Soil and Water Conservation District

The Loan Program

• Provides low interest financing to farmers, rural landowners, and agricultural supply businesses to encourage agricultural best management practices that prevent or reduce runoff from feedlots and farm fields and other pollution problems identified by the county in local water plans.
• Provides loans for projects that reduce existing water quality problems caused by agricultural activities or failing septic systems.
• Helps landowners comply with water related laws or rules.
• Can be used with state and federal cost share or other sources of funding.
• Has fund available in most counties.

Who Can Apply:

• Farmers
• Rural Landowners
• Agricultural Supply Businesses

Eligible Practices for Low Interest Loans:

• Feedlot improvements
• Upgrading manure storage basins
• Improved manure handling, spreading and incorporation equipment
• Terraces, waterways, stream bank protection, sedimentation basin, windbreaks and other practices that prevent erosion
• Conservation tillage equipment
• Repair of individual sewage treatment systems
• Sealing abandoned wells

Ineligible Activities for Low Interest Loans:

• Most new construction projects
• Financing projects already completed
• Improvement for feedlots with more than 1,000 animal units
• Activities for operations that have had criminal procedures brought against them

AgBMP Brochure
AgBMP Handout

For more information contact:
Sarah Katterhagen, Office Coordinator
Todd SWCD
320-732-2644
sarah.katterhagen@co.todd.mn.us

For more information also visit:  www.mda.state.mn.us

WHAT IS A BUFFER?

Conservation buffers are best described as strips or other areas of land in permanent vegetation that help control pollutants and manage other environmental concerns. Filter strips, riparian buffers, field borders, grasses waterways, field windbreaks, shelter belts, and contour  grass strips are all examples of conservation buffers.

BENEFITS OF BUFFERS

Conservation buffers slow water runoff, trap sediment, and enhance infiltration within the buffer. Buffers also trap fertilizers, pesticides, pathogegns, and heavy metals, and they help trap snow and cut down on blowing soil in areas with strong winds. In addition, they protect livestock and wildlife from harsh weather and buildings from wind damage.

BUFFER INFORMATION

Todd County SWCD Monitoring Plan for Buffer Compliance Tracking

MN Board of Water and Soil Resources (buffer page)
MN DNR Buffer Map

Natural Resource Information about Buffers

Producer Appreciation Slide Show-2018

Producer Appreciation Slide Show-2017

Feedlot Registration News Release

Todd SWCD assumed the responsibility of being the technical arm of Feedlot Administration for Todd County. MPCA rules require the re-registration of all feedlots every 4 years.

2023 County Feedlot Financial Report
2023 Feedlot Annual Report
2022 County Feedlot Financial Report
2022 Annual Report
2021 Annual Report
MPCA Information
2020 Annual Report
2022-2023 MPCA County Feedlot Program Delegation Agreement Work Plan
2019 Annual Report
2018 Annual Report
2017 Annual Report
2016-2017 Annual Feedlot Workplan
Manure Application Record Keeping Card
Livestock Carcass Disposal
Large CAFO Feedlot
Land Application Agreement
2018 CFO Report
Construction and Interim Permit
Manure Management Plan Forms

All forms need to be returned to Todd SWCD

For more information regarding feedlots also visit https://www.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/topics/feedlots/feedlots.html

A rain garden is a planted depression that allows rainwater runoff from impervious urban areas like roofs, driveways, walkways, parking lots, and compacted lawn areas the opportunity to be absorbed. This reduces rain runoff by allowing storm water to soak into the ground (as opposed to flowing into storm drains and surface waters which causes erosion, water pollution, flooding, and diminished groundwater). They can be designed for specific soils and climates. Rain gardens can cut down on the amount of pollution reaching creeks and streams by up to 30%.

Native plants are recommended for rain gardens because they generally don’t require fertilizer and are more tolerant of one’s local climate, soil, and water conditions, and attract local wildlife such as native birds. The plants — a selection of wetland edge vegetation, such as wildflowers, sedges, rushes, ferns, shrubs and small trees — take up excess water flowing into the rain garden. Water filters through soil layers before entering the groundwater system. Root systems enhance infiltration, maintain or even augment soil permeability, provide moisture redistribution, and sustain diverse microbial populations involved in biofiltration. Also, through the process of transpiration, rain garden plants return water vapor to the atmosphere. A more wide-ranging definition covers all the possible elements that can be used to capture, channel, divert, and make the most of the natural rain and snow that falls on a property. The whole garden can become a rain garden, and all of the individual elements that we deal with in detail are either components of it, or are small-scale rain gardens in themselves.

Wet Meadow Plants
Rain Garden Worksheet

The Reinvest in Minnesota, (RIM) program strives to protect and improve water quality by encouraging landowners to retire environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production. The program reimburses landowners for enrolling their land in a permanent conservation easement and then provides assistance to restore areas to grass, trees or wetlands. Other benefits of the program include reduced soil erosion and sedimentation, enhanced fish and wildlife, habitat, flood control and ground recharge. ALL RIM CONTRACTS ARE PERPETUAL.

Eligible Land:

• Cropland or pasture located next to streams, ditches, lakes or wetlands.
• Any land that contains legally drained wetlands that can be restored to their pre-drainage condition.
• Must be at least five or more acres in size.

Frequent Questions About RIM:

• Who controls access to the easement area? Access is controlled solely by the landowner. No public access is allowed unless granted by the landowner. The landowner also retained all rights (hunting, recreation, etc.) except for the conservation easement rights, which are purchased by the state. The landowner must pay taxes each year.
• What is the payment for a RIM easement? Payment rates vary by township and past land use. Payment rates change each year. Areas may be donated, if a landowner chooses to increase their applications chances of being chosen for funding.
• Who is eligible to enroll land? Anyone who has owned the land for at least one year and can provide evidence of a good and marketable land title can apply.
• How Can I apply for a RIM easement? Anyone interested in enrolling land into the RIM program can do so by contacting Todd SWCD. We can determine if the land is eligible, and if so, assist you in completing an application for enrollment. Applications are considered for funding once per year.

For more information about the RIM program contact Todd SWCD

In Minnesota, it is estimated that 11 million acres of wetland areas have been lost in the last 100 years.  There are approximately 9 million acres remaining.  The Wetland Conservation Act (WCA) was passed in 1991.  The ultimate goal of the Act is no more net loss of wetlands.  In order to attain this goal, draining, filling, and excavation is prohibited unless:

• The drain, fill or excavation activity is exempt.
• Wetlands are replaced by restoring or creating wetland areas of at least equal public value.

Benefits of Wetlands

• Provides flood control by storing excess water during rain events and Spring melting.
• Increases water quality by filtering sediments and nutrients before they enter lakes, rivers and streams.
• Provides habitat for fish, birds, amphibians and other wildlife.
• Provides erosion control by slowing the flow of water between upland areas and waterways.
• Provided groundwater recharge by detaining water and allowing it to percolate to the water table.
• Provides habitat for rare, endangered and threatened plants and animals.

How to Determine if Area is a Wetland

• Three conditions must be present to define areas as a wetland:Hydric Soil–Soils that show characteristics of development under wet conditions.Hydrology–Water present within top 12″ of the surface for 5% of growing season under normal rainfall years.Hydrophytic Vegetation–Vegetation that is adapted to living in wet conditions.  Examples: Pitcher plants, lady slippers, jack-in-the pulpit, sedges, tamarack and black spruce.