The Bear Park Project was completed in 1984. The designed to hold 4000 acre feet of water during high runoff events, reducing flood damages on the Sand Hill and Red River.
The Verdell Olson Dam began with the construction of a detention dam in the outlet channel from a 50 acre basin. The dam eliminated damages caused by extremely high flows each spring.
The proposed Winger Dam was designed to hold 12,000 acre feet creating a lake with 6,000 acrea feet of possible flood storage. After years of effort and expense, the project died due to the inability to obtain proper permiting from the US Army Corp and MN DNR.
To complement the district's missions statement, the district supported all efforts to clean our local river. Tires, mattresses, garbage, carcuses, and appliances were just a few things found and removed from our river.
The Sand Hill River Watershed district installed riprap at four erosion protection areas along the Sand Hill River. Three of these areas are located
in the vicinity of the city of Fertile in sections 20 and 29
of Garfield Township. The fourth site is located in the NW
1/4 of sect(ion 28, Liberty Township.
The City of Fertile petitioned the Sand Hill River Watershed District with a proposed recreational lake west of Fertile at the site of a feed mill that failed in 1950. The project died due to a lack of funding and MN DNR permitting restraints.
The Sand Hill River Watershed District has assisted in the construction of many ring dike projects, mostly on the west end of the district. The latest project is a ring dike around the City of Climax. The district is waiting funding for a ring dike around the City of Nielsville
The Watershed District assisted Garfield Township in 1998 with control structure to lower the lake level of Kurass Lake and establish an ordinary high water level.
Multiple agencies planned to develop and restore areas of wetlands that will serve as a "bank" for wetland "credits" to be used to offset damages done to other wetlands for road construction projects.
The district discovers a a workable solution for solving the erosion that was occurring at the site in section 31 of Knute Township, Polk County, Minnesota.
Since the early 2000's the Sand Hill River Watershed District has collaborated with partnering agencies to restore the Sand Hill River and make it a viable fishery once again.
The Sand Hill River Watershed District collaborated with many partners to minimize future head cutting along the Sand Hill channel and reduce to occurrence of bank sluffing.
The Sand Hill Ditch was originally constructed by the USACE, and was intended to channelize flows that historically flooded a large portion of the western third of the Sand Hill Watershed. While this project was successful in enhancing agricultural production on 1,000’s of acres, it also presented several new issues to the region, most notably erosion concerns along the constructed channel. When initially designed in the 1950s, what was thought to be a stable channel gradeline proved to be too steep. This resulted in high velocities and severe erosion. In some locations, the channel is now 8’-10’ deeper than initially constructed. As the channel has deepened, it has also widened and began to encroach on private property and public infrastructure. Not only did the erosion cause substantial concern over loss of property and impacts to public infrastructure, but increased sediment loads in the Sand Hill River led to several impairments identified by the MN PollutionControl Agency (MPCA).
In response to the concerns, the West Polk SWCD secured a BWSR Clean Water Fund grant stabilize the channel erosion along the Sand Hill Ditch through the installation of rock riprap grade stabilization structures in the channel. Additional funding was secured through Enbridge and the LSOHC. The grade stabilization structures (IE… rock riffles) are intended to keep low flows in the center of the channel and facilitate fish passage. The design was closely coordinated with the MN DNR, given the Sand Hill Ditch is also a designated public water and much of the funding was coming from the state of MN. In total, 33 rock riffles were installed from County Road 14 and to the east to stabilize future channel incision. While the project has been a success in stopping future “down cutting” of the channel, unstable banks are still present from the prior damage. The SHRWD plans to use the riffle project as a component of a larger project along the Sand Hill Ditch that will provide a resilient channel to meet local needs.
our Partners
On November 4th 2008, Minnesota voters approved the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment to the state constitution. This amendment passed with 56% of the vote. Click here
BWSR is the state soil and water conservation agency, and it administers programs that prevent sediment and nutrients from entering our lakes, rivers, and streams; enhance fish and wildlife habitat; and protect wetlands.
The three-year, $3 million grant program began in 2015 to support a range of environmental projects – from improving water quality to limiting impact on wildlife and migratory birds to fostering education and overall stewardship. Visit Enbridge to find out more.
The Sand Hill River Watershed District and the wEST Polk SWCD in McIntosh, MN collaborate on many of the same goals in initiatives within the district.
Houston Engineering has been the Sand Hill River Waterhsed District's engineering firm since the district's originiation. The district's Engineer is Zach Herrmann.
