Wabasha
Soil and Water
Conservation
District
2012 ANNUAL PLAN OF WORK
MISSION STATEMENT
Provide technical assistance to Wabasha County residents to manage
their private lands in a way that promotes a sound economy and
sustains/enhances natural resources.
INTRODUCTION
This annual Plan is to provide guidance in the implementation of the Wabasha Soil and Water
Conservation Comprehensive Plan. This plan will provide goals for the coming twelve months,
resources needed and available to reach these goals. It will serve as a guide for any
modifications that are needed to reach objectives. The Karst topography throughout the
County emphasizes the need to prevent surface and ground water contamination and to
protect and improve water quality. High nitrate and coli form levels in area wells indicates a
need for feedlot control systems, sealing sinkholes, and sealing abandoned wells. See the
Wabasha SWCD Web Site (www.wabashaswcd.com) for additional information, fax sheets and
program details.
Top 5 Priority Concerns:
1. Soil Erosion – prevention if soil erosion and sedimentation from runoff from; agricultural
land, construction sites, and stream banks
2. Nutrient and Manure Management – protection of surface waters by reducing
contaminates entering the water. Use correct methods to prevent nutrient loading from
manure, and artificial fertilizers both from agricultural and urban areas
3. ISTS/Ground Water Protection – protect ground water from contamination to ensure
drinking water aquifers maintain good quality
4. Forest and Pasture Land – improve forest and pasture land management to reduce soil
erosion and increase water quality
5. Impaired Waters – address impaired watersheds throughout the county to improve
water quality
SWCD Profile:
We are a subdivision of State government
Governed by locally elected Board of Supervisors
Provide technical and financial assistance on natural resource issues
WABASHA SWCD BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
Chairman, Roland Wood, District 1
Vice Chairman, Ralph Breuer, District 5
Secretary, Chuck Fick, District 2
Treasurer, Nathan Arendt, District 3
Member, Tom Gosse, District 4
Wabasha SWCD Board of Supervisors
Districts
5
3
2
4
1
WABASHA SWCD STAFF
Jennifer George, District Manager
Matt Kruger, Feedlot Technician
Terri Peters, Administrative Assistant
Donald Sylvester, District Technician
NRCS STAFF
Jim Fritz, District Conservationist
Raelene Marquez, Soil Conservation Technician
Objectives
Objective 1: Control Erosion
Action Items:
A. Assist landowners to apply 500 acres of contour strips
B. Assist landowners to apply 2,000 acres of contour farming
C. Conduct site investigation, survey, design, construction checks, and final inspection to
landowners on conservation practices
D. Assist with information on land eligibility for new Native Buffer, or CWMA sign-ups and
developing plans
E. Support farm plans on 1,500 acres and offer technical assistance relative to design and
layout of Best Management Practices.
F. Follow up with inspection for previous cost share projects and confirm maintenance is in
place, including seeding/vegetation establishment
Objective 2: Protection and Improve Water Quality
Action Items:
A. Work with county and assess feedlot work load and allocate financials towards a parttime position to help assist. This will include Shoreland mapping, feedlot mapping and
assessing, and potential workload for Planning and Zoning
B. Continue 50 foot Shoreland inventory and send compliance letters and follow up
C. Follow up with inspection for previous cost share projects and confirm maintenance is in
place, including seeding/vegetation establishment
Objective 3: Wetland Protection and Improvement
The Wabasha Soil & Water Conservation District has been designated LGU by Wabasha County
for the Wetland Conservation Act of 1991
Action Items:
A. Raise awareness of WCA rules
B. Administer WCA as LGU
C. SWCD responsible per statutes and includes restoration orders and plans
Objective 4: District Operations
Action Items:
A. District will conduct monthly and special meetings as needed
B. Reassess financial reporting and documentation
C. Conduct and provide assistance with RIM status reviews with landowners enrolled in the
program
D. Conduct site inspections of cost share practices, CCRP, CWMA, and Native Buffer
program projects
E. Provide assistance to rural landowners, farmers, and Agribusiness’s who are eligible for
water quality improvement projects through the MDA AgBMP Low Interest Loan
program
Objective 5: Promote Buffers, Woodlands, & Wildlife
Action Items:
A. Provide support with in-kind and financial match for the Forest Stewardship Bank
Program
B. Provide technical assistance to non-industrial private landowners on regeneration
checks, timber stand improvement, site preparation, tree planting, and forest
management plans
C. Sponsor Woodland Tour and Annual Forestry Day with the DNR Forestry department
D. Provide assistance with tree purchases for windbreaks and shelterbelts
E. Re-evaluate and upgrade tree sales program
F. Assist and support County Assessor with Rural Preserves program
Objective 6: Promote Public Awareness Program
Action Items:
A. Compose and release newspaper articles as needed
B. Promote and present Conservation Farmer Recognition Award, Woodland
Manager of the Year Award
C. Organize multi-agency Conservation Field Day for students in the County
D. Contact and discuss soil and water issues with local, state, and federal
legislators.
E. Attend Legislative Day at the Capitol
F. Make presentations to schools and civic groups on conservation issues as
requested
G. Envirothon – sponsor and support this program for Wabasha County high school
students
H. Start coordinating efforts with between county, SWCD and schools to better
educate children through other in school presentations and practices
I. Continue with Volunteer Nitrate Monitoring Program grant supplied through
Southeast Minnesota Water Resources Board
J. Continue to work with Plainview, MDA, MDH, and County with the Plainview
Wellhead Protection/Nitrate Pilot Program
K. Add targeted monitoring of wells around Plainview and Elgin area
L. Promote Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM) Reserve, CCRP, CWMA, and Native Buffer
programs
M. Promote WRP-RIM Flood program for affected landowners
N. Promote stream bank buffer strips through correspondence in conjunction with
county, Whitewater River Watershed Project, Zumbro Watershed Partnership,
Farm Services Agency, and Natural Resources Conservation Services
O. Assist Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) with promotion of
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship
Program (CSP), and Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) progams
Wabasha Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) and United States Department of
Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Non- Discrimination
Statement:
“The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all of its programs and
activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex
(including gender identity and expression), marital status, familial status, parental status,
religion, sexual orientation, political beliefs, genetic information, reprisal, or because all or part
of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. “
2012 Wabasha SWCD Budget
Charges For Services:
Income
Plat Books
Tree Sales
Wetlands
$1,200
$2,800
$3,100
Intergovernmental
Revenues:
County
NRBG Grant - County's Grant
County Levy
County Regular Allocation
DNR Shoreland Grant
Local Water Management Grant
MPCA Feedlot Base
MPCA SSTS Grant
WCA Grant
Feedlot Tech T/A
Whitewater Grant
$5,153
$133,000
$0
$14,177
$12,000
$0
$12,118
$91,500
$0
State
Forest Stewardship
BWSR Project Grants* (Total
Grant)
BWSR Service Grants**
$0
$94,441
$21,042
Miscellaneous:
Finance Charges
Interest Earnings CD's
Interest Earnings
Checking
Interest Earnings MM's
Other
Other Misc. Revenue
$0
$6,000
$0
$500
$6,000
$403,031
TOTAL:
District Operations:
Expense
Capital Outlay
Other Services and
Charges
$0
Building Rent
Conferences and Conventions
Education and Information
Employee Education and
Training
Employee Expenses
$9,861
$4,500
$500
$1,000
$300
Employee Mileage
Equipment Maintenance
Fees and Dues
Insurance Expenses (MCIT)
Internet Expenses
Misc Charges for Services
Postage
Professional Expenses
Operational expenses
Supervisors Expenses
Supervisors Mileage
Telephone Expense
Vehicle Expense
$1,500
$500
$7,500
$4,000
$900
$350
$1,200
$2,000
$12,055
$1,250
$2,000
$1,700
$2,500
Employee Salary Permanent
Employer Insurance
Employer Share FICA
Employer Share Medicare
Employer Share PERA
Supervisors Compensation
$172,236
$70,252
$10,681
$2,584
$12,487
$13,000
Personnel Services
Supplies
Field Supplies
Office Supplies
$1,000
$3,000
Envirothon
Misc. Project Expense
Plat Book Expense
Tree Expense
$175
$2,500
$0
$5,500
Project Expenditures:
District
State
Flood Cost Share Expense
Feedlot Expense
CWMA Expense
State Cost Share Proj Expense
TOTAL:
$40,000
$16,000
$403,031
12 – MONTH OBJECTIVE
WORKLOAD ANALYSIS WORKSHEET
Objective #1 – Control Erosion
Objective #2 – Protect and improve
Water Quality
Objective #3 – Wetland Protection
And Improvement
Objective #4 – District Operations
Objective #5 – Promote Buffers,
Woodland, and Wildlife
Objective #6- Promote Public
Awareness Program
TOTAL:
Admin Planner
6
50
25
65
Technical Clerical
130
20
100
45
60
38
7
25
109
43
11
125
25
34
6
25
35
260
30
260
6
260
20
260
STAFFING NEEDS
1-1-12 to 12-31-12
STAFF DAYS Available
ADMIN
Manager
Technician
Water Planner
Administrative Assistant
TOTALS
Staff Days Needed
Difference + or -
TECH Planning CLERICAL
260
260
260
260
260
780
188
300
-40
800
-20
260
-77
TMDL Streams and Classifications:
Stream
Mississippi River
Affect Use and Pollutant
Expiration
Aquatic consumption
due to Mercury and FCA
Mississippi River
Aquatic consumption due to
PCB & FCA
Mississippi River
Aquatic consumption due to column
Mississippi River
Aquatic life due to turbidity
Whitewater, North Fork
Aquatic life due to turbidity
Whitewater, South Fork
Aquatic life due to turbidity
Whitewater to Mississippi
Aquatic consumption due to
Mercury and FCA
Whitewater to Mississippi
Aquatic life due to turbidity
Zumbro Lake to N Fork Zumbro
Aquatic consumption due to Mercury
and FCA
Zumbro Lake to N Fork Zumbro
Aquatic consumption due to PCB
and FCA
N Fork Zumbro to Cold Creek
Aquatic consumption due to Mercury
and FCA
N Fork Zumbro to Cold Creek
Aquatic consumption due to PCB & FCA
Cold Creek to West Indian
Aquatic consumption due to Mercury
and FCA
Cold Creek to West Indian
Aquatic consumption due to PCB & FCA
West Indian to Mississippi
Aquatic consumption due to Mercury
and FCA
West Indian to Mississippi
Aquatic consumption due to PCB & FCA
West Indian to Mississippi
Aquatic life due to turbidity
Lake Pepin
Aquatic recreation due to excess nutrients
Lake Zumbro
Aquatic recreation due to excess nutrients
Lake Zumbro
Aquatic consumption due to
Mercury and FCA
Date
2011
2015
2017
2009
2008
2008
2011
2008
2021
2017
2011
2017
2011
2017
2011
2017
2011
2009
2011
2011
Above the given objectives, work will be introduced to achieve obtaining extra funding
through grants to start implementing stream surveys. This would include an increase in the
citizen monitoring program and turbidity studies. Implementation will include direction from
the MPCA and DNR.
Dictionary of Acronyms:
State, Regional, and Local Government:
BWSR
CRWP
DNR or MDNR
JPA
LCCMR
LGU
MDA
MDH
MDOT
MPCA or PCA
RC&D
SEMNWRC
SWCD
TAC
UM Ext
WD
WMO
WRWP
ZWP
Board of Water and Soil Resources (state)
Cannon River Watershed Partnership (local)
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (state)
Joint Powers Agreement (local)
Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (state)
Local Government Unit (local)
Minnesota Department of Agriculture (state)
Minnesota Department of Health (state)
Minnesota Department of Transportation (state)
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (state)
Resource Conservation & Development, USDA (federal)
Southeast Minnesota Water Resources Center (regional)
Soil and Water Conservation District (local)
Technical Advisory Committee
University of Minnesota Extension Service (state)
Watershed District (local)
Watershed Management Organization (local)
Whitewater River Watershed Project (local)
Zumbro Watershed Partnership (local)
Federal Agencies:
ACOE
EPA
FEMA
FSA
NRCS
SCS
USDA
USF&WS
Army Corps of Engineers (federal)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (federal)
Federal Emergency Management Agency (federal)
Farm Services Administration (federal)
Natural Resources Conservation Services, USDA (federal)
Soil Conservation Service, USDA (federal)
U.S. Department of Agriculture
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (federal)
Programs:
CLWP
CRP
CCRP
CREP
CWMA
EQIP
RIM
WCA
Comprehensive Local Water Planning (state)
Conservation Reserve Program (federal)
Continuous Conservation Reserve Program
Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (federal)
Cooperative Weed Management Area
Environmental Quality Incentive Program (federal)
Reinvest in Minnesota Program (state)
Wetland Conservation Act (state)
Terms:
BMP
BOD
FCA
GIS
GPS
NPS
OLA
PCB
TDML
TEP
Best Management Practices
Biological Oxygen Demand
Fish Consumption Advisory
Geographic Information System
Geographic Positioning System
Nonpoint Source Pollution
Open Lot Agreement
Polychlorinated Biphenyl
Total Daily Maximum Load (federal and state)
Technical Evaluation Panel