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Thursday, September 02, 2010
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| | Email this article • Print this article | Clean-up gets additional funding
BY DENISE MARTIN
Because Chisago County is well into the cleanup phase, aimed at improving water quality in the Sunrise River (North Branch); and because the county has been working cooperatively with other agencies and because local water resources people are organized and reaching out to the landowners-- the county recently won a $190,000 grant in the most recent round of the Federal Clean Water Act Section 319 program.
In a news release the state Pollution Control Agency announced awarding of $6.15 million to various efforts across the state. They range from the local Sunrise River fecal coliform reduction project, to Minnesota River Valley community cleanup days.
Chisago County Water Plan Coordinator Jerry Spetzman was thrilled about the announcement of the grant last week. The north branch of the Sunrise River has been a priority on his work list for sometime. This section of the Sunrise River is impaired for swimming or primary body contact recreation due to excessive levels of fecal coliform bacteria loading. To get the river to an acceptable 200 organisms per 100 milliliters a reduction of 52 percent is required.
Chisago County has already been promised $50,000 in 2008 Clean Water Legacy funding, providing for engineering and technical assistance to the Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD).
The county also got $90,000 from the Section 319 funding which is helping landowners adopt best management practices related to reducing fecal coliform levels in the river.
The SWCD staff continue to meet with farmers and other property owners interested in adopting measures like erosion controls, buffer strips, manure management, fencing to keep livestock away from the river, etc.
The Isanti-Chisago County Farm Bureau has been working with the SWCD on this effort, Spetzman added.
Septic systems that have been deemed Imminent Health Threats are also being repaired or replaced. This work continues.
Landowners with parcels abutting the North Branch of the Sunrise or its immediate tributaries, are encouraged to contact the soil and water conservation district office 674-2333 to learn more.
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