 | In this issue New VRWJPO Administrator: Travis Thiel
Public Input Sought for Next Generation Watershed Management Plan on Oct. 12
Collaborative Summer Tour Features Myriad Conservation Methods
Well Testing Event Sept. 30 in Elko New Market
ACRE Monitoring Well Network Dashboard
Upcoming Events | Travis Thiel Named VRWJPO Administrator Travis Thiel was recently named the new Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Organization (VRWJPO) Administrator following the retirement of the previous Administrator Mark Zabel. Travis began working at the VRWJPO in 2008. He assisted in watershed administration such as development of budgets, Joint Powers Board agendas and presentations, contracts and planning, and implementation of the Vermillion River Watershed Management Plan. Travis has also secured and tracked several grants, such as Clean Water Fund, Watershed-Based Implementation Funding, and Conservation Partners Legacy. He oversaw many capital improvement projects, building strong partnerships with municipalities, counties, and soil and water conservation districts along the way. Travis now has an even greater role in helping us meet the VRWJPO’s mission to collaboratively provide education, science, and support to restore and protect the Vermillion River Watershed’s natural resources for all who live, work, and play within its boundaries. Please give him a warm welcome. | Public Input Sought for Next Generation Watershed Management Plan on Oct. 12 Have a question about the VRWJPO or something you'd like us to address? Now's the perfect time. We are required by state statute to update our Watershed Management Plan every 10 years. With the current plan expiring at the end of 2025, we are beginning to develop the next 10-year plan. This process begins with an initial public planning meeting, which will take place on Thursday, Oct. 12, from 4-6 p.m. at the Dakota County Extension and Conservation Center, Conference Rooms 1 and 2 (4100 220th St. W, Farmington, MN). The first part of the meeting will include a presentation and discussion about the watershed, our role in protecting its resources, and time to hear your questions, concerns, and ideas. The second part will be an open house for continued conversation on plan priorities. Your feedback will be documented for the plan's development. Questions about the meeting? Need accommodations? Contact Communications & Outreach Specialist Brita Moore-Kutz at brita.moore-kutz@co.dakota.mn.us or (952) 891-7967. Written feedback can be emailed to vrwjpo@co.dakota.mn.us. | Collaborative Summer Tour Features Myriad Conservation Methods More than 60 people interested in or collaborating on urban and rural conservation projects and practices attended a tour with the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) and partners within the Vermillion River Watershed on Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023. BWSR selected the Vermillion River Watershed for their annual Board tour this year. Attendees included representatives from: ▪ Elected officials and staff of the cities of Lakeville, Farmington, and Apple Valley
▪ Landowners
▪ BWSR Board members and staff
▪ Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation District
▪ University of Minnesota Extension
▪ Minnesota Legislative Subcommittee on Water Policy
▪ State agencies including the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Department of Agriculture, and Department of Natural Resources
▪ Federal agencies including the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
▪ Conservation advocacy groups, including Minnesota Watersheds, Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and The Nature Conservancy
▪ Dakota County Commissioners and staff
▪ The Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Organization (VRWJPO) Board, Watershed Planning Commission, and staff
| ▪ | Elected officials and staff of the cities of Lakeville, Farmington, and Apple Valley | | ▪ | BWSR Board members and staff | | ▪ | Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation District | | ▪ | University of Minnesota Extension | | ▪ | Minnesota Legislative Subcommittee on Water Policy | | ▪ | State agencies including the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Department of Agriculture, and Department of Natural Resources | | ▪ | Federal agencies including the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | | ▪ | Conservation advocacy groups, including Minnesota Watersheds, Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and The Nature Conservancy | | ▪ | Dakota County Commissioners and staff | | ▪ | The Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Organization (VRWJPO) Board, Watershed Planning Commission, and staff | The group toured eight locations: ▪ Habitat Restoration at East Lake
▪ Stormwater Improvement Project in Erickson Park
▪ Stormwater Reuse System at King Park
▪ Stream Restoration in Rambling River Park
▪ Groundwater Protection Strategies on the Chuck Louis Farm, Vermillion Township
▪ Braun Wetland Bank Easement
▪ Prairie Strips and Climate Resiliency Efforts with landowner Kurt Kimber
▪ Nitrate Treatment Wetland near the South Branch of the Vermillion River, Castle Rock Township
| ▪ | Habitat Restoration at East Lake | | ▪ | Stormwater Improvement Project in Erickson Park | | ▪ | Stormwater Reuse System at King Park | | ▪ | Stream Restoration in Rambling River Park | | ▪ | Groundwater Protection Strategies on the Chuck Louis Farm, Vermillion Township | | ▪ | Braun Wetland Bank Easement | | ▪ | Prairie Strips and Climate Resiliency Efforts with landowner Kurt Kimber | | ▪ | Nitrate Treatment Wetland near the South Branch of the Vermillion River, Castle Rock Township | To read more about all these projects and find them on a map, visit our website. | Well Testing Event Sept. 30 in Elko New Market If you live near the Vermillion River headwaters and have a private well, consider getting your water tested for free at an upcoming clinic. The Minnesota Well Owners Organization (MNWOO), Minnesota Groundwater Association (MGWA), and local partners are holding a water quality screening and environmental health fair at the Elko New Market Library (110 J Roberts Way, Elko New Market) on Saturday, Sept. 30 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Bring a water sample from your home and it will be tested for nitrates and chloride (salt). Volunteer experts will be there to discuss the sample results, as well as answer questions on well interference, water conservation, and water quality issues. Each private well user will get a free “well portfolio,” a pocket folder where well owner records about well construction, maintenance, and water testing can be stored. Important instructions:
Bring drinking water from your home in a clean, hard plastic or glass container (no plastic bags). Your container will be returned. Try to do this the same day as the clinic and bring a minimum of eight ounces of water. If you treat your water, you can bring both treated and non-treated water samples. You can wait onsite for your results or request to receive them via email. Questions? Contact MNWOO Director Jeff Broberg (brobergmnwoo@gmail.com), or clinic organizers Janelle Kuznia (janellekuznia@gmail.com) or Veda Kanitz (vmkanitz@gmail.com). | Agricultural Chemical Reduction Effort (ACRE) Monitoring Well Network Dashboard Dakota County installed 15 groundwater monitoring wells in rural parts of the county, which will be sampled three times a year (spring, summer, and fall) to evaluate trends in water levels and drinking water chemicals such as nitrates and chloride. This is part of the ACRE Plan, with the purposes of: ▪ Quantifying the baseline nitrate conditions at the water table in the vulnerable areas of the county
▪ Interpreting the results in terms of nitrogen losses per acre
▪ Monitoring changes in those conditions over time
| ▪ | Quantifying the baseline nitrate conditions at the water table in the vulnerable areas of the county | | ▪ | Interpreting the results in terms of nitrogen losses per acre | | ▪ | Monitoring changes in those conditions over time | Results from past sampling events can be viewed online with an interactive web-based dashboard. This tool allows users to select specific monitoring wells and dates to see results of all measurements at the time of sampling. To view the ACRE Monitoring Well Dashboard, go to www.dakotacounty.us and search ACRE. | September 13 - Vermillion River Watershed Planning Commission (WPC) meeting, 4:30 p.m., Dakota County Extension and Conservation Center September 19, 21, 26, 28 - VRWJPO at Dakota County SWCD Outdoor Education Days, prairie behind the Dakota County Fairgrounds (near the Vermillion River South Branch) September 28 - Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Board (JPB) meeting, 1 p.m., Dakota County Extension and Conservation Center September 30 - Well Water Testing Clinic & Environmental Health Fair, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Elko New Market Library October 11 - VRWPC meeting, 4:30 p.m., Dakota County Extension and Conservation Center October 12 - Public initial planning meeting for the 2026-2035 Vermillion River Watershed Management Plan, 4-6 p.m., Dakota County Extension and Conservation Center | | |
