Pennington
Soil & Water Conservation District
Celebrating 75 Years of Conservation 1948-2023
One Watershed One Plan (1W1P)
The next generation of water plans in Minnesota is the One Watershed One Plan (1W1P). The One Watershed One Plan is based on major watershed boundaries and replaces the Local Water Management Plan. Local Units of Government partner together to develop and implement these plans using prioritize, target, and measurement strategies. The Red Lake River One Watershed One Plan and the Thief River Watershed One Watershed One Plan are both complete. A grant application has been submitted to develop the Clearwater River One Watershed One Plan.
The Red Lake River One Watershed One Plan (1W1P) was approved in 2017. The first round of funding to implement the plan was received in 2018 and another funding request has been submitted for 2020 and 2021. Grade stabilization structures, water and sediment control basins, and ditch outlet stabilization projects will be implemented with this next round of state funding. Priority locations for projects include the drainage areas of CD96, Black River, and the main stem of the Red Lake River downstream of Thief River Falls.
The Thief River One Watershed One Plan (1W1P), was approved by the Board of Water and Soil Resources on March 25, 2020, and adopted locally. The Marshall SWCD was appointed Plan Coordinator and the Red Lake Watershed District was appointed the fiscal agent for implementing the plan.
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The completed plan will enable local partners access to a new source of state funding to implement conservation projects in the Thief River Watershed. The partnership has received funding to implement the projects. Some of the projects identified are stabilizing the outlet of JD23 in Marshall County at the Hillyer Bridge, streambank stabilization projects on the Thief River, cover crop practices in priority areas, and survey and design work on the outlet of JD30 in Pennington County. Local units of government participating in the Thief River Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan include: Marshall, Beltrami, and Pennington Counties; Marshall, Beltrami, and Pennington SWCDs; and the Red Lake Watershed District.
The Clearwater River Watershed is next in line for the One Watershed One Plan Program. Although the Clearwater River only flows through the county in sections 31 and 32 of Hickory Township, the watershed covers over 37,000 acres in parts of Hickory, Mayfield, Deer Park, and Wyandotte Townships. Major rivers within the Clearwater River Watershed include the Clearwater River, Lost River, Hill River, and Poplar River. A grant application to fund the plan has been submitted and applicants will be notified of funding by August 26, 2020.