Carver County Projects

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.

Land Acquisition at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum – Continuation – 2003-05 and 2005-07 biennia. These grants from the Trust Fund will help the University of Minnesota purchase additional land for the Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen.

Land Acquisition at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum - 2001-03 biennium and 2003-05 biennium. Allocations from the Trust Fund in 2001 and 2003 with additional funds from private sources allowed the University of Minnesota to purchase an additional 17 acres of land within the boundaries of the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen. The objective of this land purchase is to allow the Arboretum to protect more of its watershed and native plant habitat from development and preserve the visitor experience.

Biological Control of Eurasian Watermilfoil and Purple Loosestrife - Continuation - 2001-03 biennium. In cooperation with staff from the University of Minnesota, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Cornell University and the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Natural Resources coordinated this project to develop and implement biological controls for Eurasian Watermilfoil and Purple Loosestrife - two intrusive species invading Minnesota lakes and rivers. The research scientists working on this project chose study areas along the Mississippi River corridor between Red Wing and Winona and lakes in the seven-county metro area. They report that Milfoil Weevils can cause sustained declines of the invasive, non-native Eurasian Watermilfoil if sufficient densities of the insect are maintained throughout the summer each year. They also discovered that the Milfoil Weevils have their own predators - sunfish - which were, in turn, studied for their effect on the weevil population. Other variables they manipulated for this project include water clarity and physically removing milfoil and other plants. On the other side of the project, research scientists found that Leaf Beetles can provide long-term control of Purple Loosestrife and that these biological agents do not have a detrimental effect on two non-invasive species of loosestrife native to Minnesota. Their study results show these agents can move through a wetland in less than three years and disperse and colonize other wetlands as far as 20 kilometers away.

Metro Greenways - 2001-03 biennium. The goal of the Metro Greenways Project is to protect, connect and restore a metro-wide area network of significant natural areas and open spaces. This project is administered and coordinated by the Department of Natural Resources and relies on partnerships with a wide range of nonprofit conservation organizations, government agencies and private landowners. During the biennium, 11 planning grants were issued to local governments to inventory and assess more than 240,000 acres of land in the metro area, 221 acres were purchased and will be held in public domain, 178 acres were permanently protected with conservation easements and 40 acres of rare sand prairie were restored. In Carver County, the Metropolitan Council and the Trust Fund split the cost of conducting a natural resource inventory for 23,000 acres of land in portions of Watertown, Waconia and Laketown Townships. You can find more information on this topic at www.embraceopenspace.org.

Metropolitan Regional Parks Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Development - 2001-03 biennium. This Metropolitan Council project used money from the Trust Fund along with the sale of bonds to acquire, develop and rehabilitate parks in the Twin Cities area. In Carver County, the Trust Fund helped finance the purchase of 37.5 acres to expand the Lake Waconia Regional Park. In all, 15 projects were financed during the biennium as part of this project.

State Park and Recreation Area Acquisition - 2001-03 biennium. Funding from two sources - the Trust Fund and the Future Resources Fund - was combined for this project to expand our public parks. The Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area between Chaska and Belle Plaine in Carver and Scott Counties grew by 5 acres during the biennium. In all, more than 1,100 acres were purchased within the boundaries of nine state park and recreation areas from willing private landowners.

Arboretum Land Acquisition and Wetlands Restoration - Continuation - 1999-01 biennium. This project is part of a long-term strategy to acquire lands within the Arboretum’s watershed for ecological protection. It also provides the opportunity to develop public models for restoration of native Minnesota landscapes. The University of Minnesota purchased 30 acres of land with this appropriation and contributions from foundations, individuals and the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Foundation.

Greening the Metro Mississippi-Minnesota River Valleys - 1999-01 biennium. Great River Greening organized more than 1,500 citizen volunteers to complete habitat restoration projects on approximately 1,500 acres of land along segments of the Minnesota and Mississippi River valleys located in Hennepin, Ramsey, Washington, Carver, Scott and Dakota Counties. These sites vary in their quality, but through the restoration process their ecological value for buffering, connecting and hosting natural remnants has greatly increased. Many of the sites are critical for enhancing the last large remnants of native plants in the metro river corridor. For more information, visit http://www.greatrivergreening.org.

Groundwater Flow in the Prairie du Chien Aquifer - 1999-01 biennium. The Prairie du Chien and underlying Jordan Aquifers supply drinking water to more than 15,000 wells in the Twin Cities, Rochester and other parts of southeastern Minnesota. Groundwater in this part of the state has been contaminated at specific locations including a landfill in northern Olmsted County, the former Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant in Ramsey County and beneath sewage treatment ponds in Wabasha and Winona Counties. This project by the University of Minnesota’s Geological Survey is studying the structure and flow of the aquifers to better predict how contamination will travel through these underground waterways so better prevention plans can be developed.

Local Initiatives Grants Program - 1999-01 biennium. Appropriations from the Trust Fund for this project allowed the Department of Natural Resources to fund the Natural and Scenic Area Grants Program, the Conservation Partners Grants Program and the Environmental Partnerships Grants Program during the biennium. More than 140 different projects across the state were approved for matching grants from July of 1999 through June of 2001. In Carver County, the Carver County Soil and Water Conservation District received a grant to help purchase a native prairie seed drill.

Metropolitan Regional Parks Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Development - 1999-01 biennium and an extension of funding from the 1997-99 biennium. For this project, Trust Fund money was combined with a partial match from bonds issued by the Metropolitan Council to finance the highest priority acquisition, redevelopment and development projects of the metropolitan regional park system. In Carver County, Trust Fund money was spent to rehabilitate the parking and work areas, the septic systems and the garage at Baylor Regional Park north of Young America. At Lake Minnewashta Regional Park in Chanhassen, money was spent to improve the park’s access road.

Minnesota River Basin Initiative: Local Leadership - 1999-01 biennium with an extension to June 30, 2002. The Minnesota River has been the subject of many studies and many projects over many years. This project, administered by the Minnesota River Basin Joint Powers Board, was designed to encourage local leadership within each of the 13 major Minnesota River watersheds, implement projects on a cost-sharing basis to improve the river’s water quality and display the results on the Minnesota River Basin Data Center website. Visit http://mrbdc.mnsu.edu/index.html for more information about this project. In Carver County, Trust Fund money was used to help finance the replacement of 49 agricultural drain inlets with a new style designed to reduce the amount of phosphorus and sediment flowing into the river. Work was supervised by the Carver County Soil and Water Conservation District.

Organic Farming Training Project - 1999-01 biennium. The Minnesota Food Association of Arden Hills and Cooperative Development Services of St. Paul developed an ongoing mentoring program for farmers who want to use organic farming methods. Training farms for this project were established in Chaska, Rosemount, Hamel, Stillwater, Faribault, Owatonna, Waconia and at the University of Minnesota’s Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen. Training sessions were also held in Lamberton, Browerville, Stillwater and St. Paul. The project trained over 1,000 farmers during the biennium, many of them recent immigrants to Minnesota.

Public Boat Access and Fishing Piers - 1999-01 biennium. With help from the Minnesota Future Resources Fund and donations from local contributors, Trust Fund money was put to work building and extending fishing piers, developing boat access sites and purchasing land for future access sites. In Carver County, a 104-foot fishing pier was installed at Minnewashta Lake and another pier was upgraded at Riley Lake in 2000. Both lakes are near the City of Chanhassen.

Arboretum Land Acquisition - 1997-99 biennium. With residential and commercial development rapidly swallowing up land around the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen, the University of Minnesota is planning on buying at least 50 acres of adjacent wetlands to protect its water quality and native plant habitats and to preserve its ambiance for visitors. To date, 14 acres have been purchased.

Metropolitan Regional Parks Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Development - 1997-99 biennium. The Metropolitan Council is expanding, improving or developing Twin Cities’ regional parks including constructing recreational trails and picnic shelters, expanding beaches and parking lots and improving boat ramps, campgrounds and park lighting. Also, all parks and trails in the metro area are being digitized for mapping. In Carver County, beach expansion, trail and picnic shelter development took place at Lake Minnewashta Regional Park in Chanhassen.

County Biological Survey - 1995-97 biennium and 1997-99 biennium. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is engaged in a 24-year project to map the distribution of rare plants, animals and natural communities on a county-by-county basis. This appropriation will allow the DNR to begin a biological survey to identify critical indicators of Minnesota's environmental health. Work in Carver County began in the 1995-97 biennium and will be completed during the 1997-99 biennium.

Metropolitan Area Groundwater Model to Predict Contaminant Movement - 1995-97 biennium and 1997-99 biennium. Estimates are that 230 billion gallons of groundwater are contaminated in the Twin Cities including 16 percent of the most commonly-used groundwater source. The Pollution Control Agency is refining and improving its model that tracks the movement of contaminated groundwater. The model will also be able to evaluate the impact of increased use of groundwater as urban pressures increase.

Metropolitan Regional Park Systems - 1995-97 biennium. This project is for the improvement of some of its regional park systems with natural habitat area and new and renovated picnic facilities, recreational trails, playground equipment, maintenance buildings and parking lots. In Carver County, this grant was used for shore easements at Eagle Lake in Baylor Regional Park, a beach bathhouse, shelter and boardwalk at Baylor Regional Park and a play area, park roads and picnic areas at Lake Minnewashta Regional Park. Lead agency: Metropolitan Council.

State Trail Rehabilitation and Acquisition - 1995-97 biennium. The Department of Natural Resources is improving the Heartland State Trail and the Luce Line State Trail. In Carver County, two bridges were repaired and replaced along the Luce Line State Trail.

Minnesota River Implementation Project - 1993-95 biennium. This project works with landowners and governmental agencies to reduce the high amounts of pollution in the Minnesota River. The goal is to use land management practices that reduce the amount of pollutants and runoff that empty into the river from a 30-county area. The project includes an educational program being used by 15 high schools that brings attention to water quality. Lead agency: Pollution Control Agency.

RIM Critical Habitat Match - 1993-95 biennium. This program provides matching funds to those who want to buy or improve critical fish, wildlife and native plant habitats in Minnesota. This grant was used for an addition of 62 acres to the Carver Highlands Wildlife Management Area. Lead agency: Department of Natural Resources.

RIM Statewide Fisheries Habitat Development - 1993-95 biennium. This program improves habitat for trout, walleye and small-mouth bass by building structures in 25 miles of streams throughout the state and installing aerators in lakes prone to winter kill. This grant is for the installation of an aeration system on Susan Lake. Lead agency: Department of Natural Resources.

Conservation Reserve Easements - 1991-93 biennium. This program acquires easements for wetland areas to enhance wildlife habitat, control erosion and improve water quality. Landowner compensation via easement payment has proven to be the most effective method in converting these private acres back to wildlife habitat. In Carver County, 18.4 acres of wetlands were restored through this program. Lead agency: Board of Water and Soil Resources.

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. This program led to the acquisition of easements on 12 acres of Carver County wetlands. Lead agency: Board of Water and Soil Resources.

Minnesota River Basin Water Quality Monitoring - 1991-93 biennium. This project sought to identify the sources of nonpoint pollution threatening the water quality and uses of the Minnesota River and its tributaries. The results are used to direct state and local pollution programs. Lead agency: Pollution Control Agency.