McLeod 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.

Water Recreation: Boat Access, Fishing Piers and Shore Fishing - 2001-03 biennium. The Department of Natural Resources combined this allocation from the Trust Fund with significant help from local partners to develop five public water access sites around the state, purchase three parcels of land to provide new or expanded access, construct two shore-fishing areas and add or modify eighteen public-fishing piers.

In McLeod County, the Trust Fund helped purchase and install an 84-foot fishing pier near Winsted at Winsted Lake in 2003.

Minnesota County Biological Survey - 2001-03 biennium and 1999-01 biennium. 2001 marks the start of the eighth biennia of this ambitious twelve biennia project that identifies significant natural areas and systematically collects and interprets data on the distribution and ecology of natural communities, rare plants and area animals. Since 1987, surveys have been completed or are underway in 64 counties. Survey work in McLeod County began during the 1999-01 biennium and continues in the 2001-03 biennium.

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 McLeod County, McLeod County Pheasants Forever received a grant to convert 75 acres of farmland to wildlife habitat.

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.

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 one site on the South Fork of the Crow River in McLeod County during July of 2000.

According to the website for this project, http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/ecological_services/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.

Prairie Heritage Fund - 1997-99 biennium and 1999-01 biennium. Twenty-nine parcels of land totaling 3,683 acres were purchased in 14 counties, donated to the State of Minnesota and designated as wildlife management areas as a result of this project coordinated by Pheasants Forever. Money from the Trust Fund was matched and extended for these prairie and wetland purchases by contributions from local Pheasants Forever Chapters and other groups and individuals. These new parcels fit into an existing network of close to 1,300 wildlife management areas maintained by the Department of Natural Resources and are open to public hunting and other recreational pursuits.

In McLeod County, Trust Fund money was used to help purchase 156 acres of land south of Hutchinson to establish two new wildlife management areas: Sumter and McLeod Prairie Heritage. An additional 62 acres of land near Biscay was purchased to extend the McLeod County Pheasants Forever Wildlife Management Area. If you would like additional information about wildlife management areas, please contact the Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife.

RIM Critical Habitat Match Acquisition and Enhancement - 1997-99 biennium. This Department of Natural Resources’ project provides an opportunity for private individuals, groups and businesses to help fund the cost of acquiring or improving critical fish, wildlife and native plant habitats by providing matching funds. In McLeod County, six acres have been acquired for the Pebbles Wildlife Management Area.

Environmental Action Grant for Minnesota Schools - 1995-97 biennium. St. Olaf College’s School of Nature Area Project is conducting a pilot program in which 40 K-12 schools receive matching grants to establish or enhance nature areas within walking distances of the school buildings. At Lakeside Elementary School in Silver Lake, students cleaned up an adjacent lakeshore, stabilized the bank and planted native vegetation to create a nature area.

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 McLeod County, repairs were made along 23 miles of the Luce Line State Trail which will eventually connect Plymouth and Hutchinson.

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 and its tributaries including High Island Creek in southern McLeod County. 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.

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 High Island Creek in southern McLeod County. The results are used to direct state and local pollution programs. Lead agency: Pollution Control Agency.

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