Morrison 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.

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 Long Prairie River in Morrison 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.

Minnesota County Biological Survey - Continuation - 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. In the 1997-99 biennium, the program will survey the Mille Lacs Uplands Eco-region which includes portions of Morrison County.

RIM Scientific and Natural Area Acquisition - 1997-99 biennium. Scientific and natural areas preserve and perpetuate Minnesota’s diverse ecology for scientific study, education and nature observation. The Department of Natural Resources is using these funds to buy a 1,356-acre oak forest near Cushing which is home to several rare plants and animals.

State Park and Recreation Area Acquisition - 1995-97 biennium. This project is for the acquisition of new land for state parks and to develop and rehabilitate existing state parks. In Morrison County, this grant was used for resource management at Charles Lindbergh State Memorial Park. Lead agency: Department of Natural Resources.

Fisheries Acquisition for Angler Access and Habitat Development - 1993-95 biennium. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is buying easements along three miles of trout streams and three miles of warm-water streams to increase access for anglers and improve fish habitats. The DNR is also protecting critical fish habitats by purchasing 200 acres of land near those habitats. This grant is for the acquisition of land and easements for access to the Mississippi River.

RIM Critical Habitat Match - 1993-95 biennium. This project provided matching funds to buy or improve critical fish, wildlife and plant habitats. Lead agency: Department of Natural Resources. In Morrison County, 81.5 acres were acquired for the Lake Alexander Scientific and Natural Area near Randall and Otter Point Wildlife Management Area, an island on the Mississippi River north of Little Falls was expanded by 10 acres.

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. Forty-eight acres of easements were purchased in Morrison County. Lead agency: Board of Water and Soil Resources.

Minnesota County Biological Survey - 1991-93 biennium. Since 1987, the Department of Natural Resources has been collecting information on plants and animals throughout Minnesota to identify the location of natural areas and rare plants and animals. This information is being collected on a county-by-county basis and will be used to better manage areas that have native species of plants and animals. The Morrison County survey was completed during the 1991-93 biennium.

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