Le Sueur 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.

Local Water Planning (LWP) Matching Challenge Grants – 2003-05 biennium. The Board of Water and Soil Resources made matching funds available to 21 local government agencies that allowed these agencies to implement portions of their water management plan. Projects ranged from mapping of drainage ditches to erosion control to public education about wetland preservation. In Le Sueur County, the grant helped create a drainage system inventory to improve the water quantity and quality within the system.

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 Le Sueur County, the Trust Fund portion of the allocation was used for a grant to help the city of Montgomery redevelop the playground facilities at Westside Park.

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 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 LeSueur County, a grant was received by the Ney Environmental Learning Center to print site specific educational and interpretive material, purchase interpretive equipment and develop a web site and interpretive trail.

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. Visit http://mrbdc.mnsu.edu/index.html for more information about this project.

In Le Sueur County, Trust Fund money was used to help finance the replacement of 56 agricultural drain inlets with a new style designed to reduce the amount of phosphorus and sediment flowing into the river. The Le Sueur Soil and Water Conservation District provided the inlet design and supervised their construction.

Tools and Training for Community-Based Planning - 1999-01 biennium with an extension until June 30, 2002. Minnesota Planning used this appropriation to develop computer software and train staff from regional development commissions and county planning and zoning offices in its use. The software, named EPICplanner, is designed to be an easy to use geographic information system and is available without cost to help local units of government map and plan their growth by showing jurisdiction, landscape, soils and infrastructure information. According to the project manager, the five pilot counties – Cook, Hubbard, Lake, LeSueur and Pine – were critical in identifying the desired decision-analysis tools and testing the product.

Fisheries Statewide Hatchery Rehabilitation - 1997-99 biennium.  The Department of Natural Resources is improving its fish hatchery in Waterville for fish culture, rearing and holding.

Minnesota County Biological Survey - 1995-97 biennium and 1997-99 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, 29 counties have been surveyed.  LeSueur County’s survey was begun during the 1995-97 biennium with work to be completed during the 1997-99 biennium. 

Cannon River Watershed Strategic Plan: Integrated Management - 1995-97 biennium.  The Cannon River in southeast Minnesota and some of its tributaries are being cleaned up through the Cannon River Watershed Partnership.  With local and technical help, the Partnership is improving water quality by reducing pollution and erosion while protecting sensitive areas and encouraging agricultural practices that do not affect the environment.

RIM Fisheries Statewide Habitat Development, Hatchery Rehabilitation and Stream Flow Protection - 1995-97 biennium.  The Department of Natural Resources will undertake projects to acquire, improve or restore fishing habitat.  Under this program, repairs were made at Wolf Lake Pond as well as the addition of pond netting at the Waterville hatchery.

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 provided matching funds to those who want to buy or improve critical fish, wildlife and native plant habitats in Minnesota.  Some of these funds are being used to buy natural areas for scientific study, education and nature observation; others are helping restore waterfowl populations to their 1970s levels.  This grant allowed the acquisition of 33 acres at the Diamond Lake Wildlife Management Area near Kilkenny.  Lead agency:  Department of Natural 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.

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 LeSueur County project developed surface hydrology atlases and a database.  Lead agency:  Mankato State University.