Two Chisago County lakes removed from Minnesota’s impaired waters list

With North Center and South Center lakes delisted, Chisago SWCD and NRCS staff continue to work with landowners and community partners to advance positive water quality trends emerging throughout the 20-lake chain just north of the metro

Nancy Moe-Mergens and Mike Mergens worked with Chisago SWCD on a lakeshore restoration that replaced invasive grass with native plants. They never intended to have a beach on their North Center Lake property, but Nancy said it’s possible for landowners to incorporate a bit of beach in a restoration. Ten years worth of rural and urban conservation projects are paying off in the 20-lake Chisago Lakes Chain of Lakes. Photo Credit: Nancy Moe-Mergens
Jerry Spetzman, Chisago Lakes LID administrator.
www.nrcs.usda.gov
Chisago Lake Lutheran Church and the Center City water tower reflect in North Center Lake. The conservation projects and practices put in place by both urban and rural residents have resulted in improved water quality throughout the Chisago Lakes Chain of Lakes. Photo Credit: Joleen Rein
“It was a fabulous program,” Chisago County farmer Pat Eichten said of working with Chisago SWCD and NRCS to install erosion control projects including this grassed waterway, seen in summer 2020. The project drew from targeted Mississippi River Basin Initiative funding, state and local dollars. Photo Credit: Chisago SWCD

AN IMMEDIATE FIX

The cover crop Byron Dahlheimer planted in his Chisago County field was greening up by mid-April. Last fall he rented a no-till drill from Chisago SWCD, which had funding available to offset part of the seed cost. This view depicts a water and sediment control basin, which was installed previously with Clean Water Fund and Mississippi River Basin Initiative assistance. Photo Credit: Chisago SWCD

COVER CROP TRIAL

The rain garden installed on a strip of Aaron Hanson’s Lindstrom yard slows runoff from three-quarters of the city block. He’ll maintain the rain garden and pollinator habitat, which a contractor installed in 2019. Photo Credit: Aaron Hanson

RAIN GARDEN

An angler fishes on North Center Lake. North Center and South Center lakes have been removed from the state’s impaired waters list. Photo Credit: Joleen Rein

Monitoring Details

In Lindstrom, new or rebuilt city streets are made narrower when possible to reduces stormwater runoff and cut city maintenance costs. Where it dead-ends at South Lindstrom Lake, Linden Street was made narrower. It’s flanked by a stormwater treatment system that includes rain gardens. Photo Credit: Ann Wessel, BWSR

SWCD’s Expanding Role

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NRCS Dedicated Funds

The Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources’ mission is to improve and protect Minnesota’s water and soil resources by working in partnership with local organizations and private landowners. www.bwsr.state.mn.us

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Our mission is to improve and protect Minnesota’s water and soil resources by working in partnership with local organizations and private landowners.

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Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources

Our mission is to improve and protect Minnesota’s water and soil resources by working in partnership with local organizations and private landowners.