SURFACE WATER ASSESSMENT GRANT (SWAG)

CLEAN WATER PARTNERSHIP (CWP) by Tim Peterson (January 2010 Update - Fairmont Photo Press)

In April, 2009 Martin Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) began a two year CWP assessment grant of the tributaries of the East Fork of the Des Moines River (EFODMR). The EFODMR flows through the southwestern corner of Martin County to Lake Okamanpeedan. The Okamanpeedan Lake Association, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Emmet and Martin County SWCDs and concerned citizens are partners in this project.

The East Fork is listed as impaired for turbidity, affecting aquatic life. The sediment carried by the East Fork Watershed is deposited in Lake Okamanpeedan. In 1973 a Corps of Engineers report determined the original depth of Lake Okamanpeedan was 30 feet as compared to today, a depth of 10 feet.

The primary goal of the East Fork CWP Grant will be to assess the tributaries of the East Fork through monitoring and completing a stream inventory to determine sources of point and nonpoint pollution. Personnel of the Martin SWCD will be walking the banks of all tributaries noting tile inlets, conservation practices, other forms of drainage, erosion, and biological data such as the presence of fish or native plants. Once the assessment is complete, Martin SWCD Personnel will contact property owners and producers to discuss the results.  Working together, we will develop point specific best management practices that fit their operation and reduce sediment at the same time.

The East Fork CWP grant will complement data collected through a surface water assessment grant (SWAG) that began in 2008. The SWAG grant funds the collection of water quality samples at three sites and citizen volunteers grab samples at 10 other sites. Based on the results of the assessment, we will develop an implementation plan to address pollution sources.

Another goal of these grants is to show that production agriculture and water quality improvements can work toward the same goal, clean water. This is why the input of property owners and producers is so essential. We need to be site specific on our solutions.

We want to thank the concerned volunteers for their work this past year. We look forward to visiting with producers to review the assessment of their operation as it concerns the tributaries of the East Fork and develop a strategy for production agriculture to advance the goal of clean water.