Monday, July 29, 2013

News Release: Minnesota River group pursues ‘National Blueway’ designation


News Release

Date:

Contacts: Ted Suss, 507-828-3377; Forrest Peterson, 320-441-6972; Scott Sparlin, 507-276-2280; Brad Cobb, 507-637-2828.

Minnesota River group pursues ‘National Blueway’ designation

Years of effort by groups and individuals working to improve the Minnesota River could be getting a boost from a national recognition program highlighting major river basins. The Minnesota River Watershed Alliance has nominated the Minnesota River to become a “National Blueway.”
 
In recent years the Minnesota River has received much attention as a natural resource under stress from development. In the broad, fertile river basin that covers much of southern Minnesota, both natural forces and land uses lead to water pollution from excess sediment and nutrients.

The U.S. Dept. of Interior (DOI) established the National Blueway System in 2012 to promote a network of nationally significant rivers and their watersheds that are highly valued as economic, recreational, social, and ecological assets. The Connecticut River spanning four states in New England was the first to receive National Blueway designation.

The Minnesota River Watershed Alliance (MRWA) is a watershed-wide network of individuals from private organizations and public agencies, and citizens who meet quarterly and work on projects that support and benefit the Minnesota River basin. It has a website for the Blueway project at: www.minnesotariverblueway.com.

A delegation from the Blueways nomination team will meet at noon, Monday, Aug. 26 at the Joseph Nicollet Tower and Museum in Sisseton, SD. There will be a visit to the Little Minnesota River source at Sica Hollow State Park, followed by an open house/ community listening session from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the  City Hall Community Room in Sisseton.

“The landscape , the terrain and views in the Sisseton area are amazing, and this is a great opportunity to strengthen our upstream/downstream network through this Blueway designation,” says Patrick Moore of the MRWA. For more information about the event, contact Moore at riverartisan@gmail.com, or 320-841-1487.

Program paused to address questions and concerns

In response to questions elsewhere about the Blueway program, the MRWA is expanding efforts to show local support, and disseminate accurate information. Recently, opposition to the Blueway program surfaced in Arkansas and Missouri, where the White River had been the second to receive the designation. Since local support and control is paramount, the DOI accepted a request to withdraw the White River designation, and placed the program temporarily on hold.

“One of the aspects of the National Blueway Program that most excites me is that this is a voluntary program that allows private citizens like myself and local not-for-profit organizations to join together and ask that a river be designated as a National Blueway,” says Ted Suss, one of the local project organizers.

“One of the major reasons I joined this effort is that the Blueway designation does not bring any new regulations or restrictions on private property owners or local units of government, but it does commit the various federal agencies to work cooperatively with each other, our local governments, local organizations, and individual citizens like myself as we move forward with economic development and conservation plans affecting the Minnesota River.”

More than 50 organizations support nomination

Many public and private organizations have been working individually and collectively to meet the challenge of improving water quality in the river and its entire drainage basin.  A National Blueway designation will recognize and reward the work of those partnerships and provide a platform to encourage expanded collaboration.

More than 50 public and private organizations from all sectors supported the nomination of the Minnesota River for designation as a National Blueway, submitted by the Minnesota River Watershed Alliance, and sponsored by the Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The nomination states:  “The Minnesota River Watershed will become a model for habitat connectivity and resiliency in an agricultural to urban landscape; improved water quality and a more stable hydrograph; increased public access for outdoor recreation, and economic vitality based on a legacy of natural, cultural, historical, and agricultural resource conservation and sustainability. We can accomplish this vision because there is a highly engaged and informed watershed citizenry and Blueway Partnership Group.”

Benefits of National Blueway designation include:

·         Cabinet-level recognition and prestige.

·         Marketing value and recognition tools offered by federal and partner organizations.

·         Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) and Cooperative Agreements with federal agencies, and commitments of support from public and private partners.

·         Eligibility for federal technical and monetary assistance over a five-year period to achieve partnership goals, including development of an online river atlas in collaboration with stakeholders. Potential for initial start-up grant.

·         Eligibility for National Blueway System specific grants to stakeholder partnerships for establishment and expansion, and for river or watershed projects.

Little Minnesota River source in South Dakota

The Minnesota River begins at Big Stone Lake on the western border with South Dakota. Its 317-mile, winding journey flows southeast to Mankato, then northeast to its confluence with the Mississippi River at Fort Snelling. This large basin drains nearly 20 percent of Minnesota’s land area, about 14,918 square miles (9,547,520 acres), plus smaller portions in South Dakota (1,081,600 acres), Iowa (216,960 acres) and North Dakota (3,200 acres).

While Big Stone Lake is widely recognized as the source of the Minnesota River, it is fed by the Little Minnesota and Whetstone rivers, which have their source in South Dakota. The Little Minnesota River accounts for 90 percent of the water entering Big Stone Lake, and begins as a small stream descending from the high coteau in Sica Hollow State Park.

 

 

 

Please come to a Journey to the Source of the Minnesota River

Monday, August 26th, 2013
 
Schedule of events:
10 am: Optional carpools depart from Java River, Montevideo, MN
12 noon: Meet at Nicollet Tower Museum, Sisseton, SD
Discuss National Blueways Application with special hosts from Northeastern South Dakota's Tourism, Recreation, Culture and Conservation Community
1:30 pm: Tour of Sica Hollow State Park, where the little Minnesota River begins
3:30 pm: Visit the Stavig House in Sisseton
4:30 pm: Open House at the City Hall in Sisseton for a potluck* and more interaction with Upper Minnesota River Watershed citizens
7:30 Carpools return to Montevideo or head back on your own

Goals of this Journey:
To strengthen ties between Minnesota River Watershed enthusiasts, to learn of the rich history and culture of the MN River Source Region, and to build support for the Minnesota River National Blueway designation

For more information contact:
Patrick Moore 320-841-1487
Brad Cobb 320-493-4695
Cathi Fouchi 507-359-6034
Ted Suss 507-828-3377

If you have never been to the source of the Minnesota and met the wonderful people working to promote the cultural and historical assets of the river upstream, this is the trip for you!

Please RSVP by emailing riverartisan@gmail.com by August 24

*Please bring something to the potluck to share. Also, bring a water bottle and be prepared to pay your own admission and donation fees for the places we'll visit.

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Please Voice Your Support for the National Blueway Program and the Minnesota River's Blueway Nomination!

Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell has paused the Blueways program (see the attached link). We here in the Minnesota River watershed have already done a lot of good work and will continue to implement the plans that we formulated as part of the nomination process. Please contact Secretary Jewell and your elected officials to voice your support for the National Blueway Program and especially the Minnesota River's Blueway nomination!

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Counties recognize groups working to improve Minnesota River


An alliance of citizens and groups working to enhance the Minnesota River, received recognition from counties in the river basin. At its quarterly meeting July 15 in Gaylord, the Minnesota River Board presented its annual “Confluence Award” to the Minnesota River Watershed Alliance, recognizing its work on a national project to promote the river.

The Minnesota River Watershed Alliance (MRWA) is a basin-wide network of individuals from private organizations and public agencies, and citizens who meet quarterly and work on projects that support and benefit the Minnesota River basin.

Earlier this year the Alliance submitted a nomination of the Minnesota River to the U.S. Dept. of the Interior’s (DOI) national Blueway program. In 2012 the DOI established the National Blueway System to promote a network of nationally significant rivers and their watersheds that are highly valued as economic, recreational, social, and ecological assets.

Under local leadership and control, Blueway designation gives national prominence to a river basin in terms of financial and technical support from federal agencies, and positive public recognition. More than 50 public and private organizations support the MRWA’s nomination of the Minnesota River for designation as a National Blueway.

“The River Board’s award is especially significant, because it demonstrates the depth of local support for this nomination,” says Patrick Moore, who has served among the informal leaders of the Watershed Alliance since it began in 2005.

Also on Monday the River Board presented Moore with “Tributary Award” to recognize his “leadership and actions to help improve the larger basin’s water quality.”

“Local groups such as the Watershed Alliance and individuals such as Patrick Moore are key contributors to our efforts to improve and protect our natural resources in the Minnesota River basin,” says John Schueller, River Board chair and Redwood County commissioner. “As a farmer, I know first-hand how important it is to be good stewards of our land and water resources.”

The Minnesota River Board is a joint powers agreement among counties in the Minnesota River Basin, organized to “provide leadership, build partnerships and support efforts to improve and protect water quality in the Minnesota River Basin.”

For more information about the Minnesota River Watershed Alliance or Blueway nomination, contact: Ted Suss, 507-828-3377; Patrick Moore, 320-841-1487; Scott Sparlin, 507-276-2280; Brad Cobb, 507-637-2828; or Forrest Peterson, 320-441-6972. More information on the Blueway project is located on the web at: www.minnesotariverblueway.com.

Monday, July 15, 2013

Minnesota River Board Awards the Minnesota River Watershed Alliance the "Confluence Award" and Patrick Moore the "Tributary Award"

At its July 15, 2013 meeting in Gaylord, MN, the Minnesota River Board presented the “Confluence Award” to the Minnesota River Watershed Alliance in recognition of its work on the National Blueway nomination for the Minnesota River. The Confluence Award is presented annually to recognize groups and individuals who demonstrate a capacity to bring people together to improve water quality.” In addition, Patrick Moore, a member of Blueway project steering committee, received the River Board’s “Tributary Award” “recognizing leadership and actions to help improve the larger basin’s water quality.”


Tuesday, July 02, 2013

Minnesota River Watershed Alliance Quarterly Meeting Announcement

Connect with other watershed citizens who are making a difference!
Everyone Welcome!
Please come and bring a friend.

You are invited to the next meeting of the Minnesota River Watershed Alliance
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
6 – 9 p.m.

Meet at 6 p.m. at Memorial Park in Fairfax Minnesota (one block from the intersection of Hwy 19 & 4)
We will eat and network at Memorial Park. Bring a dish to share!
(basic picnic food will be provided compliments of the Minnesota Agricultural Water Resources Center who is helping to sponsor this meeting).



From there we will carpool to visit the Simonsen Discovery Farm Site and learn about ways that Minnesota River Watershed Farmers are managing for Water Quality Improvements.

We will also learn about the latest developments with the Minnesota River Blueway nomination process. The Alliance has recently submitted a nomination packet to the U.S. Department of the Interior to secure the designation of the Minnesota River watershed as one of the first “Blueways” in the nation. More information can be obtained by visiting: www.minnesotariverblueway.com

For more information call:
Brad Cobb: 320-943-4695
Cathi Fouchi: 507-359-6034
Warren Formo: 651-768-2106