The Minnesota River Watershed Alliance voted at its quarterly meeting in Hutchinson Jan. 21 to continue working on the Minnesota River Blueway initiative, to implement its goals, and seek support from federal agencies. Over the past year the Alliance – an informal, citizen-led network in the Minnesota River Basin – worked to gather widespread support and submitted a nomination to the U.S. Department of Interior, requesting Blueway designation for the Minnesota River watershed.

Recently, the DOI decided to terminate the program, primarily due to concerns with the program that arose in the Whitewater River basin in Arkansas, and possible impacts from the federal budget sequestration. “Although the Department of the Interior discontinued the National Blueway Program, to the great disappointment of those who worked so hard to obtain a National Blueway designation for the Minnesota River Valley, the Minnesota River Blueway Initiative is still an active program,” says Ted Suss of Wabasso.

Recommendation from the Blueway working team as adopted by the Alliance: 1) Continue with the Blueway initiative. 2) Continue to implement the goals in the Blueway nomination as the Alliance goals for 2014, and empower the Blueway working team to continue its work. 3) Formally request that the DOI and local U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to explore options for a regional memorandum of understanding among federal agencies to work on the identified goals. The next Minnesota River Watershed Alliance meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 15, at Ridgewater College in Hutchinson. A potluck meal begins at 6 p.m., and the meeting at 7 p.m. All are welcome to attend. More information about the Alliance is on the web at: www.watershedalliance.blogspot.com/

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Herrod named sustainability program coordinator at CURE

Ariel Herrod, who joined the CURE staff in November 2013, has been named Watershed Sustainability Program Coordinator. Herrod’s previous experience has involved public outreach and hands-on environmental education. She has also had farm experience in the Minnesota River watershed. Herrod has a BA in Environmental Studies and Geography from Macalester College with training in Geographic Information Systems. She will work with the CURE Watershed Council Network, which seeks to unite and organize the efforts of the broad variety of people involved in efforts to preserve the sustainability of local watersheds. The expansion of the Watershed Sustainability Program is funded in part by a grant from the McKnight Foundation and the support of CURE’s member/donors.

Goodrich leaves RCRCA for Brown County SWCD

Doug Goodrich has left the director post at Redwood-Cottonwood Rivers Control Area to be a project manager with the Brown County SWCD. Kerry Netzke, Area II administrator, will be taking on the grant and administrative chores at RCRCA. Continuing on the RCRCA staff are Shawn Wohnoutka, GIS/outreach technician; Bill Moldestad, engineering technician; and Joy Bruns, administrative officer.

Haga is new communications coordinator at BWSR

Celi Haga has been named the communications coordinator at the Board of Water and Soil Resources. Most recently the assistant executive director at the American Council of Engineering Companies of Minnesota, Celi’s background is primarily in association, nonprofit and government communications and public affairs. She has previously served as communications director for Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton, as well as in communications positions for Congressman Jerry Kleczka and Senator Russ Feingold. She can be reached at celi.haga@state.mn.us and 651-315-5082.

The CRWP 2014 photo contest calendar is now available. Contact Jennifer Hoffman, Chippewa River Watershed Project, Watershed Specialist, 629 North 11th Street, Suite 17, Montevideo, MN  56265, 320-269-2139 ext 120.

Winning Photographers

• January-Cheryl Johnson, Evansville
• February-Cheryl Johnson, Evansville
• March-Leah Lines, Watson
• April-Mary Jo Forbord, Starbuck
• May-Gail Felton, Montevideo
• June–Gail Felton, Montevideo
• July–Land Stewardship Project
• August-Lindsey Marcum, Glenwood
• September-Jess and Tammy Berge, Sunburg
• October-Gail Felton, Montevideo
• November-Leah Lines, Montevideo
• December-Faith Anderson, Glenwood

Prizes were awarded for the Best in Show photograph and the photograph that best depicted a Best Management Practice. Lindsey Marcum was the Best in Show winner (photo) and Cheryl Johnson won for the Best Management Practice depiction.

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved the final bacteria Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) report for the Cottonwood River Watershed. The approval letter, dated Jan. 8, 2014, states: "The TMDLs address aquatic recreation use impairments and limited resource value water use impairments due to bacteria (fecal coliform). EPA has determined that the Cottonwood River Watershed TMDLs meet the requirements of Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act and EPA's implementing regulations set forth at 40 C.F.R. Part 130. EPA approves Minnesota's eight bacteria TMDLs, addressing aquatic recreation use and limited resource value water use impairments." The report was submitted by the Redwood-Cottonwood Rivers Control Area. The 1,313-square-mile Cottonwood River Watershed drains sections of Lyon, Murray, Cottonwood, Redwood, and Brown counties. Land use is primarily agricultural, accounting for approximately 88 percent of the available acres. News about the neighboring Redwood River watershed bacteria TMDL report is expected in the near future.

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Riparian buffers are among the top restoration strategies for the Pomme de Terre watershed in western Minnesota, as outlined in a report by the MPCA and local partners. This watershed has some of the best water quality in the Minnesota River Basin, but there is room for improvement as many of the streams and lakes are impaired by excess nutrients and other pollutants.

The Pomme de Terre River begins cool and clear in Otter Tail County, bordered by wooded hills and grassy meadows. It flows south through several lakes and five more counties – Grant, Douglas, Big Stone, Swift, and Stevens. But as the river nears its mouth, the surrounding area changes to mostly cropland and more of the riverbanks become erosive, with the Pomme de Terre becoming increasingly muddy before discharging into the Minnesota River at Marsh Lake.

Along with riparian buffers, other strategies to restore and protect the waters include:

• Adequate wastewater treatment systems,
• Manure management,
• Pasture management, and
• Shoreland and floodplain management.

See the report on Pomme de Terre Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies for details. This report is one of the first completed under the state’s watershed approach, a holistic way of gauging the health of streams and lakes, and developing strategies, including Total Maximum Daily Load studies, to restore or protect their water quality. Local partners such as the Pomme de Terre River Association are using funding from the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources to implement conservation practices in the watershed, and are working to secure other grants to begin implementation of the recommended strategies.

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The MPCA recently released the 2013 Minnesota Watershed Achievements Report, which highlights 19 completed projects, 110 ongoing projects and 16 new projects designed to reduce nonpoint pollution throughout the state. This report celebrates the progress made in reducing nonpoint source pollution (storm sewers, failing septic systems, construction site runoff, agriculture runoff, lawns, etc.) by highlighting newly awarded and active projects underway as well as successes achieve from projects completed each year for both the state Clean Water Partnership and federal Section 319 programs. Over the past 16 years, Minnesotans reported implementing an estimated 7,813 best management practices, resulting in these estimated reductions in nonpoint source pollution:

• Soil loss reduction of 282,984 tons per year
• Sediment reduction of 128,296 tons per year
• Phosphorus reduction of 328, 279 pounds per year
• Nitrogen reduction of 657,102 pounds per year.

For more information about nonpoint pollutions and efforts to reduce it visit the MPCA website.

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