Darren Carlson District Manager Kittson Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) 410 South 5 th Street, Suite 106 Hallock, MN (218) Ext. 3

 Kittson County is a large rural county covering 1,103 square miles.  2000 Census population was 5,285.  2008 estimated at 4,691.  A decline of about 1% per year.  9 communities in Hallock (60% of total population).

 Out of the ten major water basins in Minnesota, Kittson County lies entirely in the Red River Basin.  Kittson County is divided into four major watersheds: Joe River (10%), Roseau River (3%), Middle/Tamarac/Snake River (2%) and the Two Rivers (85%).  Kittson County has a very flat topography and is heavily ditched for agricultural purposes.

 Kittson SWCD is the local government unit responsible for the Local Water Management Plan.  The is the 4 th generation plan.  1 st generation plan adopted in  2 nd generation plan adopted in  3 rd generation plan adopted in  The current Water Plan expired December 31, 2009.

 Abandoned well sealings.  Private well testing program.  Feedlot Inventory.  Started an abandoned well inventory.  Beaver Bounty Program.  Website.  Numerous Two Rivers Watershed projects were cost share.  Gravel Pit Inventory.

 Kittson SWCD Board Member  Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA)  Two Rivers Watershed Representative  City of Halma Representative  Kittson County Highway Department Rep.  Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) Rep.  Kittson SWCD/CLWP Coordinator  Kittson County Environmental Serv. Rep.  Kittson County Auditor  Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS)  Department of Natural Resources (DNR)  Kittson County Commissioner

 The WRAC met, October 15, 2008 to review all the comments received from the local agencies and the public.  After reviewing all of the priority concerns submitted and after much discussion, the WRAC decided to go with three priorities:  Land Use  Surface Water  Groundwater

 Kittson County Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution on June 3, 2008 requiring the update and revision of the CLWMP.  The Priority Concern Scoping Document (PCSD) was presented to the BWSR North Water Planning committee on April 8, 2009.

 Following the approval of the PCSD, the WRAC met, November 23, 2009 to develop the Water Plan’s specific goals and action items.  The WRAC and citizens of Kittson County identified the County’s water related resource management needs (Objectives) and mapped out a course of action to address those needs (Goals).

 The objective of this concern is to reduce erosion and sedimentation through the use of existing programs and development of new programs.  Three subwatersheds were identified by the WRAC as target areas to implement programs/practices, but not to neglect the rest of Kittson County residents outside of the targeted subwatersheds.

 Contact Landowners and Identify needs  Install grass filter strips  Keep residents informed of incentive programs such as EQIP  Install field windbreaks, living snow fences, shelterbelts.  BMP for Greenwood Cemetery  Restore wetlands  Conduct an annual crop residue survey  Seek funding from other lgu such as WD, County, Sportsmen’s Clubs, etc.to implement practices  Implement a procedure for choosing the most effective bang for the buck

 The objective of this concern is to provide protection of all surface waters  Once again a subwatershed was selected by the WRAC to be targeted, but does not mean to ignore the rest of the county

 Assist with water quality monitoring  Assist all agencies with the TMDL studies  GIS/Arc Map possible locations for side water inlets  Install grass filter strips, field windbreaks, wetland restorations  Continue with streambank stabilization projects  Develop a septic system inventory

 The objective of this concern is the protection of ground water in Kittson County.  The main objective will be to focus on protecting drinking water resources. All public water supplies come from an underground water source in Kittson County.

 Continue the well sealing program  GIS Arc Map abandoned and sealed wells  DNR Ob Well Readings  Wellhead Protection Plans

 WRAC completed the draft Water Plan on November 23, 2009 and set a public hearing for December 15,  Comments received during the hearing from DNR, BWSR, Two Rivers Watershed District and the Kittson County Highway Department included in adding an additional subwatershed, “Unnamed Coulee” into the Land Use priority and Living Snow Fences for safer roads.  The Water Plan was submitted to BWSR at the start of the New Year.

 Comments were received from MPCA and MDA.  Both agencies approved the entire plan as submitted.  MPCA offered comments for consideration on a few grammatical items.