Benton County

This listing is produced by the Minnesota State Lottery from information provided by project managers and the Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources.  While we attempt to provide the most current information, specific project locations and allocations do change. Information on projects for the current biennium, in particular, should be regarded as preliminary.

County Geologic Atlas and South-Central Minnesota Groundwater – 2009
This appropriation to the University of Minnesota’s Minnesota Geological Survey and Department of Natural Resources will help collect information on the geology of Minnesota below the surface, including the state’s critical groundwater resources. The project will pay particular attention to the Mt. Simon aquifer, one of the major sources of water in central Minnesota, with this year’s studies focusing on McLeod, Wright, Sherburne, and Isanti counties. In addition, the Minnesota Geological Survey will produce atlases of the geology of Todd, Carlton, McLeod, Carver, Benton, and Chisago counties.

County Geologic Atlas Program Acceleration – 2007
http://talc.geo.umn.edu/mgs/county_atlas/countyatlas.htm
The Minnesota Geological Survey will continue to map the location, size, boundaries, and vulnerability of the state’s groundwater to support the sustainable use and protection of this critical resource and is planning to produce geologic maps and associated databases for Benton and Chisago counties.

Local Grants Initiative Program: Outdoor Recreation Grants – 2001-03 biennium. Money from the Trust Fund as well as the Minnesota Future Resources Fund was allocated during the biennium for this project administered by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. As a result, grants were provided for more than 130 different local environmental initiatives under several different categories, each with their own requirements: the Natural and Scenic Area grants program, Regional Park grants, Local Park grants, Conservation Partner grants and Environmental Partnership grants. In Benton County, the Trust Fund portion of the allocation was used for a grant to help the county purchase 54 acres of land along the Mississippi River across from a Stearns County park and adjacent to a Wildlife Management Area as well as an additional 235 acres known as the Graves farm for a future regional park.

Mussel Resource Survey - 1999-01 biennium. During the first two years of this project (this biennium), biologists and other staff from the Department of Natural Resources sampled 886 sites in 32 Minnesota rivers, 64 tributaries and 12 lakes including two sites on the Elk River, two sites on the West Branch of the Rum River and one site on Stoney Brook in Benton County during June of 2001.  According to the website for this project, http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/eco/nhnrp/mussel_survey/index.html, freshwater mussels, commonly called clams, occur throughout the world but reach their greatest diversity in North America where about 300 species are found. Unfortunately, within the last 100 years mussel communities have declined in abundance and diversity due to dam construction, stream channelization, water pollution and sedimentation, over harvesting and the recent introduction of the exotic Zebra Mussel. In response, groups such as the American Fisheries Society and The Nature Conservancy have identified mussels as the most imperiled group of animals in North America. The primary goal of this project is to build the information base necessary to sustain freshwater mussels in Minnesota. Building this base of information is expected to take about six years to complete.

Minnesota County Biological Survey - 1999-01biennium, 1997-99 biennium and 1995-97 biennium. Minnesota still has pockets of rare plants, animals and natural areas that need to be protected, managed and studied. The Department of Natural Resources is surveying every county in Minnesota to locate these areas. Since the survey began in 1987, 50 counties have been surveyed.  Work began in Benton County during the 1995-97 biennium, continued during 1997-99 biennium and was completed during the 1999-01 biennium.

Easement Acquisition on Restored Wetlands - 1991-93 biennium.    This program acquires permanent easements of federally-restored wetlands.  With the destruction of wetlands, many species of waterfowl are at all-time lows and rural Minnesota faces significant water contamination, soil erosion and downstream flooding problems.  By restoring and protecting wetlands, many of these problems can be reduced or eliminated.  Easements on 68.4 acres of Benton County wetlands were acquired in Benton County.  Lead agency:  Board of Water and Soil Resources.

Reinvest in Minnesota Conservation Reserve Easements - 1991-93 biennium.  This program assists landowners in returning marginal farmland - especially legally-drained wetlands - back to its natural habitat thus improving water quality, controlling erosion and enhancing fish and wildlife habitat.  The Benton County grant allowed the purchase of 26.6 acres in easements.  Lead agency:  Board of Water and Soil Resources.

Sealing Abandoned Wells - 1991-93 biennium.  Forty-two wells were sealed in Benton County through this grant program matching state and county funds.  Lead agency: Board of Water and Soil Resources.

09/25/09 - TM