Henry Van Offelen Red River Basin Coordinator DNR Roundtable
January 16, 2015 Comprehensive Natural Resource Planning in the Red
River Basin: Simplifying a complex process to essential objectives
and actions for healthier watersheds Slide 2 Brief Review of
Traditional Approach to Natural Resource (NR) planning Brief Review
of Traditional Approach to Natural Resource (NR) planning A Model
for Next Generation watershed- based NR planning A Model for Next
Generation watershed- based NR planning How do effectively and
efficiently get to implementation? Presentation Overview Slide 3
Red River Basin Resources Slide 4 Traditional Conservation Planning
and Implementation Traditional Conservation Planning and
Implementation 1. Gather best available science and knowledge. 2.
Develop a plan for a species or habitat of concern that includes:
General goals and objectives. List of general strategies to achieve
goals (regulatory, non-regulatory, research, monitoring, education,
etc.). Recommend strategies be implemented as the opportunities
present themselves and as funding becomes available. 3. Trust the
plan will be implemented 4. Re-write plan in 10 years Slide 5
Picture of plans Slide 6 and integrate Slide 7 Slide 8 Store water
where it falls. Store water where it falls. Maintain good water
quality. Maintain good water quality. Manage invasive species.
Manage invasive species. Reduce streambank erosion. Reduce
streambank erosion. Encourage prairie restoration efforts Encourage
prairie restoration efforts Example goals from these state level
plans Slide 9 100,000 ft View Slide 10 30,000 ft View Slide 11
Slide 12 Keep in mind The scale at which actions to improve
watershed health need to delivered. Slide 13 1,000 ft View Slide 14
100 foot view 100 ft View Slide 15 Ground view Boots on the ground
Slide 16 Slide 17 Future conservation planning Future conservation
planning 1. Gather best available science and knowledge. 2. Develop
a plan with goals and objectives. 3. Prioritize and recommend
strategies/actions 4. Strategically implement actions and actively
pursue funding. 5. Measure progress and adapt. Slide 18 New
approach Slide 19 Step 1- Describe the watershed Slide 20 Slide
with 30 maps describing the watershed Slide 21 Step 2 - Problem
Identification 1. Altered hydrology 2. Loss of habitat (upland,
aquatic, and riparian) 3. Degraded habitats (upland, aquatic, and
riparian) 4. Loss of connectivity among upland, aquatic, and
riparian habitats (also, there may be too much) 5. Degraded water
quality 6. Degraded soil health Slide 22 Step 3- Review Relevant
Plans 1. Red River Basin Mediation Agreement (1998) 2. Middle,
Snake, Tamarac River Watershed District Plan (2012) 3. Natural
Resource Assessment of the Middle, Snake, Tamarac River Watershed
4. DNR Comprehensive Wildlife Strategy- Tomorrows Habitat for the
Wild and Rare 5. DNR Duck Recovery Plan 6. USFWS HAPET Resources 7.
DNR Watershed Health Assessment Framework Resources (WHAF) 8.
Fisheries Related Surveys and Management Plans 9. MPCA Impaired
Waters Listing and TMDL Plans 10. MPCA Red River Basin Water
Quality Plan 11. County Water Plans (18 in basin) 12. Minnesota
State Conservation and Preservation Plan (SCPP) 13. Minnesota
Sustainable Water Framework (MSWF) 14. Minnesota Prairie Plan 15.
Minnesota Fish Habitat Plan 16. North American Waterfowl Plan -
Prairie Pothole Joint Venture (PPJV) 17. Campaign for Conservation:
A Fifty Year Vision 18. Aspen Parklands Subsection Forest
Management Plan (Aspen Parklands SFRMP) 19. Conservation Area Plan
for the Tallgrass Aspen Parkland 20. Users Guide to Natural
Resource Enhancement in the Red River Basin. 21. Red River Basin
Commission - Natural Resource Framework Plan (NRFP). 22. Red River
Basin Commission: Long Term Flood Solutions (LTFS). Slide 23 Step 4
Set goals to improve watershed health 1. Protect Existing Upland,
Wetland, Riparian, and Aquatic Habitats 2. Protect Groundwater
Resources 3. Improve condition of Existing Upland and Wetland
Habitats 4. Improve conditions of Natural, Altered, and Artificial
Watercourses and Riparian Habitats 5. Improve Hydrologic Conditions
6. Improve Water Quality 7. Improve Soil Health Slide 24 Review
actions to frame objectives 1. Land use change 2. Land use practice
change (tillage) 3. Drainage system BMPs including effective
buffers, side inlets, culvert sizing, controlled drainage, two-
stage systems, improvements, abandonment 4. Water retention and
detention Sediment basins, Impoundments, Wetlands, Culvert sizing
5. Riparian buffers and filter strips 6. Channel stabilization 7.
Channel rehabilitation/restoration 8. Intensive management of
existing perennial vegetation 9. Regulatory approaches (e.g.
shoreland ordinance, public water works permits, soil loss
ordinances, land use ordinances, storm water utility) Slide 25 Keep
prioritization in mind to set objectives Slide 26 Objectives Two
Categories (usually): 1. Upland, Wetland, and other Terrestrial
Habitats 2. Watercourses and Riparian Area State objectives in the
format of: Take this action, in these priority locations, and
strive for this amount in a specific time frame. Slide 27 If one of
our goals is to Protect Existing Upland, Wetland, Riparian, and
Aquatic Habitats Slide 28 Action Who is responsible (landowner,
LGU, Agency, NGO)Primary priority/target areas Acquisition by
public ownership DNR, USFWS, County, Municipality At and adjacent
to areas of High Biodiversity Significance, prairie plan core, low
CPI, high priority natural channel reaches Acquisition by fee by
NGONGO's (e.g. TNC acquisitions) At and adjacent to areas of High
Biodiversity Significance, prairie plan core, low CPI, high
priority natural channel reaches Private land temporary easement
NRCS, SWCD, NGO At and adjacent to areas of High Biodiversity
Significance, prairie plan core, low CPI, high priority natural
channel reaches Private land permanent easement NRCS, SWCD, NGO At
and adjacent to areas of High Biodiversity Significance, prairie
plan core, low CPI, high priority natural channel reaches Voluntary
measures Slide 29 Action Who is responsible (landowner, LGU,
Agency, NGO) Primary priority/target areas Shoreland ordinanceDNR,
County, Municipality 50 foot buffer areas public waters, protective
overlay districts of sensitive areas Floodplain ordinanceDNR,
County, Municipality Public water works permittingDNR Existing
public waters Wetland Conserv. ActDNR, County, BWSR 404
permittingUSACE Land Use ZoningCounty Storm water
permittingMunicipality, WD Municipalities Soil Loss OrdinanceCounty
Areas with high sediment loading Regulatory measures Slide 30
Sample objectives Permanently protect at least 30% of lands
currently enrolled in the conservation reserve program (CRP) within
high priority areas for wildlife habitat and flood damage
reduction. Permanently protect at least 30% of lands currently
enrolled in the conservation reserve program (CRP) within high
priority areas for wildlife habitat and flood damage reduction.
Permanently protect 100% of the lands currently enrolled in the
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) within the highest priority
areas for stream channel protection and restoration. Permanently
protect 100% of the lands currently enrolled in the Conservation
Reserve Program (CRP) within the highest priority areas for stream
channel protection and restoration. Slide 31 If our goal is to
Improve conditions of Natural, Altered, and Artificial Watercourses
and Riparian Habitats Slide 32 Action Responsibility (landowner,
LGU, Agency, NGO) Primary priority/target areas Natural and Altered
Watercourses Establish functional riparian areas Landowners,
easement holders, agencies Priority watercourse reaches for
improved stability. Near-channel areas ranked high for SPI. Install
side water inlets and other approriate drainage BMPs Landowners,
NRCS, SWCD Priority watercourse reaches for improved stability.
Near-channel areas ranked high for SPI. Install effective grade
controlLandowners, NRCS, SWCD Priority watercourse reaches for
grade control. Install effective bank erosion control Landowners,
NRCS, SWCD, DNR Priority watercourse reaches for bank erosion
control. Drainage water Best Management Practices Landowners, NRCS,
SWCD Watershed areas above priority watercourses for improved
stability. Install/replace culverts and bridges to promote channel
stability WD, County, road authorities Priority watercourse reaches
for improved stability Remove or modify barriers to fish passage
WD, County, road authorities, DNR, barrier owners Priority
watercourses for fish passage improvement Implement actions that
will improve hydrologic conditions (see hydrology goal/actions
table) Watershed areas above priority watercourses for improved
stability. Slide 33 Sample objective Public waters Public waters
Achieve compliance with existing shoreland buffer requirements.
Slide 34 Legal Ditch Systems Legal Ditch Systems Achieve compliance
with existing ditch buffer requirements. Identify, assess, and
prioritize the needs of legal ditch systems for side inlets and
other erosion control BMPs. Sample objectives continued Slide 35
Watershed-Based Natural Resource Plan Contents 1. Intro./Planning
Team/ Overview 1 page 2. Planning Area Description 2 pages go to
appendix 3. Review of Other Plans page go to appendix 4. Problem
Identification 1 page 5. Goals and Objectives (watershed and area
specific) Upland and Wetland Habitats 2 pages Upland and Wetland
Habitats 2 pages Streams and Watercourse 3 pages Streams and
Watercourse 3 pages Roles Table 13 pages Roles Table 13 pages 6.
Appendices - 50 pages Slide 36 This approach Covers all the bases
in terms of setting goals and objectives to improve watershed
health down to a fine scale. Covers all the bases in terms of
setting goals and objectives to improve watershed health down to a
fine scale. Puts emphasis on identifying, prioritizing, and
targeting high priority areas for various actions within a
watershed. Puts emphasis on identifying, prioritizing, and
targeting high priority areas for various actions within a
watershed. Slide 37 Slide 38 How to prioritize WHERE the actions
should be implemented. GIS-LiDAR Local knowledge Slide 39 Priority
Areas for Wetland and Grassland Restoration Slide 40 Priority Areas
to Reduce Sediment Loading Slide 41 Slide 42 Where are priority
areas for field and watercourse BMPs? Slide 43 The priority areas
for field and watercourse BMPs arre here Slide 44 Slide 45 Final
step - implementation GIS LiDAR Slide 46 Becker County Example
Buffalo-Red River Shallow Lakes Restoration Project 9 Lakes listed
for Excess Nutrients (P) Slide 47 Mean Soil Loss Per Catchment
Slide 48 Mean Soil Loss Per Catchment With Surface Water
Connectivity Slide 49 157 Landowners in contributing area of
Shoreland Zones 104 Farm Tracts Slide 50 Slide 51 Hay Creek /
Shallow Lakes Accomplishments 114 Water & Sediment Control
Basins 2 Grade Stabilization Structures 3 RIM WRP Easements 3
additional wetland restorations 140 Acres Filter Strips 259 Acres
Additional CRP Slide 52 Conclusions 1. The watershed level is a
great scale to integrate existing information and develop goals and
objectives to improve watershed health. 2. Dont overcomplicate NR
planning. More than enough background information and data are
already available to make good decisions. Use an approach that
moves the discussion to where and what types of actions are needed.
Always keep in mind - How do we best get to implementation? Slide
53 Henry Van Offelen Red River Basin Coordinator
[email protected]
