Clearwater 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.

Minnesota County Biological Survey – 2009
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/eco/mcbs/index.html
For the past 20 years the Department of Natural Resources has been systematically surveying the state’s natural habitats. This study identifies significant natural areas and collects and interprets data on the distribution of native plant communities, rare plants, and rare animals. Through May 2009, project managers have completed surveys in 74 of Minnesota’s 87 counties and have added almost 17,000 new records of rare features to DNR information systems.  These data have been put to a number of uses, including park and natural area protection and the development of a state wildlife action plan. This appropriation will permit continuation of the survey in Lake, Cook and St. Louis counties, while surveys will begin in Clearwater and Beltrami counties. Work will also continue on two books: a revised guide to Minnesota’s reptiles and amphibians, and a guide to the wildlife of the Red River Valley and nearby aspen parklands.

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 Clearwater County, the Trust Fund portion of the allocation was used for a grant to help the Soil and Water Conservation District restore abandoned and depleted fields to native plant communities of trees, shrubs and grasses.

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 Clearwater County, the White Earth Land Recovery Project received a grant for the White Earth Habitat Classification Project.

Minnesota Wildlife Tourism Initiative - 1999-01 biennium. The Office of Tourism and Department of Natural Resources collaborated on this project to enhance Minnesota’s visibility as a national destination for wildlife tourism by placing advertisements in Audubon, National Wildlife, Wild Bird and Birder’s World magazines. To promote this industry within the state, an array of techniques was employed including workshops, field trips, cost-sharing grants for groups promoting local wildlife watching areas and printing and posting of signs for locations listed in the book Travelers Guide to Wildlife in Minnesota.  With help from this project, the Itasca Area Lakes Tourism Association - serving parts of Becker, Clearwater, Hubbard and Mahnomen Counties - put together a consumer advertising campaign, a birding brochure and added birding information to their website www.ItascaArea.com http://www.itascaarea.com/birding/index.html.

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 six sites on the Clearwater River in Clearwater 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.

State Park and Recreation Area Acquisition, Development, Betterment and Rehabilitation - 1999-01 biennium. This project provided funds to acquire 155 acres of critical private land within the current boundaries of six of our state parks – 11 acres at Fort Snelling in Hennepin and Dakota counties, 2 acres at Frontenac in Goodhue County, 11 acres at Moose Lake in Carlton County, 10 acres at Nerstrand Big Woods in Rice County, 81 acres at Sibley in Kandiyohi County and 40 acres at Whitewater in Winona County. This project also provided development funds for a municipal sewer connection at Banning State Park in Pine County, design funding for the new visitor center at Forestville Mystery Cave State Park in Fillmore County and a portion of the development cost for the Itasca Suites guest lodging at Itasca State Park in Clearwater County.

Red River Valley Planning and Management - 1997-99 biennium. The Pollution Control Agency is working with an array of political jurisdictions and governments to determine ways of managing the land and water in the Red River Valley in northwestern Minnesota. The project includes a U.S. Geological Survey study of causes of sediment in streams and rivers in the Red River drainage basin including tributaries such as Clearwater County’s Red Lake and Wild Rice and Clearwater Rivers that will lead to methods of protecting water quality from the effects of erosion. 

RIM Critical Habitat Match - 1995-97 biennium.  The Department of Natural Resources has matching funds available for anyone who wants to buy or improve critical fish, wildlife and native plant habitats.  Projects must emphasize habitat for endangered species, uncommon or diminishing ecological communities, existing fish and wildlife populations and fish and wildlife recreation.  Under this program, plants and display materials were provided for the Clearwater County Fair.

State Park Betterment - 1995-97 biennium.  This program improves state parks by rehabilitating existing facilities and building new ones.  Projects range from rehabilitating and restoring trails and historic structures to building new offices and shops.  Under this program, 190 acres were added to Itasca State Park. 

State Park Betterment - 1993-95 biennium.  This program improves state parks by rehabilitating existing facilities and building new ones.  Projects range from rehabilitating and restoring trails and historic structures to building new offices and shops.  Itasca State Park received grants to develop the park’s trail system and to restore the park’s buildings.

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.  Through this project, over 141 acres of easements on Clearwater County wetlands were purchased.    Lead agency:  Board of Water and Soil Resources.

09/25/09 - TM