SWCD News
Program Updates--Buffer Easements
Renville County SWCD received word this week that the three priority identified in their Buffer Easement Program RFP have all been approved. BWSR will begin accepting applications for processing shortly after SWCD staff training is completed early in February. The areas targeted and funded in Renville County include two areas in the SE area of the county and one in the NW.
If you do not live in a priority area but would be interested in enrolling a buffer, feel free to contact Jason Beckler for more information. Jason will begin processing applications in the priority area soon but he is always taking the names of interested landowners for the future. Since this is the first time SWCD staff have been asked to complete a grant application to have access to the funding, there are questions on how successful some of the sign-ups will be and if and when additional funding could be available to expanded areas.
Jason can also enroll your land in the CRP program at any time with the easement to be added as funding is available. Jason's number at the office is 320-523-1559. Phones are answered at the office M-Th from 7:30 to 5:00 and Fridays from 7:30 to 4:00.
(Updated 1/26/2012)
Staff are currently working on Annual Reports for 2011. Reports are due to BWSR by March 15th and will be posted on this website as soon as they are completed and approved by the Renville County SWCD Board of Supervisors. The Year End Financial Reports will be presented to the Board for approval at the February 9, 2012 regular meeting.
The Audit for the Period ending December 31, 2010 has been completed and approved by the Office of the State Auditor. To review the Audit, click on the link below.
FY 12 Base Grant Awards
At their August 25, 2011 meeting, the Board of Water and Soil Resources approved the FY12 SWCD Base Grant Allocations. Grant agreements were emailed to SWCD offices in mid-October. Renville SWCD Vice Chair signed the grant agreement on October 19th. The agreement will be effective when it has been fully executed by BWSR. Renville SWCD grant awards are:
Conservation Delivery Grant: $19,501. This is a noncompetitive grant that is to be used for expenditures necessary for general administration and operations of the SWCD.
Easement Delivery Grant: $22,174. This grant is allocated to SWCDs as compensation for local monitoring of easements and conducting spot checks. The amount reflects the relative amount of workload in each SWCD. Renville SWCD monitors 405 easements which is the largest number in the state.
Regular Statewide Cost Share Base Grant: $13,598. These funds are to help local landowners or land occupiers offset the cost of installing conservation practices tha tprotect and improve water quality by controlling soil erosion and reducting sedimentation. The individual SWCD Board of Supervisors has the option to use all or part of their allocation for technical assistance. In the past, the Renville SWCD Board has capped the amount of TA to 20% of each cost share contract.
Periodically there are competitive grants awarded by BWSR as well as other state agencies. The Renville SWCD staff are committed to finding the funding necessary to assist Renville County landowners with conservation and Ag Waste projects and routinely apply for grants as they become available. The Renville SWCD has several competitive grants in effect at this time including the Native Buffer Cost-Share Program grants and Feedlot Water Quality Managment grants.
updated 10/31/2011
Renville County SWCD & Renville County Ditch Authority
Team up to Improve Drainage System Management
Renville County landowners have an opportunity to improve drainage system management, reduce system maintenance costs, reduce water runoff quantity and to improve water quality,
The Renville SWCD office is administering a State of Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) program that gives landowners the option to put a perpetual easement on areas next to ditches and natural streams. If the land is currently in CRP or the landowners enroll it into CRP before they enter into the easement, they can retain the full CRP land rental payments (i.e. up to $200/ac/yr X 15 years) plus the easement payment from the State of Minnesota, which ranges from $3,961-$4,881 per acre.
If you are interested in improving water quality, decreasing water quantity downstream, decreasing the cost of ditch cleanouts and repairs in addition to getting paid a fair price for your efforts, contact me at the Renville SWCD office for more details. After visiting with you to determine what works for you, within the confines of the program, I will get you a map and a quote sheet outlining detailed acreage and payment information.
I met with the County Board of Commissioners recently and they are requesting that I work with their staff to target priority areas. Renville County landowners have the opportunity to be on the offensive when it comes to protecting productive farmland and drainage systems as well as setting an example of how successful farming practices go hand-in-hand with wise conservation practices. Jason Beckler, Farm Bill Biologist (320)523-1559
Audit Update
James Maiser, CPA recently spent time in the Renville SWCD office conducting a financial audit for the period ending 12/31/2010. It's anticipated the full audit report will be available later this fall. It will be posted on this website after it has been reviewed by the Office of the State Auditor and the SWCD Board of supervisors. The State Auditors office is currently reviewing the draft copy.
Updated 10/13/2011
The 2011 budget was approved at the December 2010 Board meeting and can be accessed below.
The 2010 Annual Financial Report was approved at the February 10, 2011 regular meeting. A copy is available in the Reports tab along with reports on all the cost-share programs, the 2010 narrative Annual Report of activities and the 2011 Annual Plan. If you have questions or comments or would like hard copies of any of these reports, please contact the SWCD office.
Board News
Marc Iverson & Kathryn K. Kelly were re-elected to the Renville County SWCD Board of Supervisors in the Nov. 2, 2010 General Election. They will serve 4 year terms. If you are interested in serving on the SWCD Board, Supervisors and you live in Commissioner Districts 1, 2 or 5, your Supervisors positions will be on the ballot in the 2012 General Election. Jim Schafer of Buffalo Lake, Loyal Fisher of Renville and Dave Guggisberg of Fairfax currently hold those positions.
Kathryn Kelly was elected president of the Minnesota Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts at the Dec. 2010 annual convention. Loyal Fisher serves on the MASWCD Executive Board representing the South Central MASWCD formerly known as Area 6 MASWCD.
Tree Program Discontinued
The Renville SWCD Board of Supervisors, with input from the staff, have decided to discontinue the tree program. We will no longer be selling and planting trees. However, if you are interested in a CRP field windbreak or a Living Snow Fence, please contact our staff and we can work with you on the design. We recommend that Renville County landowners work with Judy Schulte at the Redwood SWCD to order trees for Spring 2010. Judy can be reached at (507)637-2427.
Granite Rock Outcrop Grant Update......
The 2010 Legislature approved a $1.8 million grant entitled "Protection of Granite Rock Outcrop Ecosystem" for Redwood, Renville, Chippewa, Yellow Medicine & Lac qui Parle County landowners through the Natural Resources Environmental Trust Fund.
This is the third round of funding for this project. The first grant in 2007 was a cooperative effort between Redwood & Renville SWCD offices. That $563,000 funded four perpetual conservation easements protecting 212.4 acres in the Minnesota River Valley. Two years later the group was expanded when Chippewa, Yellow Medicine & Lac qui Parle Counties were included in the eligible area. That request was funded for $1.5 million.
The 2009 funds protected 592.2 acres and the 2010 funds protected 711.2 acres bringing the grand total to 1,515.8 acres.
A typical Granite Rock Outcrop in the Minnesota River Valley
Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) -- the following is a document that was recently distributed to SWCD offices and other agencies in Minnesota. It includes resources to help landowners find answers to their questions about EAB:
How to respond to callers with questions about emerald ash borer
Link to the Minnesota Department of Ag information sheet on Emerald Ash Borer
www.mda.state.mn.us/plants/pestmanagement/eab.htm
WCA Rule Changes
All landowners and contractors need to be aware that the 2007 State of Minnesota Wetland Conservation Act (WCA) Rules made significant changes to the Ag exemptions.
If you are planning a project, or have wetland questions, be sure to check with the Renville SWCD Staff regarding WCA wetland rules.
Landowners/operators are still required to complete a Form 1026 for USDA Farm Bill compliance at the FSA office and have it approved with the NRCS staff. They should also discuss projects with Taralee Latozke of the Renville SWCD as projects are subject to both State & Federal wetland rules. Renville SWCD is the designated LGU (Local Government Unit) for the WCA program in Renville County and therefore is responsible for administration of the program as well as the technical aspects such as wetland determinations and for enforcement when there is a violation.
You can access the Permit Application forms on the Board of Water & Soil Resources (BWSR) website Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources. Below are links to the General Form (both PDF and Word format) which is applicable to most projects:
Rain Gardens
Renville SWCD Staff & Supervisors attended the Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (MASWCD) Area VI meeting on September 10, 2008. The meeting was hosted by the Kandiyohi SWCD and included a presentation on Rain Gardens by Gregg Thompson, Urban Conservation Specialist, Association of Metropolitan Soil & Water Conservation Districts.
If you are interested in more information about establishing a Rain Garden, please contact Tara Latozke at Renville SWCD. Tara has worked with several Renville County landowners on rain garden design. The SWCD office also has materials available to help landowners get some ideas for possible designs. There are a wide range of plants that can be used--everything from flowers to shrubs.
Rain gardens are designed to hold water for a very short period--they slow down runoff to storm sewers and also filter out impurities. Mr. Thompson reported on the use of rain gardens in the metro area--they are installed, and even mandated, as part of street improvement projects in many cities. They also are common in new developments--both commercial and residential.
2010 Budget was approved at the December meeting. See below for copy of budget as well as a copy of the 2009 Budget.