Faribault 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.

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 Web site. In Faribault County, Trust Fund money was used to help finance the replacement of 29 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 Faribault County Soil and Water Conservation District. Visit http://mrbdc.mnsu.edu/index.html for more information about this project.

Critical Habitat Match - 1993-95 biennium. This grant was used to buy or improve critical fish, wildlife and native plant habitats. In Faribault County, 30 acres were added to the Lane Wildlife Management Area. Lead agency: Department of Natural Resources.

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.

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. In Faribault County, over 113 acres of easements were purchased through this program. 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 including the Blue Earth and Maple Rivers. The results are used to direct state and local pollution programs. Lead agency: Pollution Control Agency.

Sealing Abandoned Wells - 1991-93 biennium. One hundred thirty-six wells were sealed in Faribault County through this grant program matching state and county funds. Lead agency: Board of Water and Soil Resources.

South Central Minnesota Surface Water Resources Atlases and Data Bases - 1991-93 biennium. This project gathered data to produce the following maps: general land survey, surface hydrology, weather station locations, point source pollution, incorporation of new land-use maps, population data from the 1990 census, county soil maps and cancer and epidemiology maps. The Faribault County project developed surface hydrology atlases and a database. Lead agency: Mankato State University.