Cooperatove Conservation Project
COOPERATIVE CONSERVATION CASE STUDY

Land O’ Lakes Ravine Restoration

Ravine Stabilization on the Mississippi River

Location: Midwest/Northern High Plains Region: Minnesota

Project Summary: Partnership stabilized ravine leading to the Mississippi River that was causing sediment deposition and extreme disturbance to high quality plant communities.
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Jay Riggs
Resource Challenge
A severely eroded gully and ravine leading to the Mississippi River with near vertical slopes in sandy soils was causing continual sediment deposition to the River and extreme disturbance to high quality plant communities.
Examples of Key Partners

Land O’ Lakes, Dakota County Soil & Water Conservation District, Dahn Construction, Metropolitan Council, Emmons & Olivier Resources, Great River Greening, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and Association of Metropolitan Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

Non-profit and private financial contributors included Land O’ Lakes, Great River Greening, and the Dakota County Soil & Water Conservation District.
Results and Accomplishments

Construction of an on-site pretreatment basin, settling pond, vegetated swale and infiltration basin will:

  • Reduce peak water runoff flows
  • Trap sediment
  • Retain 100-year water flows on-site

Stabilized ravine with 16,000 cubic yards of excavated material from on-site infiltration basins, construction of 2.5:1 side-slopes, and native plant community reestablishment.

Innovation/Highlight

Reduced peak water flow to existing ravine from 40 to 2 cubic feet per second.

Project Contact
Brian Watson
District Manager
Dakota County Soil & Water Conservation District
4100 220th St. West, Suite 102
Farmington, MN 55024
(651) 480-7778
brian.watson@co.dakota.mn.us 		Jim Davidson
Urban Conservationist
Dakota County Soil & Water Conservation District
4100 220th St. West, Suite 102
Farmington, MN 55024
(651) 480-7779
jim.davidson@co.dakota.mn.us
Website: http://www.dakotacountyswcd.org/liddemo.htm#land-lakes

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