2024 Annual Report : simplebooklet.com

Message 2024 ANNUAL REPORTCHIPPEWA SOIL & WATERCONSERVATION DISTRICTC O N S E R V A T I O N I S T S O F T H E Y E A RChippewa Soil & Water Conservation District announces 2024 Conservationists ofthe Year Lyle, Larry, Thomas, and Gage Halvorson of Halvorson Management.Established north of Montevideo in 1871, Halvorson Management is a multi-generational farm, currently managed by 5th and 6th generation farmers. Theyoperate a corn/soybean rotation on 2435 acres. In recent years, they workedclosely with the Chippewa SWCD and their conservation partners to install variousbest management practices, including a 490-foot lined channel stabilizationproject, 2 grassed water and sediment control basins, and 1 farmed water andsediment control basin.Halvorson Management has 200 acres in various CRP practices and has practicedmulch till, nutrient management, and pest management through the NRCS EQIPprogram. The SWCD has enjoyed working with Halvorson Management andappreciates the conservation measures they have implemented in their operation.The Halvorson's and their families (pictured right) joined SWCD staff at the 2024Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation District's Annual Conventionheld at the Double Tree Minneapolis-Bloomington South on December 2-4, 2024.The Halvorson's were recognized at a luncheon with conservationist's from otherMinnesota SWCDs. They also joined Chippewa SWCD staff and board, ChippewaLand & Resource Environmental Specialist, NRCS staff, Minnesota Senator AndrewLang and Representative Elect Scott Van Binsbergen at the December ChippewaSWCD Board Meeting. Chippewa SWCD Board Chair Calin Eisenlohr presentedHalvorson Management with the Terry Redlin print, "The Conservationist", as a thankyou for their conservation work in Chippewa County (pictured top right).The purpose of the Chippewa Soil & Water Conservation District is to useavailable resources to meet the local natural resource needs.

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PROJECTS Cost share dollars werespent on the following:13075001Acres of Cover CropsAcres of Reduced TillageRain GardenIn 2024, Chippewa SWCD paid out $77,299.28 in SWCD costshare dollars on 147.5 acres of cover crops, 2 field windbreaks,and part of one rain garden. The District also cost shared on twowater and sediment control basins totaling 590 feet in lengththat included an underground outlet which will reduce sedimentand nutrients from flowing into County Ditch No. 16. Through theCentral Minnesota River Watershed Partnership’s WatershedBased Implementation Funds (WBIF), the District contractedanother $347,077.70 in cost share for Chippewa Countylandowners and operators. With this, 1159.5 acres of cover cropsand 500 acres of reduced tillage were cost shared. Using districtcost share and WBIF funds, District Technician Tom Slettaworked with a Clara City resident to install a rain garden on theirproperty to filter rain water before entering Hawk Creek. One37.8 acre Drainage Water Management Control System was costshared through WBIF as well.2WASCOB’s2Field WindbreaksMASWCD Leadership ProgramOver the course of a year, District Manager ZachBothun, completed Minnesota Association of Soil& Water Conservation District’s LeadershipProgram. Zach and 22 others immersedthemselves in developing leadership skills whichincluded in-depth sessions on leadership styles,ethics, working with teams, communication,challenges, application of skills, and growth.Training was in partnership with U of MExtension.Drainage WaterManagementControl System1

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What should you do before starting any project that may impact a wetland?1. If cropland is involved and you are enrolled in the USDA Farm Program, complete an “AD1026” form with your local USDA office.FSA will also have you fill out a Wetland Conservation Act (WCA) Request Form that will be submitted to the SWCD WCA LocalGovernment Unit (LGU) contact.2. If no cropland is involved, stop by the SWCD office and fill out a WCA Request Form. 3. You will receive a response letter upon review of your request form. If you have specific questions on your project or theresponse letter, stop by the SWCD office to discuss your project.The SWCD can advise if your project is allowed under the Wetland Conservation Act (WCA), or if you need to submit a Joint ProjectApplication that will be reviewed by the SWCD/LGU, BWSR, Chippewa County, and possibly the DNR and US Army Corps ofEngineers. Involving the SWCD early on is the easiest and best way to avoid problems and potential violations with WCA!Compliance with USDA does not mean compliance with the state WCA. A quick call or stop into the SWCD office prior to beginningyour project will help you comply with the law and could save a project from potential violations, additional cost, and delays.The Wetland Conservation Act promotes a no-net-loss of wetlands and protects the benefits that wetlands provide. WCA movestoward a no-net-loss goal by requiring a person proposing to drain or fill a wetland to:1) Try to avoid wetland disturbance.2) Try to minimize any wetland impacts.3) Replace any lost wetland functions and values.Contact Zach Bothun with any questions regarding WCA at 320-269-2695MINNESOTA AGRICULTURAL WATER QUALITY CERTIFICATION PROGRAMWETLAND CONSERVATION ACTRegulatory certainty: certified producers are deemed to be in compliance with any new water quality rules orlaws during the period of certificationRecognition: certified producers may use their status to promote their business as protective of water qualityPriority for technical assistance: producers seeking certification can obtain specially designated technicaland financial assistance to implement practices that promote water qualityThere are extra endorsements available to water quality certified producers for soil health, integrated pestmanagement, and wildlife. These endorsements celebrate farms and landowners who are going above and beyondto implement conservation efforts on their land. For more information call the SWCD at 320-269-2696.The Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program is a voluntary opportunity forfarmers and agricultural landowners to take the lead in implementing conservation practices thatprotect our water. Those who implement and maintain approved farm management practices will be certified and inturn obtain regulatory certainty for a period of ten years.Through this program, certified producers receive:Volunteer MonitorMonthsTotal in InchesKriste Erickson119-41-02April-October18.11Dan Benson119-38-05 April-November21.01Richard Huber117-40-06 January-December30.48Marvin Timmons119-37-19May-September18.062024 RAIN GAUGE REPORTOur rain gauge monitorvolunteers partner with theMinnesota Department ofNatural Resources StateClimatology Office. We arethankful to have dedicated raingauge monitors in our county toprovide accurate precipitationrecords. This climate data isused to explain past events andto assist planners in definingfuture climate scenarios. It canalso be used to addressquestions involving the impactof climate on Minnesota and it’scitizens.

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Chippewa County is comprised of two Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan areas: The Chippewa Riverand Hawk Creek – Middle Minnesota River Watersheds. Both watersheds are represented by joint powers entitiesmade up of SWCD Supervisors and County Commissioners from the partnering counties that fall within thewatershed boundaries. The Chippewa River watershed is represented by the Chippewa River WatershedAssociation (CRWA) and the Hawk Creek – Middle Minnesota River watershed is represented by the CentralMinnesota River Watershed Partnership (CMRWP).Chippewa County is well represented in both plans and includes high priority areas for potential fundingopportunities. If you have a resource concern on your property, stop in to visit with local SWCD or county staff andthey will review your proposal and if eligible, pursue funding for eligible practices. For more information about OneWatershed One Plan, Watershed Based Implementation Funding, and what may be available to you in yourwatershed, please contact Zach Bothun with the Chippewa SWCD at 320-269-2695 or JoAnn Blomme withChippewa County at 320-269-6231.T H R E E M A J O R W A T E R S H E D SI N C H I P P E W A C O U N T YChippewa RiverHawk CreekChippewa Expansion (UpperMN River)WATERSHED BASED IMPLEMENTATION FUNDING2 0 2 4 C O M P R E H E N SI V E W A T E RS H E D M A N AG E M E N T P L A N U P D A TEThe District has funds available for projects and practices that address resource concerns. Many of ourfunds are tied to priority areas set through comprehensive watershed planning efforts, but that doesn’tmean we won’t investigate funding a project anywhere in Chippewa County. If you have a large gully orwashout in your field, if you wish to install that rain garden in the corner of your lot to address runoff andreduce mowing, if you’re in need of a field windbreak, or if you want to try a reduced tillage or cover croppractice because you are tired of seeing valuable topsoil blow off your field, please stop by the office orcall 320-269-2696 to discuss your options!*Additional soil health practice funding for 1-year contracts will be available soon*C O N S E R V A T I O N C O S T S H A R E F U N D I N G

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MINNESOTA CONSERVATION RESERVE ENHANCEMENT PROGRAMWALK-IN ACCESS 2025Walk-In Access (WIA) provides public hunting on private land in Minnesota and rewardslandowners for keeping their land in high quality habitat. Through WIA, around 30,000 acres ofprivate land is open for public hunting from Sept. 1 to May 31. An atlas of hunting parcels isavailable online at www.mndnr.gov/walkin, at retailers within the WIA area, or by calling the MNDNR at 888-646-6367. Enrollment period is March 3 to May 2, 2025. Payment rate will be$18/acre.Purchasing a $3.00 WIA validation with another hunting license is required and allowshunting on WIA parcels from Sept. 1 to May 31, one-half hour before sunrise to one-halfhour after sunset. WIA validations are available at any DNR licensing vendor.The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) is a combination of ConservationReserve Program (CRP) and the Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM) program. Administered by theUSDA-Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the Board of Water & Soil Resources (BWSR), CREP targetshigh-priority conservation issues identified by local, state, or tribal governments or non-governmental organizations. The proposed federal, state, and local partnership permanently retires environmentally sensitive land using the nationally-recognized RIM program. This is accomplished byestablishing conservation practices via payments to farmers, ranchers, and agricultural land owners.Sign-up and “batching periods” will continue to be used throughout the duration of the MN CREP until the total60,000-acre goal is met. Contact the Chippewa Soil and Water Conservation District for the next sign-up date.When land-owners enroll land into CREP they will receive Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) payments for up to15 years as well as an up-front Reinvest In Minnesota (RIM) easement payment. The MN CREP targets fourvoluntary perpetual conservation practices:CP2 Wellhead ProtectionCP21 Filter StripsCP23 100-year Floodplain WetlandsCP23A Non-100-year Floodplain WetlandsDue to the Minnesota State Buffer Law, land that is required to be established in a perennial buffer may not qualifyfor a new CREP application. The land that is required to be in a buffer by law, (16.5 along ditches and 30-50 feetalong protected water) may have to be donated depending on the new farmbill.The filter strips can range from 30’ to 350’ in width and will meet NRCS standard 393 criteria for water quality,wildlife habitat, flooding and farm ability. CP21 filter strips can be utilized to square up fields where ditches run atan angle and where tile intakes are too hard to farm around along ditch systems.If applicable, land may also be enrolled into a RIM only contract. RIM contracts will be perpetual easements usingthe RIM only rates and will not include 15 years of CRP payments like in the CREP program.If you have any questions about CREP or RIM, or to discuss potential eligibility of your land, please contact TomSletta by stopping in the office or calling 320-269-2693.Landowner participation is crucial to this program, so be respectful and ethical while hunting WIA parcels. No targetpractice, trapping, dog training, or walking, camping, horseback riding, hiking, fires, or similar activities are allowed by thepublic.All hunting regulations apply on WIAs and will be enforced by DNR conservation officers.WIA parcels are for walk-in traffic only. Motorized vehicles of any kind are not allowed on WIAs. Parking is along roads orin designated parking areas.WIA seeks landowners with parcels of 40 acres or more with high quality natural cover. This may include, but is notlimited to, parcels already in a conservation program. Only small inclusions of crop or hay land may be present.Local Soil & Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) enroll landowners in WIA. WIA agreements are voluntary and includean opt-out clause.WIA allows landowners to carry out habitat management according to an approved conservation plan. Therefore, somesites may not have high quality habitat. Site updates are available at www.mndnr.gov/walkin. Call Chippewa SWCD at 320-269-2696 if you are interested in enrolling in WIA.

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Chippewa CountyLand in CRPCRP PracticeType Acres Regular 8,246 SAFE 1,166 CREP 314Clear 3083 Grasslands 38 General 522 NATIVE GRASS SEED & SEEDING PROGRAMChippewa SWCD sells native grass seed and continues to provide native grass seeding services. To ensure a spot on theseeding schedule, contact SWCD staff early to be considered for the service.In 2024, the District seeded 20 sites for a total of 184 acres. Seeding sites consisted of CRP, buffers, pollinator plots, andother non-program related acres.Seed drill service includes an operator, tractor, and seed drill. The price for seeding is charged by the number of acresplanted plus a mobilization fee:$200 flat rate mobilization fee within Chippewa County (add $1.00 per mile for out of County projects)$30/acre planting fee ($120 minimum planting fee for 4 acres and less)$100/hour for broadcast seedingSpring seeding of warm season grass and forbs is typically done between May 15th and June 30th. Dormant seeding istypically done after November 1st.To discuss your seeding needs, order seed, or get on the seeding schedule, please contact Zach Bothun or Tom Sletta at:320-269-2695 – Zach Bothun320-269-2693 – Tom SlettaCONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM in CHIPPEWA COUNTYBy: Daniel Lussenhop, USDA-FSAThe Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) allows participants to enrollacreage in conservation practices that will reduce soil erosion, improvewater and soil quality, and provide habitat for wildlife.CRP participation is a voluntary program for landowners or operators.Eligible landowners or operators enter into a contract with the federalgovernment that typically ranges from 10 to 15 years in length. Inreturn, contract holders receive annual rental payments, incentivepayments, and cost share for establishment of the practice.December 2024 ended with 1,123 active contracts in Chippewa Countycovering 10,370 total acres.The following table is a breakdown of the land currently enrolled in CRP,in various practices.Currently, we do not have an active sign-up to enroll acres into a CRPpractice. However, if you have land that you feel would benefit from aconservation purpose, please contact our office to discover theeligibility requirements or visit Conservation Resources for Farmersand Landowners- Farmers.gov. We will help you any way that we can!

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Fill out our tree order form toorder your trees today! For anytree planting questions or to placean order, contact Tom Sletta at320-269-2693.tom.sletta@swcd.chippewa.mnhttps://www.chippewaswcd.orgChippewa SWCD will have a small tree order pick-up day for thosewho order trees to plant on their own. The trees are usually deliveredin mid to late April. The district will send out notification to all whosubmitted tree orders with an exact day, time-frame, and locationinformation for pick-up. The location for pick-up will be at thedistrict’s storage building located on the north side of the ChippewaCounty Highway Department garage. Chippewa SWCD asks that if youcannot pick up your trees that you find someone who can pick themup for you. Customers will be asked to pay for their trees at the timethey are picked up. If you have any questions, please contactChippewa SWCD at 320-269-2696.TREE PLANTINGThe 2024 tree planting season was similar to many previoussuccessful seasons for the District. There were roughly 3,155trees planted in farmstead shelterbelts, field windbreaks, andwildlife plantings. Total number of trees sold was 5,703 trees.There were 21 farmstead shelterbelts and 3 field windbreaksinstalled. The field windbreaks totaled 4.18 acres, with theshelterbelts totaling 10.14 acres.In addition to the trees there was 16,506 feet of weed barrierfabric installed to control weeds, conserve moisture, andaccelerate tree growth. The fabric is a 6-foot-wide geo-textilematerial that allows moisture to pass through it but does notallow weed growth to occur. Light disking or planting coolseason grasses and mowing periodically between the trees isstill recommended to control weeds between the tree rows.Cost share was available to landowners with the qualifyingpractices and was used to offset the cost of the trees andfabric.Landowners who are thinking about planting trees this springshould stop in ASAP to develop a tree plan, discuss site prepneeds, and order the trees while supplies are available.Tree Order Pick Up Day

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DISPOSAL BOX LOCATIONS: Montevideo Police Department and CCM HealthRULES:YES! Only deposit unneeded and/or expired prescriptions, over-the-countermedication , and illegal drugs for both humans and animals.NO! Radioactive chemo drugs or IV bags, needles or syringes, garbage or trash.In June, over 40 Chippewa County women gathered to learn about honey beesand pollinators from local beekeeper Lynn Wiebe of WeeBee’s Honey.CHIPPEWA COUNTY FAIRSWCD Programs & ServicesNative grass samplesPotted Tree GiveawayTour of Renville SWCD Education Plots showcasing cover crops and reduced tillageRainfall Simulator presentation showing how water runoff is managed in the soil profile with varying levels of soil health management utilizing cover crops and reduced tillageTAKE ROOT IN SOIL HEALTHA FREE & SAFE DISPOSAL OPTION AVAILABLE FOR ALLCHIPPEWA COUNTY RESIDENTSWastewater treatment and individual septictreatment systems cannot remove mostmedications. Proper disposal of medicationhelps protect our environment.PHARMACEUTICAL WASTE DISPOSAL BOXCONSERVATION EDUCATIONWOMEN’S FIELD DAYMINNESOTA STATE FAIRSoil Health EducationRural & Urban Conservation

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The Natural Resources Conservation Service providesleadership in a partnership effort to help people conserve,maintain, and improve our natural resources and environment.USDA is an Equal Opportunity Provider, Employer and Lender. 2024 NRCS REPORTBy: Shantel Lozinski, USDA-NRCS2024 was a busy year for NRCS staff, with plan writing and obligating funds to Chippewa County producersalong with practice instillation. This year through programs such as the Environmental Quality IncentiveProgram (EQIP) and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) practices such as cover crops, conservationcrop rotation, fence, field borders, nutrient management, pest management, tree plantings, conservation coverand brush management were completed and certified. Payments made to local producers this year totaled over$410,000.00 for practice implementation. The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) also had a great year with55 plans written of which 28 were new and 27 were re-enrollments. Over 200 CRP onsite status reviews werealso completed on existing contracts in Chippewa County either for new establishments or preparing for re-enrollments. One of our projects this year was a grade stabilization structure with rock chute to a grassed waterway. Thisproject has a drainage area of 230 Ac of mostly cropland that flows through this point and was causing erosionoriginally. The grade stabilization structure will slow the water and meter it out through a rock channel and thenthrough a grassed waterway to a stable outlet. (see construction photo). NRCS staff can take applications year-round for NRCSprograms and work on plans focused on set programdeadlines for potential funding. We also do free technicalassistance and can help with soils information, cover cropmixes and other technical questions. If you have a projector would like a site visit, spring is a great time to start theplanning process. Give our office a call at 320-269-2139Ext. 3007 to start the process.

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MANAGE YOUR HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE SAFELYThe hazardous materials below arerequired to be recycled byMinnesota State Law:USED MOTOR OIL & OIL FILTERSRecycle oil and oil filters any place in the State ofMN that provides oil change services.CHIPPEWA COUNTY LAND & RESOURCE MANAGEMENT320-269-6231FREE SERVICE FOR HOUSEHOLDSHousehold hazardous waste products can be brought year-roundto:KANDIYOHI COUNTY REGIONAL HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTEFACILITY1404 SW 22nd StreetWillmar, MN 56201Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.PHONE: 320-231-3587If you have an unusually large amount of waste, please call ahead sothey are prepared for you.CLEAN SHOP PROGRAM FOR BUSINESSES or AG PESTICIDE DISPOSALBusinesses and farmers with ag chemicals MU ST call 320-231-3587 foran appointment.Sponsored by the Chippewa County Land & Resource Management Department,Kandiyohi County Regional Hazardous Waste Program and the MN Pollution ControlAgency.Questions? Call 320-269-6231 or go to www.co.chippewa.mn.us VEHICLE BATTERIESRecycle auto batteries at any business that sellsauto batteries. RECHARGABLE BATTERIES, SMALL SEALED LEAD ACID (oftenlabeled “PB-acid” or “lead acid”),NICKEL CADMIUM (often labeled “Ni-Cad”), LITHIUM (often labeled “Li”, “CR”,or “BR”)Drop off FREE at Land & Resource Management orcheck with local lumber yardsTIRESMost tire dealers accept tires for recycling (for afee) as does the Chippewa County RecyclingCenter FLUORESCENT or HIGH INTENSITYDISCHARGE LAMPSThey are accepted for recycling at the HHWFacility in Willmar for a fee. Also, watch for annualcounty collections when homeowners candispose of bulbs for free and businesses for adiscounted charge.MERCURYAny products containing mercury such asthermostats, thermometers, electric switches,medical or scientific instruments or any otherdevices from which the mercury has not beenremoved for reuse or recycle can be dropped offFREE at the Land & resource Management or HHWFacility.

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AGRICULTURAL BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE LOANSRURAL HOMEOWNERS & LANDOWNERS: TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE 3% LOW INTEREST LOANS AVAILABLE FOR ANY PRACTICE THAT IMPROVE WATER QUALITY!FUNDS CAN BE PAIRED WITH THE FOLLOWING COST-SHARED PRACTICES:P A G E 0 212 WELLS SEALED IN 2024Contractors continue sealing old orunused wells with cost-shareassistance. Abandoned wells ordamaged wells are a direct sourcefor underground water pollution.Property owners in Chippewa CountyChippewa County Land & Resource office administers low-interest loanprograms to assist property owners with upgrading or replacing a failing septicsystem and/or for repairing or replacing a damaged or contaminated well. Loan terms are 7 years with an interest rate of 1.5% for septic improvementsand 3% for wells. The loan amount is added to property taxes as a special assessment withpayment due twice a year along with property taxes or as your escrow is setup.In 2024, $142,442 in low interest loans were issued.LO W- IN TE RE ST L OA N PR OG RA MS F OR W EL L & SEP TI C IM PR OV EM EN TSINCOM E -B ASED S E PT IC SYSTE M G RA NT SThe county also administers an income-based grant program that is available toproperty owners in Chippewa County that have an existing noncompliant septicsystem. Funds are intended to fix septic systems that are currently failing codesor functionality.MINIMUM GRANT QUALIFICATIONS:Funding must be for a homesteaded single-family home with an existing, failingsubsurface sewage treatment system (SSTS) in Chippewa County.The applicant must be the owner of the property.Taxes must be currentIncome guidelines must be metSEPTI C P ROGRES S C ON TINUES INCHIPP E WA COUNT Y34Chippewa County had another busy yearinstalling septic systems. Human healthand the environment are threatened bypoorly functioning septic systems. All ourefforts at the county are aimed at fixingseptic systems that likely are not removingpathogens, nutrients, and other chemicalsfrom wastewater before it enters orgroundwater, lakes, and streams. Protectinglocal waterways and underground drinkingwater sources is everyone’s responsibility.2014NEW SUBSURFACE SEWAGETREATMENT SYSTEMS(SSTS) COMPLETED TOBRING PROPERTIESINTO COMPLIANCENEW CONSTRUCTIONConservation TillageErosion ControlWetland RestorationChemical ManagementFeedlot ImprovementsManure ManagementSeptic SystemsWell Relocation, Sealing, or DrillingField WindbreaksFOR MORE INFORMATOIN ON WELLS, SUBSURFACE SEWAGE TREATMENT SYSTEMS, AND AG BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES LOANS,PLEASE CALL LAND & RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AT 320-269-6231.can apply for cost-share assistance of up to 50 percent of the cost forsealing a well. Cost-share payments are capped at $500 per project.

2024 Annual Report

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