Minnesota’s Lake Superior Coastal Program

Providing Technical Assistance in Implementation of

the Coastal Nonpoint Program

R.C. Boheim
South St. Louis Soil & Water Conservation District
August 21, 2008

Project No. 310-05-07

Contract No. _B03588

This project was funded in part under the Coastal Zone Management Act, by NOAA’s
Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, in cooperation with Minnesota’s
Lake Superior Coastal Program.
Introduction
The South St. Louis SWCD requested $15,500 in Coastal Nonpoint Implementation
funding. This funding was used to implement portions of Minnesota’s Lake Superior
Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program by providing engineering, educational, and
technical assistance throughout the Lake Superior Basin. The grant provided funding for
engineering and technical assistance in Carlton, Cook, Lake, North St. Louis and South
St. Louis SWCDs. It also provided for increased implementation of the nonpoint program
in the South St. Louis SWCD.

Work Completed
Task 1 Proposed:
Provide private landowners with conservation engineering, forestry and other technical
assistance throughout the Lake Superior Basin and Coastal Boundary. Funding will
support the technical and engineering capacity of Carlton, Cook, Lake, North St. Louis,
and South St. Louis SWCDs through shared staff from CCLNS Joint Powers Board #3.
Technical assistance will also include work by the South St. Louis SWCD staff.

Engineering, forestry, and technical assistance will be used to provide on-site

recommendations to landowners, develop written materials, conduct technical
assessments and provide cost estimates for the installation of conservation practices, and
assist with trainings and outreach.

Assistance will be provided to at least 10 separate projects throughout the Lake Superior
Basin and Coastal Boundary.

This project will address the following priority management measures as identified in
Minnesota’s Coastal Nonpoint Program for the Lake Superior Watershed.

Category 2: Forestry - 2.a. Preharvest Planning [Forestry], C. Nonregulatory Approaches

{2.a. Preharvest Planning},2. Public Information/Education, and Technical/Related
Assistance

Category 5.3: Streambank and Shoreline Erosion, f) Eroding Streambanks and

Shorelines, C) Nonregulatory Approach, 1) Economic Incentives & 2) Information
Technical Assistance

Task 1 Completed:
Engineering assistance was provided for eighteen different projects. The project
addressed the following Coastal Program element:
Category 5.3: Streambank and Shoreline Erosion, f) Eroding Streambanks and Shorelines, C)
Nonregulatory Approach, 1) Economic Incentives & 2) Information Technical Assisstance
Task 2 Proposed:
Implementing Minnesota’s Lake Superior Coastal Nonpoint Program by providing public
information/educational activities throughout the Lake Superior Coastal Zone. Specific
activities were to include include:
Organize and hold one stormwater workshop or tour.
Organize and hold at least two wetland and erosion and sediment control workshops
for contractors and local governments.
Produce one newsletter and distribute via newspaper.
Produce one mailing aimed directly at contractors - Contractor News.

Task 2 Completed:
Organize and hold one stormwater workshop or tour

This was not done. This was not completed because as we have held these tours over the
past few years there has been less interest. We need to re-tool this effort or at least wait a
year.

Organize and hold at least two wetland and erosion and sediment control
workshops for contractors and local governments

One workshop was held in Hermantown on April 22, 2008. Another workshop scheduled
in Rice Lake Township for April 24th, 2008 was cancelled due lack of registrations.
Approximately 45 people attended the session.

Produce one newsletter and distribute via newspaper

One newsletter was completed and distributed via the Duluth News Tribune Sunday
paper in Mid-February. 50,000 copies were distributed.

Produce one mailing aimed directly at contractors - Contractor News

Contractor News has been complete. It was mailed to over 200 contractors in our area.

Results
This project allowed shared engineering staff to provide assistance for 18 projects in the
Coastal Boundary and Lake Superior Basin.

Landowners/Projects assisted:
Eco Home Stormwater management- South St. Louis SWCD
Minottee erosion control – South St. Louis SWCD
22nd Ave West (City of Duluth) - South St. Louis SWCD
Amity Creek (NRRI Weber Initiative) – South St. Louis SWCD
Two Harbors Dump erosion control – Lake SWCD
Zoglaurer – Carlton SWCD
Appold – Carlton SWCD
Cliff House – Lake SWCD
Lutsen Stormwater – Cook SWCD
Glumak – North St. Louis
Kelly – Carlton SWCD
Porter – Carlton SWCD
Sag Landing (Cook County Highway) – Cook SWCD
Bergerson – North St. Louis
Harvey – Lake SWCD
Two Harbors Channel – Lake SWCD
Two Harbors Dump – Lake SWCD
Torchlight Lake – Carlton SWCD

Results of outreach activities are difficult to measure, however it is anticipated that more
awareness will lead to more effective nonpoint source pollution control projects.
Numbers for these efforts are detailed above.

The SWCD believes that the results of this project were positive. Several people were
provided direct assistance and many more were provided some information about SWCD
programs and nonpoint sources pollution.

Conclusions
The project was effective sharing and utilizing shared technical services to deliver
nonpoint source pollution reduction technical assistance. The SWCD believes that the
goals of the Coastal Nonpoint Program will best be met through continued cooperation
between Minnesota’s Lake Superior Coastal Program and Soil & Water Conservation
Districts.
 Spring Newsletter 2008

What We Do:
Annual Tree & Shrub Sale
The South St. Louis SWCD has many
programs available to help landowners Order Deadline: April 15, 2008
reach their land protection & management The SWCD tree & shrub sale provides
goals. These programs include: low-cost, high-quality trees to area
residents. This year, we are offering 41
• Technical, Engineering, & Financial
different trees & shrubs, & one vine.
Assistance for reducing non-point source
Evergreen, shrub, & wildlife variety
pollution
packets are also available.
• Wetland Conservation & technical
Tree pick-up is from May 15th-17th in
assistance
Duluth, Two Harbors or Grand Marais. Your
• Forest Stewardship Assistance
pick-up location must be specified on the
• Forestry Best Management Practice
original order form.
Assistance
To order, fill out the form included with this
• Assistance with erosion & sediment
newsletter or go online to
control on construction sites
www.southstlouisswcd.org.
• Conservation Education; coordination of the
Area III regional Envirothon
• Watershed Protection & Restoration
Projects; TMDL plans for the Where We Work:
Knife River and Miller Creek.
• Annual Tree & Shrub Sale The South St. Louis SWCD covers all land south
of Township 54 within St. Louis County. The
We have several different sources of financial northern boundary runs from the north end of
assistance available & the technical Cedar Valley Township to the north end of
capabilities to support these programs. Pequaywan Township- approximately the
southern quarter of St. Louis County.
Contact Information:
South St. Louis SWCD
Historic Old Central High School
215 North 1st Avenue East Room 301
Duluth, MN 55811
Ph (218) 723-4867
info@southstlouisswcd.org
www.southstlouisswcd.org

This newsletter was funded in part by the Coastal Zone Management Act, by NOAA’s Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource
Management, in cooperation with Minnesota’s Lake Superior Coastal Program.
Spring Newsletter South St. Louis Soil and Water Conservation District
Technical, Engineering &
Financial Assistance
We provide technical & engineering
assistance to landowners with a focus on
protecting water quality. Past projects include
streambank & lakeshore stabilization,
agricultural projects, forest management, &
stormwater management projects. Financial
assistance is available to landowners as
incentive to install Best Management Practices
(BMPs) on their property.
There is currently some funding available to
help one or more businesses in the Miller
Creek Watershed (up by the Miller Hill Mall)
install a stormwater BMP on their property.
There will be a free informational lunch
about this opportunity on Thursday,
February 21st.
Call 218-723-4867 to register.
Construction Site Erosion &
Sediment Control Assistance
Water that runs off of construction sites can
contain up to 150 times more sediment than
runoff that occurs under natural conditions.
Construction stormwater runoff is a source of
non-point source pollution. This type of runoff
can be controlled with the proper best
management practices. The South St. Louis
SWCD offers technical assistance to
operators of construction sites on proper
erosion & sediment control BMPs. We also offer
workshops for contractors, developers, &
engineers about the permitting required for
construction sites and the use of erosion &
sediment control BMPs.
Join us for our next workshop!
Friday, February 29th
9 am to 1 pm
Call 218-723-4867 to register.
Page 2
Impaired Waters
We are currently working on two Total
Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Plans for
impaired waters in our area: the Knife River
& Miller Creek. A TMDL is like a pollution
“budget;” it specifies how much of a
certain pollutant a body of water can
handle before it starts being harmed by the
pollutant. The pollutant of concern in Miller
Creek is temperature. Miller Creek
supports a population of brook trout. Trout
like cold water, so when the temperature of
the creek rises from, for example,
increased sunlight due to cleared riparian
areas, they can become stressed & even
die. The Miller Creek TMDL will determine
what specific factors are causing high
temps in the creek. TMDLs are being
completed across the nation for various
types of pollutants. They provide sound
scientific data & can open doorways to
federal funding for restoration activities.
What is Nonpoint Source
Pollution & How Can I
Prevent it?
Nonpoint source pollution (NPS) is now the
greatest threat to our nation’s waters. It occurs
when rainfall or snowmelt moves over the land,
picks up natural & human-made pollutants, &
then runs directly into our rivers & lakes—this
runoff is not treated by most cities. As a
result, those pollutants get deposited into our
streams & lakes. NPS pollution can result from
urban runoff, construction site erosion,
agriculture or forestry activities, failing septic
systems, or altered stream bank channels.
Little steps taken by a lot of people can make a
BIG difference—some ways you can help:
1.) Don’t dump anything into storm drains—
they lead right to the lake.
2.) Clean up after Fido or Pooky—pet waste is a
pollutant.
3.) Keep your car in good condition—fix those
leaks!
More info at: lakesuperiorstreams.org
 Wetland Regulations and Construction Site Erosion & Sediment Control

A discussion about the basics

April 22, 2008

5:45 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Hermantown Public Safety Building Training Center
5111 Maple Grove Rd.
Hermantown
Or
April 24, 2008
5:45 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Rice Lake Town Hall
4107 W. Beyer Rd.
Rice Lake

Two attendance options are given. The same material will be covered at both locations, except
additional information will be provided at the April 22nd presentation about the City of
Hermantown’s Comprehensive Wetland Protection & Management Plan.
On the Agenda:
Minnesota Wetland Conservation Act Basics
• Application Forms
• Exemptions
• Contractor Responsibility
• Wetland Mitigation
Hermantown Comprehensive Wetland Protection & Management Plan (April 22nd Only)
• Special requirements in Hermantown
Construction Site Erosion & Sediment Control Basics
• Temporary stabilization
• When a permit is needed
• Permanent stormwater

We will give brief presentations of these topics. But it won’t be a lecture. Come with your
questions. Pre-registration is required due to space limitations.

Contact me at R.Boheim@southstlouisswcd.org or (218) 723-4867 to reserve a spot or for more

information.
This project was funded in part under the Coastal Zone Management Act, by NOAA’s Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource
Management, in cooperation with Minnesota’s Lake Superior Coastal Program.