Traverse 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. 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 Minnesota Department of Natural Resources sampled 886 sites in 32 Minnesota rivers, 64 tributaries and 12 lakes, including five sites on the Bois de Sioux River and one site on the Little Minnesota River in Traverse County during September 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.

Red River Valley Planning and Management - 1997-99 biennium. The Pollution Control Agency is working with an array of political jurisdictions and governments to determine ways of managing the land and water in the Red River Valley in northwestern Minnesota. The project includes a U.S. Geological Survey study of causes of sediment in streams and rivers in the Red River Watershed such as the Bois de Sioux River. This study will lead to methods of protecting water quality from the effects of erosion.

County Geologic Atlases, Assessments and Groundwater Sensitivity Mapping -1993-95 biennium. The Minnesota Geological Survey is studying the geology and groundwater in Minnesota. Maps will be produced and used for planning and environmental protection. The Department of Natural Resources is also producing maps of areas with the potential for groundwater pollution from materials like farm chemicals. These maps can be used for land use planning, regulation and management.

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.

County Geologic Atlas and Groundwater Sensitivity Mapping - 1991-93 biennium. This project resulted in expanded production of county geologic atlases and creation of a new Atlas Service office. In Traverse County, this program was used to expand groundwater sensitivity mapping. Lead agency: Minnesota Geological Survey.

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 its headwaters in southern Traverse County. The results are used to direct state and local pollution programs. Lead agency: Pollution Control Agency.