Attachment A Project Work Plan

Doc Type: Contract

MPCA Use Only

Swift #: 103180 CR #: 8623

Project Title: Brainerd Watershed Restoration & Protection Project (Phase 1)

1. Project Summary: Organization: Aitkin SWCD Contractor contact name: Janet Smude Address: 130 Southgate Drive Aitkin, MN 56431 Phone: 218-927-6565 E-mail: [email protected]

Partner(s) Local Partner Team (LPT): Organization: Morrison Soil & Water Conservation District Project manager: Helen McLennan Phone: 320-616-2479 E-mail: [email protected]

Organization: Crow Wing Soil & Water Conservation District Project manager: Melissa Barrick Phone: 218-828-6197 E-mail: [email protected]

Organization: Todd Soil & Water Conservation District Project manager: Shannon Wettstein Phone: 320-732-2644 E-mail: [email protected]

Organization: Mississippi River Headwaters Board Project manager: Tim Terrill Phone: 218-824-1189 E-mail: [email protected]

MPCA contact(s): MPCA project manager: Bonnie Finnerty Title: Watershed Project Manager Address: 7678 College Road, Suite 105 Baxter, MN 56425 Phone: 218-316-3897 E-mail: [email protected]

www.pca.state.mn.us • 651-296-6300 • 800-657-3864 • TTY 651-282-5332 or 800-657-3864 • Available in alternative formats e-admin9-38 • 12/2/13 Page 1 of 4 Project information Latitude/Longitude: N/A *County: Multiple Counties – Aitkin, Crow Wing, Morrison & Todd Start date: 2/10/2016 End date: 6/30/2019

Total cost: 44,678.00 *Full time equivalents: .35

*Major watershed(s):

Statewide Kettle River Miss Rvr – GrandRpds Rainy Rvr – Baudette So Fork Crow River Big Fork River Lac Qui Parle River Miss Rvr –Headwaters Rainy Rvr – Black Rvr Lower St. Croix Rvr Upper Big Sioux Rvr Lake of the Woods Miss Rvr –LaCrescent Rainy Rvr – Rainy Rvr Upper St. Croix Rvr Lower Big Sioux Rvr Lake Superior – North Miss Rvr – Reno Rapid River St. Louis River Blue Earth River Lake Superior – South Miss Rvr – Sartell Red Lake River Red Rvr of the North Tamarac River Bois de Sioux River Le Sueur River Miss Rvr – St. Cloud Upper Red Rvr Thief River Buffalo River Leech Lake River Miss Rvr – Twin Cities Redeye River Two Rivers Little Fork River Miss Rvr – Winona Redwood River Upper/Lower Red Lk Cedar River Little Sioux River Miss Rvr – Lake Pepin Rock River Upper River Chippewa River Long Prairie River Mustinka River Vermillion River Clearwater River Red Rvr of the North Nemadji River Roseau River Upper Wapsipinicon Marsh River River Cloquet River MN Rvr – Yellow No Fork Crow River Rum River Watonwan River Medicine River Cottonwood River MN Rvr – Headwaters Otter Tail River Red Rvr of the North DesMoines Rvr Hdwtrs Sandhill River Crow Wing River MN Rvr – Mankato Pine River Sauk River Lower DesMoines Rvr E Fork DesMoines Rvr Lower MN River Pomme de Terre Rvr Wild Rice River Red Rvr of the North Miss Rvr – Brainerd Rainy Rvr – Hdwtrs Snake River Grand Marais Creek

*Organization type: Federal government Local/Regional government For-profit Private college/university Individual Public college/university Non-profit State government

*Project type: Analysis/Interpretation Modeling Research Assessment/Evaluation Monitoring Restoration/Enhancement Demo/Pilot project Planning Technical assistance Education/Outreach/Engagement

2. Statement of Problems, Opportunities, and Existing Conditions The Upper Mississippi River - Brainerd watershed covers 1,079,950 acres (1,687 square miles) in the north central part of the Upper Mississippi River Basin in central . The watershed boundary begins in Aitkin County where the river flows through the cities of Aitkin, Brainerd/Baxter, and Little Falls. The watershed encompasses all or parts of Aitkin, Cass, Crow Wing, Morrison, and Todd counties. Almost half of the watershed is forested (42%), while grasslands and shrub wetlands make up 38%, row crops 10%, water 6%, and 4% is urban. The majority of the watershed is within the North Central Hardwood Forest with small sections in the Northern Lakes and Forests ecoregion. The watershed has approximately 2,149 total river miles and contains 212 lakes greater than 10 acres in size.

This watershed will begin Intensive Watershed Monitoring in 2016. After 2 years of data collected, there will be a better understanding of which waters are meeting standards and which lakes and streams will need a TMDL. Information gathered throughout this process will be used to develop the TMDLs and WRAP.

www.pca.state.mn.us • 651-296-6300 • 800-657-3864 • TTY 651-282-5332 or 800-657-3864 • Available in alternative formats e-admin9-38 • 12/2/13 Page 2 of 4 3. Goals, Objectives, Tasks, and Subtasks

Goal: Phase 1 of this project is primarily geared toward project organizational planning and coordination among project partners, forming a civic engagement team and creating a civic engagement strategic plan. This phase will also be used to gather important data that will be needed to develop the Total Maximum Daily Load reports as well as the Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy with parameter-specific targets that will maintain or improve water quality for the watershed.

Objective 1: Overall Project Administration

Task A: Fiscal Management and Project Administration

Subtask 1: Invoicing & reporting: Prepare and submit monthly or quarterly invoices for payment. Develop and submit semi-annual reports by February 1st and August 1st of each year of the contract and a final report including a final financial report submitted within thirty days of the original or amended end date of the contract.

Responsible Party: Aitkin SWCD

Objective 1 Timeline: February 10, 2016 – June 30, 2019 Objective 1 Cost: $4,400 Objective 1 Deliverables: (a) Accurate and timely invoices and reports will be sent to the MPCA.

Objective 2: Public Participation and Civic Engagement (CE)

Task A: Civic Engagement Planning.

Subtask 1: Development of a CE sub-team and create a long term plan for CE: The purpose of this activity is to broaden citizen participation in the watershed process through key activities and supplement current efforts with new opportunities for already engaged lake associations and other committed resource partners. The first step will be to create a long term plan for civic engagement that contains various strategies throughout the watershed developed by the civic engagement sub-team.

Responsible Parties: Crow Wing SWCD (lead), LPT

Task B: Communicating Project Milestones through the Implementation of the Civic Engagement Plan.

Subtask 1: Create specific opportunities for citizen involvement through public meetings and workshops. This allows stakeholders, the general public, and targeted audiences to play a more active role in natural resource restoration and protection as well as create an effective communication network for watershed programs and services. Emphasis will be on citizen execution of engagement activities and build upon stronger collaborations and more engaged communities throughout the watershed. Indicators will be developed to track performance/progress of community outreach efforts in meeting knowledge building, communicating, and sharing civic engagement intent. This task will also implement the civic engagement plan, including the development of different sources of media to share our work with the public, (this includes but is not limited to story maps, watershed events, videos, presentations, handouts and surveys identified in Task A). This includes hosting meetings or attending other meetings to dialogue about the watershed project. A subcontractor (TBD) with specific expertise will be utilized to help implement this task.

Responsible Parties: Crow Wing SWCD (lead), LPT, Subcontractor (TBD)

Objective 2 Timeline: February 10, 2016 – June 30, 2019 Objective 2 Cost: $25,978

www.pca.state.mn.us • 651-296-6300 • 800-657-3864 • TTY 651-282-5332 or 800-657-3864 • Available in alternative formats e-admin9-38 • 12/2/13 Page 3 of 4 Objective 2 Deliverables: (a) Subcontractor hired and a long-term CE communication plan developed; (b) At least two press releases sharing inspiring stories of our work; (c) Watershed kick-off event held in year one; (d) Public meetings and workshops held; (e) CE sub-team developed; (f) Baseline watershed survey’s conducted ; and (g) Development of communication networks and strategies.

Objective 3: Data Gathering & Analysis

Task A: Data Gathering and Field Studies. Conduct a variety of assessments including stormwater outfall inventory, subwatershed analysis, riverbank erosion inventory, LiDAR terrain analysis, watershed modeling, additional monitoring and/or other essential investigations will be conducted to better understand the results of intensive watershed monitoring. Exact details and locations of the assessments will be determined based on results of the intensive watershed monitoring and communication with local government units and other state agencies and will help to prioritize implementation and protection efforts within the watershed.

Responsible Party: LPT

Objective 3 Timeline: February 10, 2016 – June 30, 2019 Objective 3 Cost: $14,300 Objective 3 Deliverables: (a) Data and data analyses that further an understanding of water quality conditions and appropriate strategies for protection and restoration. Pertinent data will follow QAPP guidelines and be submitted to MPCA as well as EQuIS and eLINK.

4. Measurable Outcomes This specific work plan covers the project planning, coordination and establishment of civic engagement/outreach components of the Mississippi River Brainerd watershed project.

1. MPCA staff, local partners, and citizen volunteers will be able to integrate the results of the biophysical and community assessment into strategies for the Watershed Restoration and Protection Plan report and implementation plan for improving water bodies on the MN 303D List of Impaired Waters.

2. This project will provide an important framework for civic and citizen engagement and communication, which will contribute to long-term public participation in surface water protection and restoration activities throughout the watershed.

3. Local organizations will modify programs (i.e., practices) to account for findings from a community assessment to address better transboundary coordination with clear objectives, roles and responsibilities, which is an essential precursor to achieving the MPCA’s Strategic Objective to restore impaired waters to meet designated uses and protect high quality surface waters within the watershed.

4. The outcome of this project will be watershed restoration and protection strategies that provide quantitative pollutant load reduction estimates and a set of pollutant reduction and watershed management activities to achieve water quality standards for all impairments within the watershed, and that are understood and adoptable by local units of government and other stakeholders.

5. Gantt Chart (Attached)

6. Project Budget (Attached)

www.pca.state.mn.us • 651-296-6300 • 800-657-3864 • TTY 651-282-5332 or 800-657-3864 • Available in alternative formats e-admin9-38 • 12/2/13 Page 4 of 4