Yellow Medicine 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.

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 Yellow Medicine County, habitat enhancement will take place.

Minnesota ReLeaf [Tree Planting and Preservation] Matching Grant Program - Continuation - 1999-01 biennium. This project, organized by the Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Forestry, used money from the Trust Fund and the Minnesota Future Resources Fund to provide 111 grants to local units of government and non-profit organizations for community forest assessments, preventing the spread of oak-wilt in community forests and planting new trees. On average, each $1 of state funds was matched by $1.72 of local cash or in-kind services. Part of this appropriation assisted St. Peter, Comfrey and Granite Falls with the replacement of trees destroyed by the tornados of 1998 and 2000.

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 six sites on Canby Creek, one site on the North Branch of the Lac qui Parle River, 13 sites on the Lac qui Parle River, two sites on Lazarus Creek and four sites on the Yellow Medicine River in Yellow Medicine County during July and 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.

Minnesota County Biological Survey - 1999-01 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, 50 counties have been surveyed. Survey work began in Yellow Medicine County during the 1997-99 biennium and was completed during the 1999-01 biennium.

Prairie Heritage Fund - 1999-01 biennium and 1997-99 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 Yellow Medicine County, Trust Fund money was used to help purchase 110 acres of land northeast of Porter to extend the Lower Antelope Valley Wildlife Management Area (WMA) and to help seed 80 acres of this WMA with native prairie grasses. If you would like additional information about wildlife management areas, please contact the Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife.

RIM Wildlife Land Acquisition - 1995-97 biennium. About 500 acres of wetlands, restorable-drained wetlands and adjacent uplands was purchased by the Department of Natural Resources in North America Waterfowl Management Areas to protect them for wildlife. In Yellow Medicine County, 168 acres were acquired at the Sioux Nation Wildlife Management Area west of Canby.

Minnesota River Implementation Project - 1993-95 biennium. This Pollution Control Agency 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.

RIM Critical Habitat Match - 1993-95 biennium. This Department of Natural Resources’ 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 Yellow Medicine County, 2.5 acres of habitat for endangered species were acquired through this program.

State Park Betterment - 1993-95 biennium. This program improves state parks by rehabilitating existing facilities and building new ones. Projects range from rehabilitating and restoring trails and historic structures to building new offices and shops including a new shop building at Upper Sioux Agency State Park.

Conservation Reserve Easements - 1991-93 biennium. This 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. Through this program, the Board of Water and Soil Resources purchased easements on 104 acres of Yellow Medicine County wetlands.

Minnesota River Basin Water Quality Monitoring - 1991-93 biennium. This Pollution Control Agency project sought to identify the sources of nonpoint pollution threatening the water quality and uses of the Minnesota River and its tributaries including the Yellow Medicine and Lac qui Parle Rivers. The results are used to direct state and local pollution programs.

RIM Conservation Reserve Easements - 1991-93 biennium. This program assists landowners in returning marginal farmland - especially legally-drained wetlands - back to its natural habitat thus improving water quality, controlling erosion and enhancing fish and wildlife habitat. In Yellow Medicine County, easements were purchased on 13 acres of agricultural land through this program. Lead agency: Board of Water and Soil Resources.

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