Clean Water Legacy Grant
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Water Planning
Big Stone County adopted its first Comprehensive Local Water Plan in 1991. An update was completed according to State requirements in 1995 and most recently in 2003.
The Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) provides an annual Natural Resource Block Grant that allocates funds for administering the local water plan and to implement projects and programs that improve water quality.
The grant is further subdivided into five categories that more specifically target water quality issues:
- Feedlots
- Shoreland
- Sub-surface sewage treatment systems
- Water Planning
- Wetland Conservation Act
Natural Resource Block Grant Expenditures for 2011 were as follows:
Water Planning received the largest portion of the grant at $15,477; $8,630 is allocated to the administration of the Wetland Conservation Act (WCA); $2,645 for shoreland management; $9931 for Sub-surface sewer treatment enforcement and administration, and $7,500 for the administration of the feedlot program. The Water Plan Funding’s required match was supplied by Citizens for Big Stone Lake in the amount of $2003.
A local water plan committee consisting of farmers, citizens, state and local agencies and county commissioners, among others approves projects and expenditures within the Water Plan budget. Projects vary with some of the on-going projects being well-sealing cost share, support of the Ortonville fourth grade class wetland restoration project, and rural drinking water well testing for coliform and nitrates conducted by the Ortonville High School students. For more information on the local water planning program or to become involved please call our office.