Lake Water Quality Monitoring
Every 3 years, five lakes are chosen to be tested by the SWCD during the months of May-September.
Nitrate Testing Clinic
Landowners have a chance to bring in a water sample for nitrate testing every year in June or July. In cooperation with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, water samples are tested and the results given on-site. If the test shows a reading of over 10 ppm, landowners are encouraged to get their water tested by a certified lab.
Shoreland Brochures
In 2007, an updated "Shoreland Owner's Guide" was developed with current information of important contacts for shoreland owners in Hubbard County. The brochure also gives information on a natural shoreline, lakeshore erosion causes and cures, and permits. Brochures are available at the SWCD office, Environmental Services office, realty companies, and the Chamber of Commerce.
Abandoned Well Sealing
The Local Water Plan has funds set aside for sealing abandoned or unused wells in the county with 50% of the well sealing cost provided. Please call the SWCD office for more information.
Freshwater Festival
The Freshwater Festival is an annual event for sixth graders in Hubbard County. It is sponsored by funds from the Hubbard County Local Water Plan and local donations with administrative support from the Hubbard County Soil and Water Conservation District. It follows basically the same format each year.
At this event, each class rotates through five stations where individual presenters share their expertise. Presenters are volunteers from organizations such as Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Department of Natural Resources,
Minnesota Department of Health, Natural Resources
Conservation Service, and others. In addition, paid professional
educators include the Minnesota Science Museum and Tom Gibson,
environmental educator. Their programs are 45 minutes in length
while the others are 20 minutes.Each class stays together throughout the day. Break times are scheduled for snacks and lunch. Presenters and volunteers are provided with a meal prepared by the Mantrap Valley Conservation Club Auxiliary, and students and teaches bring sack lunches. Volunteers from the Coalition of Lake Associations assist with various aspects of the festival from chaperoning classes to handing out snacks. Usually there are around 45 volunteers.
The Freshwater Festival will be held on May 7, 2008 at Camp Wilderness Boy Scout Camp near Emmaville, MN. It will begin at 9:20 a.m. and end around 1:45 p.m. Students will receive a bag containing a conservation comic book, pencil, tree seedling and possibly other items. They will be shown how to plant their seedling by a DNR forester.
Teachers, volunteers and presenters receive schedules and information prior to the festival. They may visit the camp prior to the festival day to familiarize themselves with the various stations they will be attending. Volunteers also help wrap trees and bag materials.
The goal of the Freshwater Festival is to educate sixth grade students about protection, preservation, and conservation of water resources in an atmosphere of fun and learning. Hubbard County has substantial ground and surface water resources. We want to educate children about different aspects of these waters and their relationship to other resources: wetlands, forestry and wildlife. We also want to instill an environmental awareness and a stewardship ethic in students and adults.
Wetland Conservation Act
In November, 2006 the Hubbard County Soil and Water Conservation District took over administration of Minnesota's Wetland Conservation Act (WCA) from the county. The main purpose of WCA is to achieve no net loss of wetlands by protecting them from negative impacts including filling, draining, and in some cases, excavation.
Wetlands have long been regarded as "undesirable" and through the years have been drained and filled to make way for houses, roads, farmland and other development. In fact, Minnesota has lost 42% of its original wetlands in the last 200 years, according to a 1990 report by the U.S. Department of the Interior. Fortunately, federal and state programs, such as WCA, have been put in place to protect the wetlands that remain and to educate the public on the numerous benefits wetlands provide. Benefits include groundwater recharge and discharge, flood control, nutrient and pollutant filtering, erosion control, wildlife habitat, and a lot more!
If you are planning any sort of project that impacts a wetland or would
like more information on the importance of wetland ecosystems, please
contact the Hubbard County SWCD at 218-732-0121. We would be happy
to work with you and answer any questions that you may have.
Wetland Conservation Act Fee Schedule, January 1, 2007
WCA Technical Advice (1 site visit, then $50 per hour after
that).........free
Exemption
Certificate..............................................................................$
50
Combined Project Application (Parts 1 &
2).........................................$100
Wetland Banking Application
Submittal...............................................$100
State Cost-Share Program
The State Cost-Share Program was created in 1977 to provide funds to SWCDs for the implementation of conservation practices that protect and improve water quality by controlling soil erosion and reducing sedimentation.
Through this program, landowners can request financial and technical assistance from the SWCD for implementing approved conservation practices. This program provides up to 75% of the total eligible costs of a practice.
Approved conservation practices include:
Critical Area Planting--establishing permanent vegetation on sites with high erosion or sites that prevent establishing vegetation with normal planting procedures.
Field Windbreaks--Single or multiple rows of trees and shrubs planted to protect an area from prevailing winds.
Shelterbelt--Planting single or multiple rows of trees and/or shrubs around buildings for protection from wind and snow.
Grass Waterway--a channel with permanent vegetation serving to transport runoff from fields and other areas with little erosion and soil loss.
Filter Strips--areas of permanent vegetation established between cropland, grazing land or other disturbed areas and sensitive areas such as lakes, streams or wetlands to reduce runoff and prevent contaminants from entering sensitive areas.
Sediment Basins--a basin, pond or structure designed and constructed to collect and hold sediment or debris.
Streambank and Shoreland Protection--using vegetation and/or engineered structures to stabilize and protect streambanks, lakeshore and other water channels from erosion.
Unused Well Sealing, Diversions, Terraces, Stripcropping, Wastewater and Feedlot Runoff Control are additional conservation practices.
For information on any of these practices, please call
the office.