Elk River Watershed Association (ERWA) 319-2 Grant

The Elk River Watershed Association (ERWA) was formed in 1994 to address water quality and flooding issues. The association has been supported by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), Benton and Sherburne County SWCDs, Counties, Water Resource Advisory Committees, NRCS, US Fish and Wildlife Service, MN Board of Water and Soil Resources, Briggs Lake Chain, Lake Orono, Birch and Little Elk Lake Associations, Sauk Rapids and Rice Sportsmen's Clubs, and citizen advisors from Benton and Sherburne Counties.

The ERWA is currently assisting Benton County landowners within the Elk River Watershed through a 319-2 Grant from the MPCA. The goals of this project are to improve water quality to levels that are within the typical range for the eco-region and de-list impaired waters in the Elk River, its tributaries, and lakes within the Elk River Watershed. Below is a list of practices that are eligible through the 319-2 Grant:


Wetland Restorations, Enhancements, and Creations:
Wetland projects must improve or maintain water quality, or improve water flow conditions in the Elk River Watershed to be eligible.
Cost-Share reimbursement for wetland projects will be up to 75%. Cooperator's in-kind expenses can be used as a 25% match.

Incentive Bonuses will be offered for wetland projects. The wetland and adjacent upland filter area will be eligible for the incentive bonus. Payments will be on a per acre basis and will equal the Farm Service Agency (FSA) posted rental rate times 10 (for 10 year contracts).
Below are pictures of a wetland restoration that was completed in 2006 through the ERWA 319-2 Grant.

                              Before Wetland Restoration                                                                 After Wetland Restoration

Nutrient Management (Ag BMP) Demonstration Plots:
Nutrient Management (Ag BMP) Demonstration Plots are used to evaluate management strategies. A small strip of cropland is normally used to evaluate the University of Minnesota's nutrient recommendations against the producer's normal management strategies.

Nutrient management demonstration plots can be planned for anyone needing to perform nutrient management. Up to two soil tests will be paid for each set of plots. The soil test will be for phosphorus (P), potassium (K), pH, and organic matter. Mid-season leaf samples may be collected and analyzed for nutrient content and paid for each plot.
Incentive Bonuses of $150 per plot will be offered.
Manure testing will be paid for through the grant and will be tested for nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). Manure spreader calibrations will also be offered free of charge.

                                 Ag BMP Test Plot Signs                                                                   Benton SWCD's Digital Scales

Pasture Best Management Practices (BMPs):
Pastured cattle, horses, and other livestock are recognized as a critical factor in stream bank degradation and erosion. Fencing livestock away from stream banks is an effective technique for improving water quality in pastured stream corridors.
When cattle graze in stream corridors, their hooves exert several times greater pressure on the soil than the per square inch weight of a bulldozer. Livestock consume or trample vegetation, eliminating the stream's natural protective blanket of vegetation and expose the soil, increasing its vulnerability to erosion. The vegetation along the stream bank is important. It not only covers the soil but also helps dissipate the energy of high water; slows runoff from surrounding pasture, crop fields, and feedlots; and absorbs or breaks down the nutrients and chemicals in runoff.
Keeping livestock away from the stream also may reduce problems with poor pasture use, exposure to water-transmitted diseases and algal toxins, foot rot, and leg injuries. Furthermore, fencing livestock away from streams prevents animals from defecating or urinating in the stream, which reduces bacterial pollution. (F. Moore, G. Miller, M. Tidman, 2000)

Riparian pasture practices include fencing, gates, livestock crossings, alternative watering systems (stockwater ponds, pasture pumps, etc.) and other components that the ERWA Board determines are necessary to exclude animals from surface water.
Cost-Share reimbursement will be up to 75%, not to exceed out of pocket expenses (cooperators will not be reimbursed for their labor or equipment). Cooperator's in-kind expenses can be used as a 25% required match.

Incentive Bonuses will be offered for livestock exclusion. Payments will be on a per acre basis and will equal the Farm Service Agency (FSA) posted rental rate times 10 (for 10 year contracts).

                                                                                                Riparian Fence Project