The decade of the 1930s saw a transformation of the landscape as much of the Midwest suffered from intense drought conditions and destructive dust storms. People were forced to recognize the fragility of the natural environment. During this time period, the federal government launched a number of far-reaching programs to restore and protect our soil and water resources.

Today’s column focuses on how the prolonged drought of the “Dirty Thirties” sparked the formation of the Soil Conservation Service (now the Natural Resources Conservation Service) and the development of Soil and Water Conservation Districts. Learn about the extraordinary efforts of the Renville SWCD to protect the environment, the importance of prairie plants for water quality and what the Minnesota River Valley landscape looked like before 1850. Find out about the upcoming Conservation Drainage Symposium on April 7 and the Wild, Scenic and Recreation Rivers Program.

Water: The “Dirty Thirties”
In the 1930s, a prolonged drought devastated much of the Midwest including Minnesota as rainfall decreased dramatically and higher temperatures became the norm. As a result, the federal government established the Soil Conservation Service under the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The SCS assisted farmers with adopting soil and water conservation practices. Here in Minnesota the first Soil and Water Conservation District formed in 1938. SWCDs work on the county level directing natural resource management by working in both rural and urban settings to carry out a program for conservation, use, and development of soil, water and related resources. Today, each county has an SWCD office in the state with a number of larger counties divided into two offices.

For more information, log on to http://www.maswcd.org.

Did you know: Fact about Renville SWCD
• Enrolled more than 14,000 acres into conservation easements since 1986.
• Enrolled approximately 5,000 acres into the Reinvest in Minnesota Reserve and Permanent Wetlands Preserve programs.
• Enrolled more than 9,000 acres into the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program — more than any other county in the Minnesota River Basin.
• Enrolled 212 acres of permanent easements to protect Granite Rock Outcrops in Renville and Redwood counties.
• Work with three watershed projects: Hawk Creek, Crow River and High Island Creek.
• Hosted a Green Career Day for all Renville County West High School students in 2008.
• Received the MN Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Water’s Award in 2008.

Water science: Benefits of native prairie plants
Native prairie plants have many benefits when it comes to improving and protecting water quality. These plants have deep root systems that encourage infiltration and help recharge groundwater. They also filter sediment and other pollutants from flowing into waterbodies, along with reducing runoff volume and peak flows. Native grass plantings are used to stabilize steep slopes and preventing erosion. As perennials they don’t need to be replanted every year and nearly free of disease and insects. Drought resistant, prairie plants don’t require constant care like mowing and the application of fungicides, fertilizers, and insecticides or watering.

For more information, log on to www.dnr.state.mn.us/gardens/nativeplants/index.html.

What can you do: Why you should plant native prairie plants
• Helps infiltrate water back into the ground and stops stormwater runoff.
• Adds variety and interest to your landscape.
• Virtually maintenance-free — need little weeding, watering, mulching or mowing.
• Save money — don’t need to apply fertilizer or other chemicals.
• Provide food and habitat for all types of wildlife.
• Reduce noise pollution because they don’t need mowing.

The natural resource: Prairie landscape
A native prairie dominated the landscape of the Minnesota River Valley before 1850s when Euro-American settlers began to push into the area. Joseph N. Nicollet explored the Minnesota River Valley in 1838 and wrote about characteristics of this vast grassland. “The plateau that opens here presents neither hills nor woods. It is a high, grand, and beautiful prairie. The view to the south seems limitless, the verdure losing itself far away in the azure of the sky. The spectacle is full of grandeur because of its simplicity that contrasts agreeably with the varied and picturesque countryside the valley of the Minnesota presented to us during the last five miles ... Our route continues in generally a westerly direction, leaving on the right and on the left a great number of swampy ponds or more often depressions in the soil that form in springtime some The prairie plants, tall, plentiful, and varied, indicate that the soil is good.” Today, most of the native prairie has disappeared after being broken up for farming and construction of our towns and cities.

Community event: Conservation drainage symposium
The terms conservation and drainage may seem to be at opposite ends of management approaches when it comes to dealing with runoff coming from our lands. In the last few years, these two important and needed components of land management have come together to form a new innovative technology and approach. This approach has the potential to benefit crops and water quality and may significantly help protect the Minnesota River. The public is invited to attend an informational session about conservation drainage 7-8:30 p.m. on April 7 at the Best Western Motel in North Mankato. For more information call (507) 359-2346 or e-mail yasure@lycos.com.

For other events in the Minnesota River Watershed, log on to http://mrbdc.mnsu.edu/calendar/index.html.

Organization profile: Renville Soil and Water Conservation District
One of the most active Soil and Water Conservation Districts in Minnesota is the Renville SWCD. Formed in 1955, they have enrolled the largest number of conservation easement acres in both the Reinvest in Minnesota Reserve Program and Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program. Renville SWCD works with a diverse selection of partners including local government units, state and federal agencies along with nonprofit conservation groups like Pheasants Forever to help put conservation practices on the ground. One of their newest easement initiatives helps protect granite rock outcroppings along the Minnesota River.

For more information, log on to www.renvilleswcd.com.

Recreational opportunity: Minnesota’s Wild, Scenic & Recreation Rivers Program
Minnesota established a Wild, Scenic & Recreation Rivers Programs in 1973 and currently has six designated rivers. The overreaching goal of this program is to protect rivers which have outstanding natural, scenic, geographic, historic, cultural and recreational values. Managed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the program assists communities in developing management plans that protect the various values of the river’s designation. A segment on the Minnesota River extending from the Lac qui Parle Dam to Franklin received classification in 1977. If you are looking to paddle the Minnesota River the DNR has maps for 4 sections of the river from Ortonville all the way to its confluence with the Mississippi River at Fort Snelling.

For more information, log on to www.dnr.state.mn.us/waters/watermgmt_section/wild_scenic/index.html.