Watershed Professionals Network

Communication among watershed organization staff enhances efforts to restore and protect water quality. The Watershed Professionals Network is designed to help watershed professional staff share their experiences and learn how to make their outreach efforts more effective. The network provides a monthly e-newsletter and hosts meetings in the spring and fall.

Contacts

• Susie Carlin, 507- 389-6279, susan.carlin@mnsu.edu — Water Resources Center, MSU-Mankato
• James Fett, 507-345-4744, james.fett@blueearthswcd.org — Blue Earth SWCD
• Larry Gunderson, 651-757-2400, larry.gunderson@state.mn.us — MPCA-St Paul
• Margaret Wagner, 651-201-6488, margaret.wagner@state.mn.us  — Dept. of Agriculture
• Dan Nadeau, 763-682-1933x112, daniel.nadeau@mn.nacdnet.net — Crow River Organization of Water
• Kylene Olson, 320-269-2139x116, kylene@chippewariver.org —  Chippewa River Watershed Project
• Forrest Peterson, 320-441-6972, forrest.peterson@state.mn.us — MPCA-Willmar
• Cathy Rofshus, 507-206-2608, catherine.rofshus@state.mn.us — MPCA-Rochester
• Diane Sander, 763-682-1933 x112, diane.sander@mn.nacdnet.net — Crow River Organization of Water
• Megan Ulrich, 320-226-2521, meganu@uppersiouxcommunity-nsn.gov — Upper Sioux Community
• Jan Voit, 507-793-2462, jan.voit@mysmbs.com — Heron Lake Watershed District

Jeff Nielsen, Board of Water and Soil Resources, discussed grant programs at the November 15, 2011 watershed network meeting in Redwood Falls.

Meetings and Events

• April 25, 2013, Redwood Falls — Pizza Ranch, 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
  
  • 9:30 – 9:45 — Welcome, introductions
  • 9:45 – 10:20 — Agricultural BMP Assessment and Tracking Tool (wq-ppt2-10) , Stephanie Johnson, Houston Engineering
  • 10:30 – 11:00 — Prioritizing Agricultural Nonpoint Source Management Areas through the use of LiDAR and GIS (wq-ppt2-09) , Stephanie Johnson
  • 11:00 – 11:45 — Lake Pepin Watershed Full Cost Accounting Project (wq-ppt2-08) , Brent Dalzell and Steve Polasky, University of Minnesota
  • 11:45 – 12:30 — Lunch (Pizza Ranch buffet $8.82 tax/beverage included)
  • 12:30 – 1:00 — H2O videos, John Hickman
  • 1:00 – 2:30 — Program updates
    
    • Drainage Working Group legislative update, Al Kean, BWSR
    • Minnesota River Blueway nomination, Cathi Fouchi, DNR
    • Statewide nutrient reduction strategy
    • Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program (wq-ppt2-11) , Brad Redlin
  • 2:30 – 3:00 — Round robin — watershed news and updates, wrap-up
• Nov. 13, 2012, Redwood Falls — Pizza Ranch, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
  
  • 9:45 – 10:00 — Welcome, introductions
  • 10:00 – 11:00 — Systematic Conservation Planning and Analysis Tools (wq-ppt2-07) (10mb) Paul Radomski, DNR
  • 11:00 – 11:45 — Heron Lake Watershed District-West Fork Des Moines TMDL implementation project-level III feedlot inventory (wq-ppt2-06t) (7mb) Kiel Tschumperlin
  • 11:45 – 12:30 — buffet lunch at Pizza Ranch
  • 12:30 – 1:00 — Iron-enhanced sand filtration systems for lake treatment
  • 1:00 – 1:30 — Update on civic engagement training cohorts
  • 1:30 – 2:00 — Minnesota Nutrient Reduction Strategy
  • 2:00 – 3:00 — Round robin-watershed news and updates, topic wrap-up

• April 25, 2012, Redwood Falls — Pizza Ranch, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
  • Proposed topics:
    • Civic engagement overview, projects
    • Drainage dialogue
    • Grant-writing tips, application feedback
    • TMDL updates
    • Round robin — watershed updates
• Nov. 15, 2011, Redwood Falls – Pizza Ranch, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  
  • Civic engagement – definition, examples
  • Intensive watershed monitoring
  • Blue Thumb program
  • Shoreland restoration
    • Lake Washington-Crow River shoreline projects (wq-ppt2-03)
    • A Natural Solution To Shoreline Issues - Middle Fork Crow (wq-ppt2-01)
    • Le Sueur River Channel Stabilization (wq- ppt2-02)
  • Panel: Funding sources
  • Round robin – watershed updates

• May 12, 2011, Redwood Falls – Pizza Ranch, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • Report on watershed worker training April 12-13
  • Presentation — Grant Writing Tips (wq-cwp2-04.pdf)
  • Discovery Farms update
  • "Working Together" documentary
  • Round robin-news from watershed organizations
• Nov. 16, 2010, New Ulm
  • Agenda
  • Presentations:
    • Freeborn County Ditch Redetermination of Benefits
    • Conservation Drainage – Learning from Stakeholders
    • Minnesota River-Lake Pepin Friendship Tour
• May 6, 2010, New Ulm
  • Agenda
  • Presentations:
    • Martin County Ditch Initiative
• April 22, 2009, Redwood Falls
  
  • Agenda
  • Presentations:
    
    • Watershed Network Overview

Publications

• Watershed Network News
• WaterFront Bulletin
• Minnesota Water Stories

Watershed organization links

Watershed Projects

• Big Cobb River Watershed Project
• Chippewa River Watershed Project
• Crystal Loon Mills Clean Water Partnership
• Hawk Creek Watershed Project
• High Island Creek Clean Water Partnership
• Maple River Clean Water Partnership
• Rush River Watershed Project

Watershed Districts

• Buffalo Creek Watershed District
• Heron Lake Watershed District
• High Island Watershed District
• Lac qui Parle Yellow Bank Watershed District
• Lower Minnesota Watershed District
• Middle Fork Crow Watershed District
• Nine Mile Creek Watershed District
• North Fork Crow Watershed District
• Prior Lake-Spring Lake Watershed District
• Sauk River Watershed District
• Yellow Medicine River Watershed District

Joint Powers Boards and Associations

• Area II-Minnesota River Basin Projects
• Brown-Nicollet-Cottonwood Water Quality Board
• Crow River Organization of Water
• Greater Blue Earth River Basin Alliance
• Pomme de Terre River Association
• Redwood-Cottonwood Rivers Control Area

Other organizations

• Coalition for a Clean Minnesota River
• CURE – Clean Up the River Environment
• EPA – Watershed Central
• Explore the MN River Valley
• Friends of the Minnesota Valley
• Minnesota Agricultural Water Resources Coalition
• Minnesota River Basin Data Center
• Minnesota River Board
• Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway
• Minnesota River Watershed Alliance
• Mississippi River Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force
• Minnesota Waters
• MPCA-Minnesota River Basin
• Prairie Country RC&D
• Three Rivers RC&D
• University of Minnesota Water Resources Center
• Water Resource Center-Minnesota State University-Mankato