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The December 2011 Board of Supervisors meeting will be held at 9am instead of the normal time.
Our Mission:
It shall be the mission of the Soil and Water Conservation District to conserve and protect our soil and water resources that were placed into our trust. Our quality of life and our environment depends on the partnership between our Board of Supervisors, its employees, and a willingness of land users to commit to good land use practices and management skills.
It is the District’s responsibility to provide trained, competent technicians and office staff to disseminate information and provide technical assistance to all land users applying conservation practices and measures to their land. And it is the responsibility of the District employees to achieve the mission of this District by dedicating their services, talents, and skills in meeting the goals and objectives set forth in our “Long Range” and “Annual Plan of Work” and to remain flexible to change.
The SWCD is the administrator of the Otter Tail County Water Plan which seeks to identify and remedy present and future threats to water quality.
Supervisors
Back Left to Right: Chairman Lyle Dittmann, Vice Chairman Steve Inwards, Treasurer Marion Gill Front L to R: Terry Greenwaldt Public Relations, Secretary Dennis Reynolds
Staff
Front Left to Right: Darren Newville District Manager, Deb Werner Office Manager
Back Left to Right: Steve Henry Shoreland Specialist, Aaron Salo Farmbill Technician, Arnold Rethemeier Irrigation Scheduler
Minutes from 2012 Board Meetings
Minutes from 2011 Board Meetings
Jan. Feb. March April May June
June Special July August Sept. Oct.
The minutes of meetings prior to those listed are available by contacting the SWCD office.
Current Partner Agencies
US Fish & Wildlife Service Pheasants Forever Farm Services Agency UMN Water Resources Center
UMN Extension MN DNR Wildlife, Forestry, Waters, and Ecological Services MN Department of Ag
The Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota's Resources Board of Water and Soil Resources
Natural Resource Conservation Service City of Fergus Falls City of Perham MN Master Naturalists Program
Perham, New York Mills, Henning, Battle Lake, Dent, and Fergus Falls Schools 3rd, 4th, 5th, & 6th Grade Classes
MN Master Gardeners US Forest Service MN Forest Resource Council Central MN Irrigators Corporation
Donations in Support of the Shoreline Specialist Position came from
OT Coalition Of Lake Associations Little McDonald, Krebs, and Paul LID Pine Lakes LID Lake Lida POA Prairie Lake Assn. Otter Tail Lakes POA East Battle & Stuart Watershed Assn. Dead Lake Assn. Tamarac Lake Assn. Pickerel Lake Assn. West McDonald Lake Assn. Franklin Lake Assn. Sybil Lake Assn. and the East & West Otter Tail SWCD's
Our Goals for 2010
SURFACE WATER QUALITY: To improve the water quality of surface waters in East Otter Tail County by reducing or minimizing the amount and extent of contaminants entering surface waters.
Example Action Items: Provide technical assistance to shore land owners on water quality projects. Assist with feedlot runoff projects providing technical assistance and financial assistance when available to projects that meet criteria.
GROUND WATER QUALITY AND QUANTITY: To improve and protect the quality and quantity of groundwater resources in East Otter Tail County by minimizing or reducing the amount and extent of contaminants entering the groundwater resources, and ensuring that there will be a stable and adequate source of useable water for municipal, industrial and agricultural purposes.
DEVELOPMENT PRESSURE: To protect the natural resource of Otter Tail County by reducing or minimizing the impacts of ongoing and future development within the county.
SOIL EROSION: Promote best management practices that reduce soil losses through wind and water erosion to below 2T (T is a technical abbreviation for tolerable soil loss).
WILDLIFE HABITAT: To protect and preserve wildlife habitat and wetlands from conversion to cropland and urban development, and promote the re-establishment of wildlife habitat.
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE: To assist agricultural producers in maintaining productivity through the use of conservation practices that protect and preserve our natural resources and maintain a sustainable agricultural base in the county.
EDUCATION/PROMOTION: Promote soil and water conservation through an effective information and education program to the residents, seasonal property owners, schools, and elected officials in Otter Tail County.
FUNDING/PARTNERING/ADMINISTRATION: Provide assistance to the public through the most efficient use of public funds and administration of programs, and maintain and develop a strong working relationship with other resource agencies.
Current Grant Funded Projects in Otter Tail County
Clean Water Fund Groundwater Protection This project will provide cost-share and incentives to ag producers to convert irrigation systems to low pressure systems and manage the application of their irrigation to prevent potential groundwater contamination due to overwatering. Cooperating producers will also be able to use the East Otter Tail SWCD’s Irrigation Scheduler Program. This is a service that provides producers with “in the field” soil moisture status to assist them with the decision of when to irrigate. Weather conditions, rain events, irrigation events, crop type and crop development stage are all used to determine the amount of water being used by the plant. This information is used to provide a weekly soil moisture graph to the producer.
Lake Protection Challenge Grant assisting communities in developing lake specific water quality protection strategies for 21 Otter Tail County lakes. Summary reports will be generated for each lake, these reports will be the basis for each community to select priority objectives. Water Quality experts will screen all the existing data for these 21 lakes to determine if water quality is improving, steady, or declining. Land use, population, and fisheries data are also incorporated into the report for communities to review as they set priorities. These community identified protection plans will then be incorporated into the County Water Plan.
Native Shoreland Buffer Incentives developing new materials and techniques to stimulate and facilitate landowner installation of shoreland buffers through a structure and delivery method that reduces costs in both dollars and staff time. A partnership between the MN DNR, MN Extension, UMN Water Resources Center, USFWS, and the SWCD this grant partially funds the Shoreland Specialist position. 'Funding for this project was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).'
US Forest Service Redesign Grant employing and refining new methods to engage private landowners in forest management to increase return on investment, stimulate business activity, and improve wildlife habitat focused around areas of existing high quality habitat and public lands. A partnership between USFS, MN DNR, MN Forest Resources Council, Wadena SWCD, and EOT SWCD this grant partially funds the Farmbill Technician position.
Native Prairie Buffer Program provides technical and financial assistance to homeowners planting diverse native prairies to protect and improve water quality and wildlife habitat. Over $65,000 has been paid to Otter Tail County landowners for 34 projects since 2008 with another 17 projects representing $44,000 contracted for completion by December 2011.
Farm Bill Assistance Partnership assisting landowners planning, funding, and installing conservation including CRP, RIM, wildlife habitat, water quality, forestry, and others. A partnership between Pheasants Forever, MN DNR, BWSR, and SWCDs this project which partially funds the Farm Bill Technician position. 'Funding for this project was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).'
The East Otter Tail Soil and Water Conservation District is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, public assistance status, veteran status or sexual orientation.