Miners Creek Watershed Project

NE IA RC&D worked with the City of Guttenberg and the Clayton County SWCD to develop and submit a successful Watershed Improvement Review Board (WIRB) grant to improve water quality in Miner’s Creek Watershed in 2008.  The RC&D completed a GIS analysis, a land use survey, a landowner survey and a livestock assessment as part of the process.  The main goals of the project are:

1. Eliminate the sewage and storm water runoff from the City of Guttenberg into Miners Creek;
2. Develop, enhance and preserve 13 acres of wetlands in the Miners Creek riparian zone;
3. Reduce direct livestock access to the stream by 33% ;
4. Reduce erosion and sediment loading by 25% using bank stabilization and terraces. (Stabilize 2000 feet of severely eroding stream bank at 75% cost share.  Designate Miners Creek as a special watershed to receive extra points in the federal EQIP ranking process.  Treat highly erodible acres through 50% cost share of terraces and sediment retention structures. Prioritize EQIP dollars for feedlots and other practices to the Miners Creek watershed.)
5. Creation and diversification of in-stream and near stream habitat for invertebrates, fish and associated communities on private lands along the length of the stream, promotion of Continuous CRP practices in the riparian corridor, promotion of additional tree planting and timber stand improvement opportunities in the corridor and on steep watershed slopes.