Wright 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.

Restorable Wetlands Inventory – 2009
Minnesota’s wetlands provide crucial habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife, assist in flood control, and help maintain water quality.  But the state has lost half the wetlands that existed before European settlement.  Ducks Unlimited will use this appropriation to identify and map drained wetlands that can be restored.  Mapping will take place in 170 townships in Clay, Mahnomen, McLeod, Meeker, Nicollet, Norman, Renville, Sibley, Wilkin, and Wright counties.

Restoration of Indian Lake – 2005-07 biennium. Indian Lake is a 146 acre lake northeast of Annandale in northern Wright County. Like many lakes in agricultural Minnesota, its water quality has been adversely affected by nitrate and phosphorus laden runoff. The Indian Lake Improvement District is working with Minnesota Environmental Services and Bemidji State University on a demonstration project to remove these excess nutrients form the lake.

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 Wright County, the Trust Fund portion of the allocation was used for a grant to help the city of St Michael purchase 35 acres of forested land next to the middle school.

Local Initiatives Grants Program - 1999-01 biennium.  This appropriation allows the Department of Natural Resources to provide matching grants to local governments or private organizations for various projects related to local parks, natural and scenic areas, local trail connection projects, regional trail projects, environmental partnership projects and conservation partners’ projects.  In Wright County, this appropriation was used to acquire 35.87 acres for the Big Woods Natural and Scenic Area and for the conservation partnership “Better Water through Better Habitat.”

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 five sites on the Mississippi River in Wright County during July and August of 2001. According to the website for this project, http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/eco/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.

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 building and extending fishing piers, developing boat access sites and purchasing land for future access sites. In Wright County, an access site was developed for boaters on Beebe Lake west of Hanover in 2000.

Protecting Rural Historic Landscapes in High Development Areas - 1997-99 biennium.  The Rochester-Twin Cities-St. Cloud corridor still has significant rural landscape features - windbreaks, barns and farmhouses - that reflect the state’s agricultural history.  The Historical Society is identifying these features and working with land planning agencies to protect them.

Sustainable Lake Plans - 1997-99 biennium.  What should your lake look like in two generations? That is the question the University of Minnesota’s Center for Urban and Regional Affairs is focusing on as it develops plans for managing five lakes including Sugar Lake (located south of Clearwater). The plans will address land use, water management and quality issues and will be used by other lake managers or associations to develop their own plans.

Accelerated Native Grass and Forbs on Road Rights-of-Way - 1995-97 biennium.  The way grasses and plants along roadsides are maintained significantly impacts soil and water quality, wildlife and rare plant habitats.  In Wright County, new technology was used to plant and maintain native grasses in road rights-of-way that will protect and improve biological diversity.

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.  The survey was begun in Wright County during the 1995-97 biennium and will be completed during the 1997-99 biennium.

State Park and Recreation Area Acquisition - 1995-97 biennium.  This Department of Natural Resources’ project is for the acquisition of new land for state parks and to develop and rehabilitate existing state parks.  In Wright County, Lake Maria State Park underwent campground renovation and an interpretive display was installed.

Water Access - 1995-97 biennium.  The Department of Natural Resources is improving water access to some of the state’s most popular lakes and rivers for anglers and boaters by building new boat ramps, fishing piers and shoreline structures.  In Wright County, a fishing pier was constructed on the Mississippi River. 

Conservation Reserve Easements - 1991-93 biennium.  This Board of Water and Soil Resources’ program acquires easements for wetland areas to enhance wildlife habitat, control erosion and improve water quality.  Landowner compensation via easement payment has proven to be the most effective method in converting these private acres back to wildlife habitat.  In Wright County, this program led to the purchase of 7.8 acres of easements.

09/25/09 - TM