Non-point Engineering Assistance
Purpose: To provide engineering assistance to private landowners, via soil and water conservation districts, for a variety of non-point water quality management practices.
Program history:
This program was established in 1994 in conjunction with the Agricultural Best Management Practices and Clean Water Partnership Loan Programs, which receive funding from the State Revolving Fund. Eleven joint powers groups of soil and water conservation districts were created statewide in early 1995 to employ professional engineer and technician teams to provide technical assistance in cooperation with member soil and water conservation districts. The associated joint powers boards are composed of a supervisor from each of the member soil and water conservation districts. One of the member soil and water conservation districts serves as the host district and manager for the engineer and technician team employed by the joint powers boards. The same, or another member soil and water conservation districts, serves as the fiscal agent for the joint powers boards.
Non-point Engineering Assistance teams provide technical assistance through member soil and water conservation districts and in cooperation with the Natural Resources Conservation Service and other local, state, and federal agencies. The Board of Water and Soil Resources provides policy, training, administrative, and technical consultation to the joint powers boards and their staff.
Other program information:
Base grants for the engineer and technician teams are allocated and reconciled annually. Challenge grants to employ an additional engineer or technician in high workload areas are provided subject to availability of funding. NPEA program teams utilize current electronic surveying, design and drafting technology to provide efficient and effective technical assistance.
Local governments that can apply:
Joint powers groups of soil and water conservation districts established for this program.
Application deadline:
Base grant application deadline is July 31. Challenge grant application deadline varies depending on availability of funds.
Area II Minnesota River Basin Projects, Inc.
Purpose:
To provide financial and technical assistance to the nine member counties for the planning, design, and installation of floodwater retarding/retention projects.
History:
This nonprofit organization was created in 1978 by a joint powers agreement of the 10 Minnesota counties that encompass the Area II portion of the Minnesota River watershed. Nine member counties remain in the joint powers agreement: Brown, Cottonwood, Lac qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Pipestone, Redwood, and Yellow Medicine.
Annual flooding damages within Area II are very severe due to the Coteau de Prairies (Buffalo Ridge). The drop in elevation ranges from 90 feet/mile in the Yellow Bank subbasin to 50 feet/mile in the Redwood subbasin. The Public Law 87-639 Study completed in 1989 estimated annual flood damages of $4,197,448 for the entire area. Approximately 112,500 acres are inundated during a 100-year flood event (meaning there is a 1 in 100 chance of such a flood each year), while 30,100 acres are flooded approximately every two years.
Nine reservoirs have been constructed since 1978, with several providing multi-purpose functions as county park and recreation areas. Besides the larger structures, Area II has assisted with the installation of many road retention structures which serve as temporary reservoirs that ‘meter’ out the floodwaters at controllable velocities and volumes.
Other program information:
Area II involves six major watersheds: Yellow Bank River, Lac qui Parle River, Yellow Medicine River, Redwood River, Cottonwood River, and Little Cottonwood River. Eligible project sponsors include the member counties, soil and water conservation districts, Yellow Medicine River Watershed District, and the Yellow Bank - Lac qui Parle Watershed District.
| 103F.171 | Southern Minnesota rivers basin area II boundaries. |
| 103F.173 | Program. |
| 103F.175 | Aid formula. |
| 103F.177 | Operation within agency. |
| 103F.179 | Selection of projects. |
| 103F.181 | Conditions for grants. |
| 103F.183 | Approved projects. |
| 103F.185 | Interstate cooperation. |
| 103F.187 | Report to legislature. |
Contact:
Kerry Netzke, Area II Coordinator
1400 East Lyon Street
P.O. Box 267
Marshall, MN 56258-0267
Phone: (507) 537-6369
Fax: (507) 537-6368
E-mail: area2@starpoint.net
