PORTIONS OF NON-CRP REDPATH SECTION 15, SW1/4, FOR RENT

REQUEST FOR SEALED BIDS Sealed bids for the rental of approximately sixty (60) acres of farmland located in Traverse County will be received by the Bois de Sioux Watershed District (the “District”), at the District’s office located at 704 Highway 75 South, Wheaton, Minnesota 56296, until 3:00 PM, Wednesday, April 16, 2025. The District offers for lease approximately sixty (60) acres of the following-described parcel of land located in Redpath Township, Traverse County, more specifically described as: The Southwest Quarter of Section 15, Township 128 North, Range 45 West, Traverse County, Minnesota, LESS that portion described as follows: Beginning at the southwest corner of said Section 15; thence North 88 degrees 34 minutes 07 seconds East, assumed bearing along the south line of said Section 15, a distance of 2614.31 feet to the south quarter corner of said Section 15; thence North 01 degrees 05 minutes 27 seconds West, along the east line of aforesaid Southwest Quarter, a distance of 715.74 feet; thence North 89 degrees 41 minutes 53 seconds West, 2625.05 feet to the west line of said Section 15; thence South 01 degrees 48 minutes 42 seconds East, along said west line, 795.15 feet to the point of beginning. Said excepted tract contains 45.42 acres more or less. Subject to the existing public roadway easement over the westerly portion thereof (750th Avenue).

CLICK HERE FOR A MAP OF CRP

The parcel described above is approximately one hundred fifteen (115) acres consisting of sixty (60) acres of farmland and fifty-five (55) acres enrolled in an existing Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) contract. A map of the sixty (60) acres of farmland is attached to the Bid Form provided herein. Sealed bids will be publicly opened and read aloud immediately after the bid closing in the District’s office. The bids will then be presented to the District Board at its regular meeting on April 17, 2025, for discussion and action. Bidders will be notified of the winning bid by mail, email, or phone within thirty (30) days of bid opening.

The bids will be for a three (3) year lease for the rental of approximately sixty (60) acres of farmland only; the fifty-five (55) acres enrolled in CRP will not be included in the bid. The sixty (60) acres subject to bid must be worked, within three (3) years, as its current condition is grass and small, volunteer trees. The real property leased from the District will remain property of the District. The successful bidder will be responsible for all input costs and expenses of the farmland, including, without limitation, all labor, fertilizer, seed, chemical, and equipment costs. Bid information may be obtained from the District’s office.

CLICK HERE FOR BID SHEET AND INSTRUCTIONS AND TERMS

CLICK HERE FOR A SAMPLE OF THE DISTRICT'S LEASE AGREEMENT

The District hereby notifies all potential bidders that minority and disadvantaged businesses will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and that no bidder will be discriminated against on the grounds of religion, sex, race, color, or national origin. The District reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to waive irregularities, informalities, or discrepancies.

Linda Vavra, President

REQUEST FOR SEALED BIDS: MOWING & HAYING

REQUEST FOR SEALED BIDS Sealed bids for the mowing and haying of the North Ottawa Impoundment Project (“North Ottawa”) will be received by the Bois de Sioux Watershed District (the “District”), at the District’s office located at 704 Highway 75 South, Wheaton, Minnesota 56296, until 3:00 PM, April 16, 2025. Sealed bids will be publicly opened and read aloud immediately after the bid closing in the District’s office. Bidders will be notified of the winning bid by mail, email, or phone within thirty (30) days of bid opening.

The bids will only be for the mowing and haying of portions of North Ottawa, including approximately ten (10) miles of collection ditch, for a total of approximately sixty-six (66) acres. Bidders will provide a lump-sum bid, payable to the District on or before June 15, 2025, for the exclusive right to hay this area. All property leased from the District will remain property of the District. The successful bidder will be responsible for all input costs and expenses of the mowing and haying, including, without limitation, all labor, twine, bale wrap, fuel, and equipment costs. The successful bidder will have the option to renew the license agreement for years 2026 and 2027 (the corresponding lump-sum bids would be due on or before June 15, 2026 and June 15, 2027). The renewal option may be subject to cancellation by the bidder or the District. The District reserves the right to reject any or all bids. Bids and specifications for the bids may be obtained from the District’s office.

CLICK HERE FOR BID INSTRUCTIONS

CLICK HERE FOR BID FORM

CLICK HERE FOR SAMPLE AGREEMENT (WILL BE REQUIRED OF WINNING BIDDER, ONCE DETERMINED)

The District hereby notifies all potential bidders that minority and disadvantaged businesses will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and that no bidder will be discriminated against on the grounds of religion, sex, race, color, or national origin.

The District reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to waive irregularities, informalities, or discrepancies.

Linda Vavra, President

PROJECT DRONE VIDEOS

Take a bird's eye tour of three recent Bois de Sioux Watershed District construction projects:

DNR TO add land to designated PUBLIC WATERS INVENTORY

The Minnesota DNR has announced its intention to add to the Public Waters Inventory over the course of the next 8 years, by county. Public waters designations impact mandatory: 50' buffer requirements; DNR permitting authority and prohibitions over use, maintenance, and repair activities; county-based shoreland ordinance and zoning (including setbacks for surface and subsurface drainage); Minnesota Pollution Control Agency water quality chemistry and biological monitoring and impairments. As of July 1, 2027, inclusion or exclusion from the Public Water Inventory Map has no bearing on whether land is considered a designated a DNR Public Water.

More information can be found here on the update process: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/waters/watermgmt_section/pwi/update.html

More information can be found here on authorized/unauthorized/permittable activities on land designated as Public Waters: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/waters/watermgmt_section/pwpermits/requirements.html

The DNR has posted their informational webinar and question and answer session here: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/waters/watermgmt_section/pwi/update.html

Questions can be emailed to: pwi.update.dnr@state.mn.us

Updated Lidar

You may no access our updated landowner maps at: https://gisapps.iwinst.org/map-portal. Once you zoom in to the land you are interested in viewing, you can select "MN Contours (1f) from the Layer List menu on the right side of the screen. Continue to zoom in to view the elevation measurements.

Water Quality Is Important

The Bois de Sioux Watershed District not only manages its own water quality projects, but through participation in the Red River Watershed Management Board, we participate in regional water quality projects in the Red River Basin. Click here to view a report on the work that has been done!

Mustinka River Rehabilitation & Redpath impoundment CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES

For years, the Mustinka River in Traverse and Grant County, Minnesota has been the source of significant flooding caused primarily by spring snowmelt events. These floods have resulted in extensive damage to infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and culverts, and threatened rural homes and agricultural land. Since 2008, the Bois de Sioux Watershed District has been working toward a multi-purpose solution known as the Redpath Impoundment & Mustinka River Rehabilitation Project. After years of study, permitting, and land acquisition, the Watershed District is thrilled to announce that the project is nearly complete.

FUNDING REQUEST

To date, $36.5 M has been spent on this $61.0 M project, including $9.9 M from the Minnesota Flood Hazard Mitigation (MNFHM) program. An additional $13.7 M in funding is required through the MNFHM program to bring this project to completion and protect the region’s economy, citizens and natural resources from future flooding.

Past financial awards have been provided by the State of Minnesota Lessard Sams Outdoor Heritage Council Fund, the State of Minnesota Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources from the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund, the State of Minnesota BWSR Clean Water Fund Legacy Amendment Act Projects and Practices and Mutlipurpose Drainage Management and Water Quality & Storage Pilot Program Grants, DNR Flood Hazard Mitigation Program, the Red River Watershed Management Board, and State of Minnesota Lessard Sams Outdoor Heritage Council DNR Conservation Partners Legacy Grant.

  

 

Grant Money received!

The BDSWD proudly thanks the Minnesota Legacy Act Clean Water Fund, administered by the Board of Soil and Water Resources, for the grant opportunities to fund the Joint Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan, Doran Creek, Lake Traverse Water Quality Improvement Project (Phases 1 - 3), Redpath Flood Impoundment, Mustinka River Rehabilitation, and WCD #Sub-1.

Funding for the Mustinka River Rehabilitation project was provided by the Red River Watershed Management Board, Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR),the State of Minnesota Outdoor Heritage Fund Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council, and the Legacy Act Clean Water Fund through the Board of Water and Soil Resources. For more information about how the funds are spent by the District please click here and for more information about the LCCMR grant funding source please click here.