941.42.
There was an outstanding bill of $8,960.00 to I+S Group
for engineering. A letter requesting a bond increase was
submitted on May 11, 2015. The bond rider of $75,000.00
was received on May 26, 2015.
The expenses as of May 26, 2015 totaled $154,934.18.
The total bond was $225,000.00. The bill to I+S Group was
paid. A revised summary was sent to the managers to accurately reflect the loan as of May 26, 2015.
Chuck Brandel, I+S Group, contacted Jan Voit at the end
of August regarding the need for a landowner meeting for
Jackson CD #3. The meeting notice was drafted, mailing list
created, and mailing done on August 31, 2015.
An informational meeting for landowners on the Jackson
CD #3 system was held on September 16, 2015. Chuck Brandel, I+S Group, explained the preliminary engineering report.
The meeting provided an informal setting for landowners to
ask questions regarding the report. He will need to meet with
the DNR to discuss the report. He hoped that the preliminary
hearing would be held in November or December.
After consulting with HLWD legal counsel, engineer, petitioners’ attorney, and the Jackson County Auditor-Treasurer, a
date and time were chosen for the Jackson CD #3 preliminary
hearing. It was scheduled for December 10, 2015 at 4:30
p.m. The preliminary hearing notice was drafted on November
10, 2015 and sent to HLWD legal counsel for review. It was
approved on November 12, 2015.
The board of managers approved the preliminary hearing
notice at the November 17, 2015 meeting. The notice was
mailed to landowners on November 20, 2015.
The script for the CD #3 preliminary hearing was drafted
on December 1, 2015. The document was sent to HLWD
Legal Counsel for review. It was approved on December 4,
2015 and sent to board members. The preliminary hearing
was held on December 10, 2015. The minutes were drafted
on December 14, 2015 and sent to the engineer, petitioners’
legal counsel, and HLWD legal counsel for review.
The petition and supporting information for the proposed
improvement of Jackson County JD #19 was forwarded
to Mike Tow for review and comment. On April 30, 2015,
Mike Tow submitted his legal review of the Petition for the
Improvement of Jackson County JD #19. On May 12, 2015,
the Order Appointing Engineer was drafted and sent to Mike
Tow for review and comment. The order was approved on
May 14, 2015.
On May 20, 2015, Chris Bauer contacted Jan Voit with
questions regarding the Jackson County JD #19 petition, as
well as the petitioners, and the petition process. The following response was sent on May 22, 2015.
In order for a petition to be submitted, it must be legally sufficient. That means that the 40 acre tracts must
be identified and the 26% of either land or landownership
must be met. The people that signed the petition are Ardith
Westergard, David and Sandra Svoboda, Douglas and Pamela
Schroeder, Doyle Svoboda, Dwaine and Gertrude Hodenfield,
Emil and Martha Buresch, Jr., John Nauerth, III, Kayle and
Jamie Koep, and Michael and Susan Buresch. The petitioners must also submit a bond to cover the preliminary costs.
The board will act on the petition next week. That means
they will accept it because it is legally sufficient and they will
appoint an engineer to draft the preliminary engineer's report.
Once the preliminary engineer's report is done (which is a
several month process), there is a preliminary hearing. The
DNR also comments on the petition and makes suggestions
for environmental considerations. The engineer has to address the following legal criteria:
a. private and public benefits and costs of the proposed
drainage project;
b. the present and anticipated agricultural land acreage
availability and use in the drainage project or system;
c. the present and anticipated land use within the drainage project or system;
d. the flooding characteristics of property in the drainage
project or system and downstream for 5-, 10-, 25-,
and 50-year flood events;
e. the waters to be drained and alternative measures
to conserve, allocate, and use the waters including
storage and retention of drainage waters;
f. the effect on water quality of constructing the proposed drainage project;
g. fish and wildlife resources affected by the proposed
drainage project;
h. shallow groundwater availability, distribution, and use
in the drainage project or system; and
i. the overall environmental impact of all the above
criteria; and
j. whether there are any Clean Water Act jurisdictional
issues; whether there are wetland replacement requirements; whether public waters permits may be
required; whether the project will require preparation
of an environmental impact statement.
The board hears testimony from the engineer, petitioners'
attorney, and members of the public. But, if the statutory
considerations are met, the board must issue an order authorizing a detailed survey (final engineer's report) and appoint
viewers. The order often includes directions to the engineer
to address the concerns brought forth by the DNR as well
(holding areas, wetland restoration, and BMP implementation
by the landowners in the system).
At this point, the engineer does further, detailed study
and must consider any options directed by the board at the
preliminary hearing. The viewers are responsible for putting together a report that addresses the project costs and
benefits. It is based on assessed values, land type, crop
prices - very complicated and I cannot really explain that.
But in this process, there is consideration given to what it
would cost to repair the existing system (separable maintenance) and what it will cost to bring it to acceptable NRCS
drainage standards - 0.5 to 0.75 inches per day of drainage
for buried tile and 1" per day for open ditch (improvement).
The separable maintenance costs are distributed to all of
the landowners on the system. The improvement costs are
assessed based upon which lands benefit.
If the benefits exceed the project costs, the board must
issue an order for the project to be done. If the project costs
exceed the benefits, then the people that signed the petition
are responsible for paying all of the costs incurred for engineering, legal fees, board and staff time, and miscellaneous.
Hopefully this helps. Let me know if you have any other
questions.
The Order Appointing Engineer for Jackson County JD
#19 was sent to Chuck Brandel, I+S Group, on May 27, 2015.
The petition and supporting documentation were forwarded
to Kevin Nordquist, Jackson County Auditor-Treasurer for
certification that the petitioners are the resident owners of
the properties as alleged in the petition. This information was
also sent to the Jackson County Attorney for informational
purposes.
SECTION XII: CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS
No capital improvement project activities were undertaken in 2015.
23
SECTION XIII: EDUCATION
Corn field
Education efforts are a daily task for HLWD staff. A
variety of educational materials, presentations, and other endeavors are designed and implemented to inform watershed
residents and partners about the HLWD and protection of its
water resources. The following pages contain a synopsis of
the education activities undertaken in 2015.
Farm site and field
EPA 319 GRANT: FULDA PHOSPHORUS
REDUCTION INITIATIVE
The HLWD applied and reGrant term:
ceived approval through the EPA
01/01/2011 –
319 grant mechanism for a phos08/31/2015
phorus reduction project in the
Fulda area. The project installed
Grant amount:
rain gardens in the city of Fulda
$12,600.00
and included a large community
Major tasks:
involvement and education comRain
garden education
ponent.
and
implementation
The work plan for the Fulda
Phosphorus Reduction Initiative
required project promotion. That was done through an open
house and self-guided rain garden tour.
On April 20, 2015, time was spent drafting the newsletter,
press release, rain garden informational handout, flyer, and
letter to landowners. The information was submitted to Katherine Pekarek-Scott, MPCA and was approved the same day.
Landscaper contact information was compiled on April
21, 2015. The first draft of the landowner questionnaire was
completed on April 22, 2015. The document was finalized
24
on April 27, 2015.
Work began on the final report for the Fulda Phosphorus
Reduction Initiative on April 27, 2015. The landowner questionnaire was distributed on May 13, 2015. The webpage
was updated the same day. As of May 26, 2015, four of the
six questionnaires had been returned.
On May 28, 2015, contact was made with the two
landowners that had not returned surveys. They planned
complete and return them as soon as possible.
Work was done on the final report for the Fulda Phosphorus Reduction Initiative on June 2 and 3, 2015.
The flyer promoting the open house was distributed via
email on July 1, 2015. The newsletter was mailed on July 6,
2015. The advertisement for the open house was published
in the Fulda Free Press on July 8, 2015.
On Monday, July 13, 2015, Mike Jordan interviewed
Jan Voit regarding the rain garden open house. The article
appeared in the July 15 edition of the Lakefield Standard.
The Rain Garden Open House was held on July 16, 2015.
The event began with a picnic meal. Attendees then took a
self-guided tour of the six rain gardens funded by the Fulda
Phosphorus Reduction Initiative. Information packets were
provided which included a map, description of each site,
Plant ID Challenge!, and Rain Gardens 101. There were 30
people in attendance.
The final report for the Fulda Phosphorus Reduction
Initiative was submitted to MPCA on August 5, 2015. The
report was reviewed by MPCA staff in St. Paul. Katherine
Pekarek-Scott, MPCA, contacted Jan Voit regarding the Fulda
Phosphorus Reduction Initiative Final Report on August 24,
2015. A revised narrative and budget were submitted the
same day.
The final report for the Fulda Phosphorus Reduction
Initiative was approved on September 1, 2015. The final
payment of $1,350 was processed within 30 days of report
approval. The report was uploaded to the HLWD website. The
report was distributed on September 10, 2015. The executive
summary is included below.
The City of Fulda is located at the north end of the HLWD
and includes two lakes, First Fulda Lake and Second Fulda
Lake. Land use within the Fulda Lakes subwatershed is primarily agricultural. The majority of the City of Fulda contains
impervious surfaces such as streets, parking lots, roof tops,
and compacted lawns, which contribute to stormwater runoff.
Through this effort, the HLWD conducted a rain garden
demonstration project. This was done by providing educational opportunities for students and the community to learn
about native vegetation, water quality improvement, pollution
reduction, and environmentally-friendly landscaping.
Presentations were given to the Master Gardeners,
Bondin-Belfast 4-H Club, St. Paul’s Lutheran School, Fulda
City Council, Fulda Heritage Society, and Fulda Game and
Fish. Through these presentations approximately 160 people
received information about rain gardens and water quality
improvement.
This allowed the opportunity to use the Prairie Ecology
Bus in 2013 for a hands-on education event. Children and
adults learned about rain gardens and had the opportunity
to experience installation of two rain gardens. There were
23 participants.
Rain garden field trip
Water quality data shows that small rain gardens save
one pound of phosphorus per one-inch rain event or 50
to 80 percent and 90 to 100 percent of the heavy metals,
petroleum, and bacteria found in stormwater. Rain gardens
also have been found to reduce stormwater flows by 80 to
90 percent. Through an advertisement, flyer, news release,
and newsletter, watershed residents, agency personnel, and
legislators were provided information about the importance
of rain gardens. In addition, a Rain Garden Open House was
held in 2015 that allowed 30 people the chance to visit with
HLWD staff and tour the six rain gardens that were installed
through the Fulda Phosphorus Reduction Initiative.
Rain garden open house
CORN SYSTEMS
COORDINATED
AGRICULTURAL
PROGRAM (CSCAP)
This project consists of a team
from 12 institutions across nine
states in the Heartland (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota,
Missouri, Ohio, South Dakota and
Grant term:
10/01/2011 –
12/31/2016
Grant amount:
$83,000.00
Major tasks:
Research data for
climate change
25
Wisconsin) which were tasked to address the societal challenge to mitigate and adapt the North Central corn–based
cropping system to climate change.
The monthly CSCAP conference call was held on April 6,
2015. State updates were given from Ohio, Indiana, Illinois,
Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, and South Dakota. In
the operations update, participants learned the registration
site for the annual meeting was up and running. The focus
of the annual meeting will be on finalized recommendations.
The extension team will play an integral part of this effort.
The extension team and the Useful to Usable (U2U) team
planned to meet in Davenport, Iowa on May 19 and 20, 2015.
The National Association of County Agricultural Agents annual
meeting will be held in Sioux Falls, South Dakota from July
12 through 16, 2015. CSCAP will be hosting a lunch session
during the Wednesday lunch hour. There are a lot of great
sessions throughout the meeting. Extension team members
were encouraged to attend.
SARE grant funds are available for individual professional
development around the topics of carbon, nitrogen, water,
crop rotation, cover crops, climate, and communication
of these topics. If there are conferences or meetings that
extension team members would like to attend that would
support learning on these topics, funds are available to pay
for attendance.
Work group updates for soil health, water management,
nitrogen management, and crop rotation were given.
On May 6, 2015, Catherine Wegehaupt and Jan Voit
participated in a U2U webinar. Chad Hart, Extension Economist, Iowa State University presented an overview of the
U2U Decision Support Tools.
Catherine Wegehaupt and Jan Voit were in Davenport,
Iowa from May 18 through May 20, 2015 for the CSCAP
Extension Educators Team Meeting. The event began with
an update from Lois Wright Morton. A joint meeting with
the U2U Team was held. An update on the U2U project was
given. Discussion was held about outreach plans and what
the CSCAP Extension Team has done. CSCAP work team
meetings were held.
The CSCAP Extension Team and U2U met jointly on day
two. The purpose was to identify lessons learned from project
experiences and to ascertain support needs to incorporate
climate science into future programming. This information
will be used to develop a summary document and recommendations for North-Central Region climate and agriculture/
natural resource programming. J. Arbuckle gave a presentation on socio-economic findings from CSCAP research. Each
work group presented the work to date and deadlines for
moving forward.
Extension team meeting in Davenport, IA
On May 20, 2015, Jan Voit spoke with Jeff Strock regarding the drainage water management video project. On May
21, 2015, Jeff Strock provided information for the video clips.
A team meeting was scheduled for June 1, 2015 to discuss
the video project.
The quarterly report was drafted on May 28, 2015. Catherine Wegehaupt reviewed and added the information for her
efforts. The report was submitted to Jeff Strock the same day.
Catherine Wegehaupt met with the CSCAP team for
the annual meeting. Findings and recommendations were
discussed. She collaborated with other objective groups to
discuss the science behind the research projects. Understanding the science behind these findings and recommendations
will be useful when working with local farmers. Extension
educators met to review and discuss a document that covered topics that related to working with farmers. The team
drafted recommendations and findings.
A group of extension educations worked on and reviewed
a document that eventually would be designed into a soil
health fact sheet. The fact sheet will be distributed to local
farmers across the Corn Belt when it is completed.
Dr. Jeff Strock and Catherine Wegehaupt at CSCAP Annual
Meeting
Extension Team and U2U meeting in Davenport, IA
26
The quarterly report was drafted and submitted on
September 9, 2015.
The CSCAP Extension Team met via conference call on
September 14, 2015. State updates were given for Michigan,
Indiana, Missouri, Minnesota, Wisconsin,
and Iowa. Suresh Lokhande and Lori
Abendroth gave an operations update.
Jamie Benning provided information
about farmer surveys. The final survey
for farmer cooperators was discussed.
Extension educators worked on making
calls to farmers to complete the survey.
Conference calls were held the second
Friday of each month for the Cover
Crop and Drainage Water Management
groups.
There are conference calls on the
second Friday of each month for the
Cover Crop and Drainage Water Management groups. Work group progress
was discussed. Each person was asked
to review the “Lessons Learned” white Jeff Strock and Catherine Wegehaupt at the CSCAP Annual Meeting
paper and send their comments to Chad
Hart and Lois Wright Morton by November 2, 2015.
the flight arrangements were confirmed.
The CSCAP Extension Team met via conference call on
Time was spent through Doodle polls to find a date and
October 5, 2015. State updates were given for South Dakota,
time for the proposed presenters for the February CSCAP
Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Iowa. Suresh Lokhande
results webinar to meet.
gave an operations update. There was good response for
On December 4, 2015 work began on the CSCAP Quarthe farmer surveys. Some states had a 50% return rate.
terly Report. It was submitted to the UM on December 7,
The overall return rate was 25 to 30%. A request was made
2015 and approved.
for a list of non-responders for each state and a summary
On December 7, 2015, a Doodle poll for the CSCAP
of the results.
Results Webinar was created and distributed to speakers
On October 14, 2015, Jeff Strock, Shawn Wohnoutka,
and planning committee members. Speakers and committee
Redwood-Cottonwood Rivers Control Area and Jan Voit met
members were informed that the conference call would be
to brainstorm ideas for a final event with our farmer group.
held on December 17, 2015, at 1:00 p.m.
During the discussion, it was determined:
On December 10, 2015, time was spent determining the
• An event will be hosted in late January (week of the
date and time for the planning committee members to meet
18th – except Monday or Tuesday) or early February
via webinar. An agenda was drafted and distributed. The
(week of the 8th) at the Southwest Research and
webinar was held on December 14, 2015. Discussion was
Outreach Center in Lamberton to highlight the CSCAP
held about the event date and time, speaker topics, time
results in cover crops, tillage, drainage water manageallotment, expectations, logistics for engaging other states,
ment, and extended rotation.
and event promotion.
• Tentative speakers for each category would be Eileen
Following the webinar, the speakers were contacted to
Kladivko, Rick Cruse, Jeff Strock, and Joe Lauer.
determine the time of day for the webinar. It was scheduled
• Personal invitations would be sent to the farmer coopfor 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on February 11, 2016. Work was
erators asking them to attend the event in Lamberton.
also done on the farmer cooperator invitation.
• Travel at that time of the year can be difficult, so inJeff Strock, UM submitted a draft webinar guide on Destead of having the speakers come to Minnesota, use
cember 14, 2015. It was proofread and returned to Jeff on
technology and have a webinar.
December 15, 2015.
• If done by webinar, it could be expanded beyond just
On December 17, 2015, a webinar was held to discuss
Minnesota farmer cooperators. Instead, it would be a
the February 11 event. Eileen Kladivko, Purdue University, will
multi-state venture.
address the topic of cover crops. Rick Cruse, ISU will provide
On October 19, 2015, the proposal was sent to Lois
tillage information. Jeff Strock, UM will speak about drainage
Wright Morton and Lori Abendroth, Iowa State University
water management. Joe Lauer, University of Wisconsin will
(ISU). Lois approved working with Lori on a webinar. Speaker
explain crop rotation findings. J. Arbuckle and Jamie Benning,
contact information was gathered. A note was sent to the
ISU will provide a summary of the farmer surveys.
speakers on October 20, 2015.
Information for a postcard and flyer were sent to Lori
On November 3, 2015, Catherine Wegehaupt and Jan
Abendroth, ISU
Voit met with Lori Oh, ISU, via conference call to register
on December 28,
for the Food-Energy-Water Nexus conference in Washington,
2015. A designDC. The conference will be held in January 2016. The costs
er from ISU will
of travel, hotel, and registration were covered. Conference
provide draft verand hotel reservations had to be completed by November
sions.
10, 2015. Conference registration, hotel reservations, and
27
SOIL HEALTH RESEARCH IN
SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA
On April 4, 2015, Jerry and
Duration:
Nancy Ackermann received notice
06/30/2014
to
that the MDA grant was awarded
12/31/2014
funding. The abstract for the project follows. The farmers involved
Grant amount:
in this grant effort are currently
$2,250.00
implementing cover crops on their
Major tasks:
farms. They are aware that cover
Communication
crops reduce erosion, decrease
Workshops
soil compaction, increase water
infiltration to prevent runoff, bring
leached nitrogen back to the root zone for the following
year’s crop, increase organic matter, and provide habitat
cover. However, project partners are unaware of any firsthand data about cover crop effects on soil fertility and soil
health for southwest Minnesota. This project would provide
the opportunity to measure changes in soil fertility and soil
health through the use of the Haney Soil Health Test and
the Nitrate Soil Test. These tests would be used to provide
a dataset with which to analyze the impact of management
(cover crops) and provide sufficient data points to statistically analyze the impact of that management. In addition,
project partners would work together to host a field day at
the end of the grant period. This field day would provide an
opportunity to have a model of managed cover crops and
measured impacts on known indicators of soil health and
fertility. This grant effort provides the opportunity for firsthand, measurable results in southwest Minnesota. Having
this data will provide southwest Minnesota farmers with data
that will assist them in determining how cover crops can be
implemented in their farming operation and how cover crops
can help improve water quality in local streams.
On April 15, 2015, Jerry and Nancy Ackermann and Jan
Voit attended a New Grantee Meeting at the MDA in St. Paul.
The meeting was facilitated by Julie LaClair, Meg Moynihan,
and Mary Hanks, MDA. Brief introductions and project overviews were given, followed by a question and answer session.
Julie LaClair explained a sample grant agreement. Michael
Crusan, MDA gave a Mini Media Training. Wayne Martin, UM
Extension presented Planning and Publicizing Outstanding
Field Days. Julie LaClair described reporting requirements.
Meg Moynihan provided a copy of the MDA Greenbook and
explained that each year a summary of the projects will be
taken from the grantees annual report.
In November 2015, Andy Nesseth, Extended Ag Services,
took Haney Soil Test Samples for each of the four sites. Each
field had 6-10 soil zones along with three control sample
zones. These control samples included a grass covered site,
a site with no history of cover crops, and a site with three
to five years of cover crop history. Results were submitted
to MVTL on November 18, 2015 and November 23, 2015.
Several samples were analyzed to give an overall “Soil Health
Calculation”. This calculation gives an idea of adequate soil
health. A number greater than seven indicates adequate
soil health.
Work began on the annual report on November 17, 2015.
28
The narrative and budget were sent to the Ackermanns for
further information.
The narrative and budget for the Soil Health Research
grant were revised. Additional information was requested
from project partners. The draft annual report was submitted
to the MDA on December 8, 2015.
Andy Nesseth submitted the soil sampling results on
December 1, 2015. The Haney Test results were received
on December 9, 2015. Catherine Wegehaupt provided summary documentation and charts. Andy Nesseth provided an
Excel spreadsheet.
Cover crop fall 2015
WEBSITE
Because working on the website was becoming increasingly difficult, Jan Voit contacted Paul Pettit. He designed
the website for the HLWD. The existing website platform
has been sunsetted for almost four years. Migrating to a new
platform would make working on the website a lot easier. The
cost for a new platform, migration of the existing website,
and training is $2,300. The managers approved the website
redesign at the October 2015 meeting.
On November 5, 2015, Paul Pettit and Jan Voit met via
WebEx to discuss the changes to the website. A request for
high resolution photos was made on November 12, 2015.
Photos were emailed on November 17, 2015.
On December 18, 2015, Jan Voit received notice from
someone that had done a search for the HLWD website.
When the person clicked on the link, it went to something
completely inappropriate. Jan contacted Paul Pettit about
this. He contacted GoDaddy and the problem was fixed. He
recommended added protection through GoDaddy to keep
this from happening again.
On December 29, 2015, Jan Voit had the opportunity to
discuss the website with Paul Pettit. The new version should
be ready for review and testing by mid-January. The web
address is www.hlwdonline.org.
EARTH DAY
The PEBC hosted Earth Day on April 22, 2015. Students
from Jackson County Central and Heron Lake-Okabena
Schools had the opportunity to clear trails, do weed removal
in the Children’s Garden, learn about the environmental
hazards of tobacco, and play Water Jeopardy. Jan Voit had
the opportunity to lead Water Jeopardy with 130 students.
viduals.
Vanessa Meyer, Upper Minnesota River Watershed District; Paul Wymar, MPCA, and Jan Voit were responsible for
planning and convening the June meeting. A conference call
was held on April 16 to begin planning efforts. Because the
HLWD will be involved in CE in the Third Crop Phosphorus
Reduction Effort as well as the WFDMR Watershed Project
Phase 2, both Amanda Schultz and Catherine Wegehaupt
were asked to participate in the CE Support Group events.
Mike Weckwerth and Paul Wymar, MPCA; Vanessa Meyer,
Upper Minnesota River Watershed District; and Jan Voit met
on May 21, 2015. The purpose of the meeting was to plan
the CE Support Group meeting. The session will include an
ice breaker, Team Support Activity, lunch, and overview of
the buffer initiative, small group discussion regarding the
buffer initiative, and an evaluation.
On May 26, 2015, contact was made with Ed Lenz, BWSR
regarding his availability to provide an overview of the buffer
initiative. This was confirmed the same day.
Time was spent revising the agenda, creating an evaluation form, searching the UM Extension website for possible
handouts, contacting committee members about speakers
and activities, and sending a notice to attendees regarding
the Team Support Activity.
On June 1, 2015, the planning committee met via conference call to discuss final preparation for the CE Support
Group meeting.
Water jeopardy at Earth Day
CE
PEBC Earth Day participants
CE SUPPORT GROUP
At the last meeting of the Southwest CE Cohort in May
2014, there was interest in continuing to meet to assist and
support one another in CE work. Joanne Boettcher, MPCA,
assumed the lead organizer role and each Cohort member
would take turns in planning and convening meetings. UM
Extension staff provides support. In order to expand the
knowledge base, Cohort members could invite other indi-
The CE Support Group met at the Department of Transportation Building in Marshall on June 8, 2015. The meeting
began with a welcome and ice breaker. The morning session
provided an opportunity to focus on two specific CE activities
– understanding hydrology in the Yellow Medicine watershed
and the Cover Crop Steering Committee in the HLWD. In the
afternoon, Ed Lenz, BWSR, gave an overview of the buffer
initiative. Following the presentation, two breakout sessions
focused on public education and managing expectations.
WATERSHED PROFESSIONALS
NETWORK
The semi-annual Watershed Network Meeting was held
on April 23, 2015 at the Pizza Ranch in Redwood Falls. Forrest Peterson, MPCA welcomed attendees. Introductions
were given.
Christine Yaeger, MDA, gave a presentation on the Min-
... continud on page 30
29
nesota Digital Water Research Library. Barb Huberty, Legislative Water Commission explained the role of the commission
and her job duties. Beth Knudsen, DNR provided an overview
of the Watershed Health Assessment Framework. Jon Lore,
DNR delivered a presentation about the work done in High
Island Creek. Scott Sparlin, Coalition for a Clean Minnesota
River described the history of the Minnesota River Congress.
Shawn Wohnoutka, Redwood-Cottonwood Rivers Control
Area presented on farmer perspectives.
FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY
NEWSLETTER
After the preliminary 2015 budget was set, the
annual financial accountability newsletter was drafted.
The newsletter was
distributed to watershed residents,
agency personnel,
and legislators in
early August 2015.
Annual newsletter
WFDMR WATERSHED PROJECT –
PHASE 2
On January 13, 2015, Katherine Pekarek-Scott, MPCA
and Jan Voit participated in a conference call regarding the
MWP. MPCA contracting wants more detail in the budget.
MPCA also wants to develop and incorporate a system to
document CE outcomes.
In November 2014, Katherine Pekarek-Scott, MPCA made
a request for a Contract Specialist for the WFDMR Watershed
Project – Phase 2. This was done as required by MPCA’s contracting division. During December 2014 and January 2015,
work was done with the contract specialist to finalize the
work plan. The final work plan and budget were submitted
at the end of January 2015.
Throughout the month of February, Jan Voit made inquiries to Katherine Pekarek-Scott regarding the contract status.
She in turn contacted St. Paul. When the month of March
arrived, the contract was not signed. Jan Voit contacted Katherine and reminded her of the Linking Land Use and Water
Quality Workshops that were scheduled for March 26, 2015.
The payment to the UM Extension for one of the workshops
was part of the WFDMR Watershed Project – Phase 2 budget.
Without a signed contract, the HLWD would be responsible
for paying the bill.
On March 19, 2015, Jan Voit contacted Katherine again.
30
She said she would follow up on March 20, 2015, which she
did. The contract specialist was out of the office, so she
contacted the person’s supervisor. Work was done on the
contract over the weekend.
On March 23, 2015, Jan Voit received the contract and
signed the document in the StateWide Integrated Financial
Tools online system. The contract specialist said that she
had contacted everyone else in the division that needed to
sign the document and there should be no problem having
a signed contract by March 24, 2015.
Katherine Pekarek-Scott and Jan Voit attended training workshops on March 24 and March 25, 2015. Jan Voit
checked email repeatedly throughout both days. Katherine
made follow-up phone calls with the contracting division.
In discussing the situation, it was determined that contact
would be made with Representative Hamilton and Senator
Weber if the contract was not signed by the end of the day
on March 25, 2015.
On March 26, 2015, Jan Voit left voicemail messages
and sent the following correspondence to Representative
Hamilton and Senator Weber regarding the situation.
The HLWD is the lead organization for the WFDMR Watershed Project. We began this with a year of pre-planning
with the MPCA in 2014. The result of that year was the development of a work plan to guide our efforts over the next
four years. A contract specialist with MPCA was secured in
November. Draft plans were submitted and revisions made.
The final packet was sent to MPCA in January of 2015. My
local project manager has been making repeated contact with
the contract division in St. Paul to ensure that our contract
is routed and signed.
Our first education event for this project is scheduled to
start at noon today (March 26, 2015). As of this writing, I
do not have a signed contract. Without that contract, MPCA
is expecting that the HLWD will have to pay the $1,500 fee
for the workshop out of our own general operating funds.
If you could call MPCA today on our behalf, I would
greatly appreciate it. Perhaps pressure from a legislator would
assist in getting a signed contract. Gaylen Reetz is the contact
person. His phone number is 651-757-2664.
Both Representative Hamilton and Senator Weber made
calls on behalf of the HLWD. Their calls made an impact.
Jan Voit received a call from Mary Heininger, Management
Analyst 4, MPCA, letting her know that the contract was
signed. Gaylen Reetz, Pollution Contract Division Director,
MPCA called to apologize for the delay in the process. The
signed contract was received at 10:17 a.m.
The flyer for the Linking Land Use and Water Quality Workshops was distributed to county and SWCD staff
via email on March 10, 2015. It was sent to managers via
US Mail on March 11, 2015. A press release regarding the
event was sent to local news media on March 16, 2015. The
workshops were held on March 26, 2015. Sponsors included
Windom Education and Collaborative Center, Toro, MPCA,
and the HLWD.
Following the welcome and introductions, Karen Terry,
UM Extension gave a presentation entitled “Linking Land Use
and Water Quality”. Jan Voit gave a presentation entitled
“WFDMR Watershed Project: TMDLS and WRAPS”. Jon Lore,
DNR Watershed Specialist give a presentation entitled “Des
Moines River Watershed Health Assessment”. The Watershed
Game was played by all attendees. The first workshop was
held from noon to 4:00 p.m. There were 39 people in attendance. The second workshop was held from 5:00 p.m. to
9:00 p.m. There were 13 people in attendance.
On August 20, 2015, Katherine Pekarek-Scott, MPCA,
Amanda Schultz, and Jan Voit met. The purpose of the
meeting was to review the outcomes spreadsheet created
for tracking CE.
Linking Land Use Workshop
Linking Land Use afternoon session
The Watershed Game
On September 9, 2015, Jan Voit contacted Kent Olson,
UM Extension Associate Dean, regarding the CE contract and
staffing. On September 10, 2015, Kent informed her that
Toby Spanier will be working on this project.
On September 14, 2015, Toby Spanier, Katherine Pekarek-
Scott, and Jan Voit scheduled a date to review the work plan
and begin efforts on this grant.
On September 28, 2015, Jan Voit contacted Kent Olson
regarding the contract. Erinn Barclay, UM Extension let Jan
know that the signed contract was not received. Jan Voit
revised the start date on the contract and submitted it on
September 30, 2015.
On September 30, 2015, MPCA staff hosted a Des Moines
River WRAPS meeting. Following introductions project updates were given from MPCA, DNR, and the East and West
Fork watersheds. Andrea Plevan, TetraTech gave a PowerPoint presentation about the Hydrologic Simulation Program
Fortran (HSPF) modeling for the WRAPS being done by their
firm. The model will be based on flow and water quality data
for 1995 through 2014. Discussion was held regarding data
needs for model development.
Following the Des Moines River WRAPS meeting, Katherine Pekarek-Scott and Jan Voit met to discuss the priorities for the WFDMR Watershed Coordinator. A task list was
reviewed. A meeting was scheduled for October 7, 2015 to
review the work plan.
Erin Norquist started her position was Watershed Coordinator on October 5, 2015. Orientation was held. On October
7, 2015, Katherine Pekarek-Scott, MPCA; Catherine Wegehaupt, Erin Nordquist, and Jan Voit met. Katherine gave a
PowerPoint presentation to help explain the Clean Water Act,
TMDL process, 2006 Clean Water Legacy Act, the 10-year
cycle, the Watershed Approach, WRAPS report, monitoring
and assessment reports, biotic stressor identification, HSPF
model, TMDL report, 2013 Clean Water Accountability Act,
and the status of the WFDMR MWP Phase 2.
The WFDMR MWP Phase 2 work plan was reviewed.
Specific tasks were assigned. A contact list was created.
Individual meetings were scheduled for the week of October
19, 2015.
On October 13, 2015, Erin Nordquist and Jan Voit traveled to Marshall. They met with Katherine Pekarek-Scott,
MPCA and Toby Spanier, UM Extension, regarding CE for the
WFDMR MWP Phase 2. After extensive discussion and review
of the grant work plan and required measurable outcomes,
a draft timeline was created.
On October 15, 2015, Catherine Wegehaupt, Erin Nordquist, and Jan Voit participated in the Southern Minnesota
CE Summit on Water Quality. The CE Summit was held at the
Robert Floyd Jr. Pavilion at Land of Memories Park in Mankato.
Dr. Ryan Atwell, Social Science Coordinator for Yellowstone
National Park shared his previous work experience. Dr. Atwell
worked in Iowa and Minnesota on the science of rural decision making and leading discussions to help build multi-scale
strategies for watershed outcomes. Toby Spanier, UM Extension Educator in Leadership and CE also spoke. He helped
the group take a closer look at CE and hosted an interactive
visioning session for watershed restoration and protection.
On October 19, 2015, Erin Nordquist and Jan Voit met
with Ed Lenz, BWSR. On October 20, 2015, Erin Nordquist
and Jan Voit met with Wayne Smith, Nobles County Environmental Services. On October 21, 2015, Erin Nordquist and Jan
Voit met with Chris Bauer, Jackson SWCD and Jared Morrill,
Cottonwood County. On October 22, 2015 Erin Nordquist
31
and Jan Voit met with Howard Konkol, Murray SWCD; Chris
Hansen, Murray County; and Jon Bloemendaal, Murray
County Feedlot Officer.
The LWG meeting was held on November 12, 2015. Erin
Nordquist gave a PowerPoint presentation containing a project overview and an update on community outreach, information analysis, and project coordination. Group discussion
was held regarding the citizen council and data collection.
Erin Nordquist had the opportunity to participate in the
Watershed Specialist Training. Applications were being accepted for the sessions that runs from January 19 through
May 1, 2016. Katherine Pekarek-Scott, MPCA and Jan Voit
discussed this. It was possible to move funds in the budget
to cover the registration fee. A draft change order was submitted to MPCA on November 16, 2015. The change order
was approved on November 18, 2015.
When working on the reimbursement request for November 2015, it was realized that the budget figure for project
management was inadequate. A change order was drafted
on December 8, 2015. Through this change order, 600 hours
were moved from the LWG task to the Project Management
task. The change order was approved on December 8, 2015.
COVER CROP LEARNING TOUR
On January 12, 2015, Jan Voit was invited to meet with
Liz Stahl, Scotty Wells, Jill Sackett, and Axel Garcia, UM;
Stephanie McLain, Nobles NRCS; Loren Clarke, Jackson NRCS;
Dave Christoffer, and Jerry Ackermann. The purpose of the
meeting was to begin planning for a Cover Crop Learning
Tour. This event was scheduled for September 15, 2015. It
will showcase research plot establishment, rain simulator, risk
management, and a farmer panel. The event will conclude
with an equipment demonstration.
On July 27, 2015, the Cover Crop Learning Tour committee members met. The purpose was to discuss logistical
information regarding the event and finalize plans.
The Cover Crop Learning Tour was held on September
15, 2015 at the Ackermann farm. Registration was held
from 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Participants were divided into
four groups and attended rotating stations that included a
research plot tour, soil health evaluations, experiences with
cover crop programs, and managing risk. Following lunch six
UM graduate students gave an overview of their individual
projects. An update on crop insurance implications with cover
crops was given. The tour ended with the Pennsylvania State
Interseeder, high-clearance drill, strip till, and RowBot equipment demonstrations.
Cover Crop Learning Tour
32
OTHER EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES
WRAPS Day
On January 27, 2015, Amanda Schultz and Jan Voit
attended WRAPS Day at the MPCA office in Mankato. The
purpose of the day was to review the scientific steps in the
WRAPS process, talk about CE, consider case study data
from the Le Sueur project, and participate in small group
discussions to reflect and apply the information.
Jackson County Water Plan Committee
The Jackson County Water Plan meeting was held on
February 5, 2015. PowerPoint presentations regarding 2014
activities were given by Chris Bauer and Aaron Crowley Jackson SWCD; Andy Geiger and Jake Grages, Jackson County;
Amanda Schultz and Jan Voit, HLWD; Brady Swanson, DNR;
and Chrystal Dunker, PEBC. Updates were also given by
Jim Sholley, Iowa Great Lakes; Aaron Crowley on behalf of
Jackson NRCS; Brian Nyborg, DNR; and Mark Hiles, BWSR.
Manager and Staff Orientation
On February 26, 2015, Catherine Wegehaupt, Amanda
Schultz, and Jan Voit had the opportunity to meet with Bruce
Leinen. Bruce and Jan reviewed the Manager and Staff Orientation document and the District Policies Handbook. Job
descriptions and time tracking information were provided.
Catherine, Amanda, and Jan each explained their job duties. Bruce also had the opportunity to ask questions about
HLWD operations.
The Manager and Staff Orientation document was updated on April 28, 2015. The revised document was sent to
the managers on April 30, 2015. This version will be used
for the summer interns.
Watershed Leadership Development Initiative
On March 10, 2015, Matt Moore, South Washington
Watershed District; Kevin Bigalke, Nine Mile Creek Watershed District, and Jan Voit met. The purpose of the meeting
was to finalize a draft outline of the Watershed Leadership
Development Initiative that would be presented to the Association of District Administrators (ADA). This Initiative is a
new program to provide leadership development, training,
and assistance to watershed districts, managers, and staff.
ADA Meeting
The ADA met on March 11, 2015. Doug Thomas gave an
update for BWSR. Barb Huberty provided information regarding the Legislative Water Commission. Ray Bohn presented
a report for MAWD. Kevin Bigalke led a discussion regarding
the Watershed Leadership Development Initiative. The MAWD
Summer Tour update was given by Margaret Johnson. Eric
Evenson guided discussion to provide input for the MAWD
Strategic Planning/Visioning
Committee.
MAWD Legislative
Reception
The MAWD Legislative
Reception was held on March
11, 2015. The event provided the opportunity for
conversation with legislators,
managers, and staff in an
informal setting.
MAWD Legislative Breakfast
The MAWD Legislative Breakfast was held on March 12,
2015. Several key legislators spoke regarding the renovations
at the Capitol, the Governor’s Buffer Initiative, a possible
bonding bill, the Governor’s and Clean Water Council’s budget
recommendations, and aquatic invasive species.
Following the breakfast, Dan Livdahl and Jan Voit visited
with Representative Hamilton. Schedule changes for Representative Schomacker and Senator Weber prevented them
from attending any events.
Minnesota Association of Drainage Inspectors Meeting
The Minnesota Association of Drainage Inspectors met
on March 23, 2015. Discussion was held regarding charging a
membership fee similar to the Minnesota Viewers Association.
A motion was approved to charge a $75 membership fee.
Kurt Deter explained a proposed bill to order redeterminations on all ditches and have them completed by July 1,
2020. Discussion was held regarding the proposed timeline
and runoff-based assessments. Discussion was also held
about a bill that would require getting written permission
from the downstream landowner for any drainage discharge
into a road ditch.
Al Kean, BWSR gave a presentation on the drainage
law changes that have been enacted from 2007 to 2014.
Tim Gillette, BWSR conveyed information on Annual Ditch
Buffer Strip Reporting and the Minnesota Public Drainage
Manual. Kale Van Bruggen provided an update on Waters of
the United States.
Spatial Targeting Workshop
On March 24 and 25, 2015, Amanda Schultz, Catherine
Wegehaupt, and Jan Voit attended a Spatial Targeting
Workshop sponsored by the MPCA. On the first day, Joanne
Boettcher, MPCA provided an overview of the workshops. CE
techniques were employed to gather input from attendees.
Matt Drewitz, BWSR, gave a presentation entitled, “Prioritized, targeted, and measureable, what does that mean?”
Small group discussion was used to explore BMP siting criteria
and strategies. Ashley Ignatius, MPCA provided an overview
of GIS data layers for targeting BMPs. Everyone had the opportunity to participate in hands-on GIS exercises.
Day two contained more detailed GIS exercises. Those
included types of data, symbolizing data, definition query,
attribute tables, intersect, buffer, dissolve, clip, and summary statistics. Ben Rousch, MPCA gave a presentation on
HSPF and its use in watershed modeling. Further GIS exercises were done including tabular and spatial joins, creating
shapefiles, and editing.
Leadership Seminar
On April 24, 2015, Jan Voit had the opportunity to attend a leadership seminar sponsored by the Department of
Employment and Economic Development. The seminar was
held at the Prairie’s Edge Casino Resort in Granite Falls. Dr.
Mark DeVolder was the speaker. He is a “change management specialist”. His presentation addressed the dynamics of
change management and employee engagement.
Nobles County Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Plan
On January 28, 2015, Rolf Mahlberg and Dan Livdahl,
33
OOWD; Robert DeMuth, Jr., Nobles County; Jerry Braun,
Nobles County Parks; Steve Schneider, Nobles County; and
Jan Voit met to discuss the priorities for the AIS Plan. Budget
recommendations were made. The committee will meet again
in February to review the draft plan.
On April 29, 2015, Dan Livdahl, OOWD; Robert DeMuth,
Jr., Nobles County Commissioner; Jake Smith and Jerry Braun,
Nobles County Parks; Kevin Roth, Nobles Soil and Water Conservation District; Steve Schneider, Nobles County; and Jan
Voit met to discuss the budget activities for the AIS Plan. The
law enforcement students from Minnesota West conducted
an education campaign at Nobles County lakes on weekends
from May through Labor Day. Advertising was done on the
Radio Works radio stations and in newspapers throughout
Nobles County. Signs were placed at boat landings.
CE Training
On June 4, 2015, Jan Voit had the opportunity to attend
the Qualitative Interviewing and Data Analysis Training Workshop held at the MPCA office in Mankato. Dr. Mae Davenport,
UM, was the speaker. The purpose of the workshop was to
provide information regarding how to conduct a social science assessment to understand and promote conservation
practices.
ADA Meeting
The ADA met on June 24, 2015. Ray Bohn gave an
update on the transition team. Legislative updates were
given by MAWD and BWSR. Discussion was held about the
development of Watershed Assistance Teams. A committee
will formulate a process for moving forward. Sara Noah
presented the MAWD Salary Survey.
MAWD Summer Tour
The MAWD Summer Tour was held on June 25 and 26,
2015. On June 25, 2015 a bus tour of Amity Creek, Kingsbury
Creek, and Mission Creek was held. Chris Kleist, Program
Coordinator for the City of Duluth explained bluff, stream,
and river restoration efforts within the city. A guided harbor
tour of the St. Louis River estuary, Lake Superior, and the
Port of Duluth was also held. Jim Sharrow, Facilities Manager
for the Duluth Seaway Port Authority and Deanna Erickson,
Education Coordinator for the National Estuarine Research
Reserve System were the speakers. On June 25, 2015, presentations were given about the Natural History of Duluth,
as well as Minnesota Shipwreck History.
Drainage Focus Group
On July 28, 2015, representatives from BWSR, Minnesota Geospatial Information Office, and HEI hosted a Public
Drainage Records Database Project Focus Group meeting.
The purpose of the meeting was to provide an overview of
the grant-funded project that will:
• develop a GIS database template and data standards
for public drainage systems administered under M.S.
Chapter 103E;
• enable future periodic collection of data from drainage authority users of the standard template into a
statewide database accessible to all;
• update the Drainage Records Modernization Guidelines, September 2008; and
34
• make these tools and data available via a web-based,
public data portal (i.e. Minnesota Geospatial Commons).
Participants also had the opportunity to provide input
about drainage records use, database requirements, and
participate in a question and answer session.
BWSR Academy
The BWSR Academy was held at Breezy Point on October
27-29, 2015. This training event included sessions on CWF applications, Human Resource Management, conflict resolution,
collaboration, time management, meeting best practices,
strategic planning, meeting facilitation, and leadership.
ADA Meeting
The ADA met on December 2, 2015. Introductions were
given. Each district gave an update on activities. Extensive
discussion was held regarding MAWD transition planning
and leadership development. Discussion was held regarding
providing tablets for managers and project management
software. Doug Thomas gave an update on behalf of BWSR.
The summer tour planning efforts will be led by the ADA.
A decision was made to add a September meeting to the
schedule.
Drainage Workshop
The annual drainage workshop was held on December
3, 2015. Kurt Deter, Rinke-Noonan gave an overview of the
process for new systems, improvements, and laterals. A
panel discussion was held regarding the buffer initiative. The
speakers included John Jaschke, BWSR; Sarah Strommen,
DNR; Warren Formo, Minnesota Agricultural Water Resource
Center; and Kurt Deter. An update was given about the Minnesota Drainage Manual and the Prioritize, Target, Measure
App. A representative of the US Army Corps of Engineers
provided information about the permitting process.
MAWD Annual Meeting
The MAWD Annual Meeting was held December 3 – 5,
2015. Sessions attended: Runoff Based Charges for Public
Drainage and Basic Water Management Projects; Application
of HSPF Model Results in the Development of ContributionBased Fees for Water Management Units in the Sauk River
Watershed District; U2U Decision Tools: Incorporating Climate
Information for Cropping Decisions; SAM V2 targeting tool
leverages statewide HSPF models for efficient watershed
planning; “Data” is Not a Four-Letter Word; and One Watershed – One Plan: Lessons Learned.
SECTION XIV: EVALUATION
EDUCATION
The HLWD WMP describes the estimated annual education efforts, contingent upon adequate funding, resident
interest, pertinent topic and speaker availability, as:
• Two workshops
• One tour
• Twelve monthly newsletters
• One annual report
Results
In 2015, the following education endeavors were undertaken.
Table 2. Education Endeavors
Publications
Manager and Staff Orientation document*
Newsletter: WFDMR TMDL Implementation Project**
Mailing: WFDMR Feedlot Information**
Newsletter: Rain Garden Open House**
Newspaper article: Rain Garden Open House
Advertisement: Rain Garden Open House**
Advertisement: Low Interest Loan Program*
News release: Conversations about Cover Crops*
Presentations
PowerPoint presentation: Jackson County Water Plan Committee*
PowerPoint presentation: About HLWD activites to commissioners in Nobles,
Jackson, Murray, and Cottonwood Counties*
PowerPoint presentations: WFMDR TMDL Implementation Project semi-annual
meetings**
PowerPoint presentation: WFDMR Major Watershed Project Local Work Group meeting*
PowerPoint presentations: Conversations about Cover Crops*
Third Crop grant: Steering Committee meeting - July 2015
Third Crop grant: Steering Committee meeting - September 2015
Events
CE Support Group*
PEBC Earth Day*
CSCAP Extension Team Meeting - Davenport, Iowa**
CSCAP Annual Meeting - Nebraska City, Nebraska**
Cover Crop Learning Tour*
Conversations about Cover Crops*
*Funded through HLWD General Operating Levy
**Funded through grant
SURFACE WATER MONITORING
The HLWD WMP describes the estimated annual surface
water monitoring efforts, contingent upon adequate funding, as:
• Collecting water samples on Jack Creek, Okabena
Creek, and the Heron Lake Outlet
• Analyzing water samples for TSS, TP, OP, ammonia
nitrogen, nitrate-nitrite, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, chlorophyll A, suspended volatile solids, turbidity, dissolved
oxygen, pH, and biochemical oxygen demand
Results
In 2015, the following monitoring efforts were undertaken.
• Three stream sites sampled 18 times
• Samples analyzed by MVTL for parameters identified
above
• Results submitted to MPCA in October 2015
• Compared to 2014 average concentration, TP decreased by 18% at Jack Creek and eight percent at
the Heron Lake Outlet. There was a 23% increase at
the Okabena Creek site. (See Figure 1) Some possible
reasons for the decrease in TP at Jack Creek and the
Heron Lake Outlet could be because of the difference
in rain events between 2014 and 2015. 2015 had small
rain events. 2014 had most of the rainfall in early June.
(See Figures 3 and 4)
• All three sampling sites, Jack Creek, Okabena Creek,
and the Heron Lake Outlet showed a decrease in TSS
average concentration in 2015 compared to 2014. Jack
Creek had a decrease of 26%, Okabena Creek showed
a decrease of six percent, and Heron Lake decreased
by 42%. (See Figure 2)
• According to the trend line, (shown in Figures 1
and 2), there is a decrease in TSS and TP average
concentrations over the years, 2004 through 2015.
• Average concentrations have been calculated and
those results are listed below. Loadings were determined during the spring of 2015 and presented at the
June 2015 board meeting.
35
BMP IMPLEMENTATION
The HLWD WMP describes the estimated annual projects, contingent upon adequate funding, as:
•
•
•
•
Filter strips – 200 acres
Grassed waterways – 3 projects
Terraces – 10 terraces
Shoreline restoration – 1 project
•
•
•
•
Rain gardens – 1 project
Septic systems – 20 systems
Well sealing – 5 projects
Stream restoration – 2 projects
Results
In 2015, the following projects were implemented:
Table 3. 2015 Projects
County Project
Nobles
terrace project***
Nobles
terrace project***
Jackson 1 rock inlet***
Nobles
2 rock inlets***
3 cedar revetment***
Nobles
Nobles
waterway project***
Nobles
terrace project**
Jackson J-hook weir project**
Murray
4 feedlot upgrades**
Jackson feedlot upgrade**
Nobles
8 septic system replacement*
Jackson 3 septic system replacement*
Nobles
100 acres cover crop seeding**
Jackson 100 acres cover crop seeding**
*Funded through CWP loan program
**Funded through grant
***Funded through HLWD general operating levy
36
Figure 5 shows the grant, loan, and general operating levy projects installed in 2015.
Figure 5. Grant, Loan, and General Operating Levy Project Locations
37
Overall BMP Implementation Results
The table below contains a summary of the BMPs installed cumulatively through grant and loan programs administered
by the HLWD.
Table 4. BMPs Installed through Grants and Loans
HLWD, Grant, and Loan Projects 1996 - 2015
Practice
Critical Area Planting
Sediment Basin
Windbreaks
Filter Strips
Grassed Waterways
Stream Channel Stabilization
Terraces
Wetland Restoration
Rain Gardens
Bioretention Basins
Biodetention Basin
Rock Inlets
Conserving Use Acres
Cedar Revetment
J-hook weir
Shoreline restorations
feedlot upgrades - grant projects
Minimum Till Incentives
No-Till Incentives
Forage Residue Management Incentives
Strip Till Incentives
Feedlot - low interest loan
Septic Systems - low interest loan
Conservation Tillage Equipment - low interest loan
Flood Relief Channel
Cover Crop Seeding
TOTAL
IMPAIRED WATERS AND TMDL
The HLWD WMP describes the estimated annual efforts,
contingent upon adequate funding, as:
• Monthly assistance for partners during project design
and installation during the field season
• Monthly assistance for partners for education efforts
as needed
• Two grant applications
• Twelve monthly project updates
Results
In 2015, the HLWD employed a Watershed Coordinator
to implement the Level III Feedlot Inventory through the EPA
319 Grant Project WFDMR TMDL Implementation Project.
Seven project updates were completed for use in semi-annual
and annual reports.
The Watershed Coordinator was also responsible for
working with MPCA and project partners to complete the
MWP Phase 1. Eight project updates were completed for use
in the final report.
The WFMDR TMDL Implementation Project Final Report
was submitted to MPCA in August 2015.
38
Acres or Number
11.1 acres
9
92.62 acres
5146.74 acres
18
1
52
359.28 acres
17
12
1
641
306.87 acres
6
4
7
6
18252.62 acres
2285.9 acres
475.8 acres
1125.5 acres
1
113
6
1
200 acres
Project Costs
12,701.58
26,698.03
3,953.50
210,762.19
66,373.36
774.55
121,523.76
69,180.36
15,654.24
116,071.91
8,065.70
113,501.68
22,568.02
12,248.08
48,519.35
47,261.79
353,221.62
127,993.84
27,430.90
5,709.60
22,510.00
83,671.00
826,047.72
151,275.00
14,816.00
8,761.60
2,517,295.38
PERMITS AND NOTIFICATIONS
The HLWD WMP describes the estimated annual aspects
of the regulatory program, contingent upon adequate funding, as:
• Five permits
• 75 notifications
Results
In 2015, six permits were issued for erosion control before and after construction. Six notifications were submitted
for tile installation.
FLOOD DAMAGE REDUCTION
PROGRAM
The HLWD WMP describes the estimated annual projects,
contingent upon adequate funding, as:
• Wetland restorations – 10 acres
• Alternative tile intakes – 10 intakes
• Sediment basins – 2 projects
Results
In 2015, three alternative tile intakes were installed.
PUBLIC DRAINAGE SYSTEM
MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
The HLWD WMP describes the estimated annual details of
the public drainage system management program, contingent
upon adequate funding, as:
• Work with county drainage authorities, county engineers, and watershed landowners to:
o Identify water quality improvement and water
storage capacity projects within drainage systems
o Develop projects
o Research project funding
Results
In 2015, the managers and staff worked with Bolton and
Menk and Mathiowetz Construction to finalize the Jackson
County JD #31 improvement project.
The managers and staff worked with the petitioners,
Chuck Brandel, I+S Group; Bruce Sellers, Wendland Sellers
Bromeland; viewer Ron Ringquist, and HLWD legal counsel
on the improvement projects for Jackson County JD #30,
Branch A-1 of Ditch 2, and Lateral to Branch A-1 of Ditch 2.
The managers and staff worked with the petitioners,
I+S Group, Wendland Sellers Bromeland, P.A., and HLWD
legal counsel on the improvement project for Jackson CD #3.
The managers and staff also worked with the petitioners,
I+S Group, Wendland Sellers Bromeland, P.A., and HLWD
legal counsel on a petition for the improvement of Jackson
County JD #19.
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS
The HLWD WMP describes the estimated details of
implementing capital improvement projects, contingent upon
adequate funding, as:
Capital Improvement Projects
• Project identification/location
• Landowner contact
• Preliminary engineering / feasibility studies
• Research project funding
• Project construction
Results
In 2015, no activity was undertaken.
SECTION XV: 2016 FOCUS
The HLWD intends to focus on the following activities in 2016:
• Make contact with landowners to assess the needs for BMP installation.
• Implement grant applications as outlined in work plans.
• Pursue options to educate and inform watershed residents about how they can help improve the water
quality within the watershed and beyond.
• Pursue additional funding mechanisms for existing and new projects and programs.
See the HLWD Annual Work Plan and Budget for detailed information regarding proposed 2016 activities.
SECTION XVI: ACCOUNT BALANCES REPORT
Account Balances Report
December 31, 2015
ASSETS
Cash and Bank Accounts
Administrator's Account
Continuation Loan Program Checking
Rock Inlet Grant Account
Summer Interns
Continuation Loan Program Savings
General
CD - Community First Bank
CD - United Prairie Bank
CD - Fulda Area Credit Union
HLWD Savings Account
TOTAL ASSETS
3,913.28
641.14
1,849.00
7,304.62
262,563.67
271,207.11
34,828.34
92,781.82
67,743.18
35,806.42
778,638.58
– END –
39

HERON LAKE WATERSHED DISTRICT ANNUAL REPORT 2015

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