Swift 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.

County Geologic Atlas and South-Central Minnesota Groundwater – 2009
This appropriation to the University of Minnesota’s Minnesota Geological Survey and Department of Natural Resources will help collect information on the geology of Minnesota below the surface, including the state’s critical groundwater resources. The project will pay particular attention to the Mt. Simon aquifer, one of the major sources of water in central Minnesota, with this year’s studies focusing on McLeod, Wright, Sherburne, and Isanti counties. In addition, the Minnesota Geological Survey will produce atlases of the geology of Todd, Carlton, McLeod, Carver, Benton, and Chisago counties.

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 Todd County, the Soil and Water Conservation District received a grant to develop and implement lake management plans for four lake associations. The management plans helped improve and protect water quality through education, training, monitoring and installation.

County Biological Survey - 2001-03 and 2003-05 biennia. 2001 marks the start of the eighth biennium 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 Todd County began during the 2001-03 biennium and was completed in the 2003-05 biennium.

Agricultural Land Preservation – 2001-03 biennium. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture used part of this grant for an agreement with Todd County to develop a geographic information system that identifies and prioritizes land to be preserved for agricultural use. In addition, costs and revenues of residential development were analyzed in the Long Prairie area. The results demonstrate that these are useful tools for helping local government leaders analyze residential development options while maintaining quality open space for farmland and natural areas.

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 Todd County, an additional section was added to the fishing pier at Bass Lake near the town of Grey Eagle with help from the Trust Fund.

Diversifying Agriculture for Environmental, Economic and Social Benefits - 1999-01 biennium. Todd County farmers helped the University of Minnesota conduct field experiments with hybrid hazelnuts as an alternative crop. Projects in other parts of the state examined the use of Illinois Bundleflower and False Indigo for livestock grazing and new strains and planting schedules of cover crops. The diversification of agricultural products shows great promise for improving both the state’s environment and its farm economy.

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 Todd County, grants were received by the Little Birch Lake Association to help construct a walleye spawning area in Little Birch Lake near the town of Ward Springs and by the Long Prairie River Stewardship Project to restore areas of the former Long Prairie City Dump by planting trees and shrubs along 1,500 feet of the river.

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 18 sites on the Long Prairie River, five sites on the Sauk River and one site on Sauk Lake in Todd County during July and August of 2000 and June of 2001.

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.

Organic Farming Training Project - 1999-01 biennium. The Minnesota Food Association of Arden Hills and Cooperative Development Services of St. Paul developed an ongoing mentoring program for farmers who want to use organic farming methods. Training farms for this project were established in Chaska, Rosemount, Hamel, Stillwater, Faribault, Owatonna, Waconia and at the University of Minnesota’s Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen. Training sessions were also held in Lamberton, Browerville, Stillwater and St. Paul. The project trained over 1,000 farmers during the biennium, many of them recent immigrants to Minnesota.

Public Boat Access and Fishing Piers - 1999-01 biennium. With help from the Minnesota Future Resources Fund and donations from local contributors, Trust Fund money was put to work acquiring land for future public access sites, developing existing sites and building and extending fishing piers. In Todd County, land was purchased for a new boat access site east of Osakis on Little Sauk Lake.

RIM Fisheries Statewide Habitat Development, Hatchery Rehabilitation and Stream Flow Protections - 1995-97 biennium.  The Department of Natural Resources is increasing fish populations in Minnesota by 1) improving fish habitat with lake aeration systems, erosion-free shorelines and new in-water structures; 2) enhancing stocking efforts by improving six stocking facilities; and 3) collecting information about streams and their fish to predict changes in habitat as the flow changes.  In Todd County, bulrushes were re-established at various sites while warm water fisheries habitats were improved.

Access to Lakes and Rivers - 1993-95 biennium.  Fishing piers, boat ramps and shoreline access sites are being built around the state to provide boaters and anglers with more access to popular Minnesota lakes and rivers.  In Todd County, the Department of Natural Resources installed a new fishing pier on Bass Lake.

RIM Critical Habitat Match - 1993-95 biennium.  This program provides 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 level.  In Todd County, the Department of Natural Resources added 145 acres to the Quistorff Wildlife Management Area south of Osakis.