This project brings together partners that include the local Bridgewater Township, Circle Lake Association and Tri-Lakes Sportsmen’s Club, and creates opportunities for non-farm and farming community members to learn from and support each other, adding great potential for sustained and perpetual practice change. It also creates farmer-to-farmer learning opportunities that promote best management practices and addresses farming impacts at the watershed scale. In addition, opportunities are created for students at St. Olaf College to gain long-term in-field and in-stream knowledge about agricultural practices, water quality testing and habitat assessment.

Because Rice Creek contains a self-sustaining Brook Trout population, Bridgewater Township sponsored the 2013 Rice Creek Assessment Project carried out by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources,
St. Olaf College, Trout Unlimited, and Clean Water Partners. Contributors were Rice Soil and Water Conservation District, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and the Rice Creek Concerned Citizens Group. Minnesota Trout Unlimited received Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council funding to enhance Rice Creek. Additionally, St. Olaf College uses Rice Creek for long-term macroinvertebrate studies.

Check out the Clean River Partners video: Cover Crops, Tillage, and Trout 
Current Projects: 

FY19 will be completed October 30, 2021. FY21 project will be completed in two years.

Project Activities, Methods, and Timetable:
May -Sep 2021
• Present cover crop plan to watershed farmers;
- Provide 66% of cover crop seed cost for acres currently planted with cover crops in Rice Creek watershed;
- Provide 70% of total cover crop cost for all new acres in Rice, Heath and Wolf Creek watersheds;
• Establish cover crop fields, planting plans and contracts with farmers.
• Rice SWCD and Clean River Partners staff work with farmers to identify fields and determine planting plans.

2021 cropping season and ending in 2023
• Rice SWCD contracts with farmers to plant cover crops;
• Farmers plant cover crops.

March - November 2021, 2022 and 2023
• Measure water quality impacts
- Grab sample water from 3 streams in 2 locations on each stream up to 8 times each year for 3 years. Test for nitrate, TSS and TP.
- Grab sample tile drainage from up to 20 locations up to 10 times per year, from fields planted with cover crops and from control fields without cover crops. Test for nitrate and phosphorus.

• Measure stream biology impacts
- Collect macro invertebrate population samples from 3 streams up to 3 times each year for 3 years.

Summer/Fall 2021- 2023
• Hold up to three farm field days (one per year);
• Publish up to 6 newspaper and newsletter articles (two per year);
• Provide mid-summer report to individual farmers.

Winter 2022 - 2023
• Hold two informational meetings with a meal for cooperating farmers;
• Provide annual report to farmers and partners.

Fall 2023
• Conduct fish population survey on each stream and compare results to previous survey results.