Meeting set to protect the Chippewa River Watershed

DOUGLAS COUNTY — Those who live in western Douglas County, including Brandon, Evansville, Forada, Kensington and Millerville, must register by Monday, March 28 to attend a Tuesday, April 5 meeting about protecting the Chippewa River Watershed.

The watershed starts north of Urbank in Otter Tail County and continues south to Montevideo in Chippewa County. Other nearby communities found within the watershed include Glenwood, Hoffman, Lowry and Villard.

Organized by the Chippewa River Watershed Association, the meeting is set for 5:30 p.m. at the Minnewaska House in Glenwood. The association includes county commissioners and Soil and Water Conservation District representatives from each county it touches. The group has gotten money from the state to join the "One Watershed One Plan" program offered to watersheds throughout Minnesota.

"One Watershed One Plan" replaces county-level efforts to improve water quality by recognizing that water doesn't stop at county lines, but follows the contours of the land in separate systems known as watersheds. Often abbreviated 1W1P, the framework helps elected officials and watershed staff understand and minimize harm done to waterways from farm, industrial, municipal, and residential use.

Now the task is to develop a plan for the Chippewa River Watershed, which drains into the Minnesota River. One of the state's goals for the Minnesota River is to halve the amount of sediment floating in the river. Too much floating sediment can harm aquatic life, and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency says it is a growing problem in the Minnesota River.

The plan will take about two years to develop and will identify top-priority conservation projects, organizers said.

The meeting is for watershed residents to provide feedback and learn more about monitoring, funding opportunities, and the work of the Chippewa River Watershed Association and its partners. A meal is included.

For more information, call Holly Kovarik at 320-634-5327 or email holly.kovarik@mn.nacdnet.net.

To register, visit https://bit.ly/3HfBymN.