CCM and BWSR: Working together for water quality
Since 2007, Conservation Corps Minnesota has received Legacy funds from the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) to partner with local governments throughout the state on projects to restore and protect water quality of streams, rivers, and lakes. Based on the tradition of the Civilian Conservation Corps, Conservation Corps Minnesota’s goals are to help young people become more connected to the environment, engaged in conservation, involved in the community and prepared for future employment.
Planning for a new era in water management
Since submitting a nomination to be a part of One Watershed, One Plan in early 2014, Lyon, Lincoln, Yellow Medicine, and Lac qui Parle Counties and their Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs), have been deeply engaged in making progress on the Yellow Medicine Watershed Plan.
Making Wetland Banking work
On Wednesday, September 16, representatives from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors gathered in Zim, Minnesota, for the groundbreaking of the Lake Superior Mitigation Bank. This unique wetland bank in central St. Louis County made the news for many reasons: its size (23,000 acres), some of the restoration techniques that will be used in the bank, and how credits will be determined. When completed, the Lake Superior Mitigation Bank will be the largest in Minnesota, and quite possibly the nation.
The 411 on BWSR and Ag Drainage
While not on everyone’s list of most exciting topics, drainage is important to us all. Many of us don’t think about it unless our basements flood or heavy rains and flooding impact our roads and infrastructure. But drainage is especially important to farmers whose very livelihood is determined by how water is managed in their fields.