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Watersheds, Wetlands and Buffers Subcommittee

TENTH MEETING

2007-2008 Regular Session - Tuesday, November 6, 2007

STATE OF MINNESOTA TENTH MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTY-FIFTH SESSION

SUBCOMMITTEE ON WATERSHEDS, WETLANDS, AND BUFFER PROTECTION

MINUTES


Members of the committee met at 8:35 A.M. on November 6, 2007, in the Land O' Lakes parking lot in Inver Grove Heights.

Brian Watson, Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation District Manager, showed the committee the Land O'Lakes Ravine Stabilization and Infiltration Basin project.

The committee traveled to Geneva Lake. Bob Usgaard, Regional Biologist for Ducks Unlimited, presented the Geneva Lake Aquatic Habitat Restoration Project, along with Jeanine Vorland, DNR Area Wildlife Manager and Bev Norby, who serves as Administrator for Cedar River and Turtle Creek Watershed Districts as well as Mower County Soil and Water Conservation District Manager. Rep. Fritz thanked the committee for visiting the project.

The committee traveled to the Hollandale fire station. Steve Pankava, Engineer for Cedar River and Turtle Creek Watershed Districts, presented the Riceland Wetland Restoration Project. John Jaschke, Executive Director for the Board of Soil and Water Resources and Bev Norby participated in the presentation. Peter VanErkel, farmer and flood victim, discussed the 2004 flooding.

The committee traveled to Moscow Town Hall. Bev Norby discussed the two-stage ditch system. Ed Moffett, NRCS District Conservationist, presented the Wayne Miller Erosion Control Project. Tom Butler, Chairman of the Turtle Creek Watershed District, discussed conservation activities. General discussion on ditches, buffers, and drainage followed.

The committee traveled to Loney Valley and areas around Houston hit by the 2007 flooding. Mary Kells of Rochester BWSR and Ralph Tuck, Root River Soil and Water Conservation District Manager, led a van tour of flood damaged areas and discussed the BWSR flood response.

The committee traveled to an area near Lewiston. Linda Dahl, Project Coordinator for the Whitewater River Watershed Project, presented an LCCMR proposal to install riparian buffers in the watershed.

Chair Hansen called the meeting to order at 6:01 P.M. at the Stewartville Civic Center.

The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.

Members present:

HANSEN, Rick (Chair)
GUNTHER, Bob (Vice Chair)
OZMENT, Dennis
PETERSON, Aaron
WAGENIUS, Jean (ex-officio)

Members excused:

ANZELC, Tom
HOPPE, Joe
DOTY, Al
TINGELSTAD, Kathy

Other members present:

FRITZ, Patti
POPPE, Jeanne
WELTI, Andy


Rep. Welti thanked the committee for coming to southeast Minnesota.

Tim Terrill, Winona Soil and Water Conservation District Manager, introduced the order of testifiers.

Norman Senjem, MPCA Mississippi River Basin Coordinator, gave a presentation on water quality perspectives in southeast Minnesota.

Terry Lee, Olmsted County Water Coordinator, testified on nitrates.

Linda Dahl testified on soil erosion and sedimentation.

Terry Lee testified on Lake Zumbro sedimentation.

Linda Dahl testified on cropping trends.

Rudie Spitzer, Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts Area 7 Director and member of the Winona County Planning and Zoning Board, testified in response to a question about zoning.

Phil Wheeler, Rochester-Olmsted Planning Department Director, testified in response to a question regarding bluff development.

Jennifer Ronnenberg, Watershed Coordinator with Zumbro Watershed Partnershed, Inc., testified on shoreland buffers.

Phil Wheeler testified on flood hazards related to intense storms.

Judy Ohly, Director of Zumbro Watershed Partnershed, Inc. and Olmsted County Commissioner, testified on state and local government partnerships.

Terry Lee testified on unsewered communities.

Andy Hart, farmer and Olmsted Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor, testified on aerial seeding.

George Poch, Olmsted Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor, testified on watershed management and a variety of related local issues.

Dean Albertson, Restoration Committee Chair of the Lake Zumbro Improvement Association, testified on Lake Zumbro restoration and the bonding request to do planning and dredging.

Tim Terrill testified on the activities and programs of the Winona Soil and Water Conservation District.

John Jaschke, BWSR Executive Director, testified on the southeast flood response, oversight, drainage systems, and federal-state program coordination.

Jan Blevens, Chairperson of Olmsted County Concerned Citizens, raised concerns about the effects of a planned ethanol plant withdrawing water from the Jordan aquifer.

Representatives Ozment, Wagenius, and Gunther introduced themselves and commented on the importance of the issues discussed today.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:21 P.M.



REP. RICK HANSEN, CHAIR


Melissa Hysing, Committee Legislative Assistant
More Info On This Meeting..

Presentations from the Board of Water and Soil Resources and local officials on flood relief implementation