Lower Minnesota River West Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan Resident Survey

The counties and soil and water conservation districts of Sibley, McLeod, and Nicollet, along with the High Island Creek Watershed District (Partners), formed a partnership to create a Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan (Plan) under Minnesota’s One Watershed, One Plan (1W1P) framework. The Plan will identify and prioritize water and natural resource issues within the Lower Minnesota River West planning area (see figure) and lay out projects, programs, and activities to be implemented by the Partners over a 10 year period to address those issues. Upon approval and adoption of the Plan, the Partners will be eligible for Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources Watershed-based Implementation Funds, which will provide a reliable source of funding for implementation.

In developing the Plan, the Partners are seeking input from watershed residents like you. Stakeholder input is critical in identifying the important issues to be addressed by the Plan and building local support for future Plan implementation. Please take a few minutes to complete this brief survey.

Completed surveys will be eligible for a prize drawing of a $100 Visa Gift Card! Please include your contact information in question 10 if you would like to be included in the drawing!

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* 1. What is your county of residence?

McLeod

Nicollet

Renville

Sibley

Other (please specify)

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* 2. Please select all of the following items that apply to you:

Farmer (landowner)

Farmer (tenant)

Absentee landowner

Rural resident

City/town resident

Lakeshore/shoreline resident

Elected official

Government employee (local, state, or federal)

Student

Outdoor enthusiast

Other (please specify)

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* 3. Do you identify with any special interest groups in the area (e.g., farm organizations, church groups, fish/wildlife groups)?

Yes (please specify)

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* 4. How do you use the lakes, ponds, wetlands, streams, rivers, and natural areas in your community? Please select all that apply:

Wildlife watching

Walking, running, or exercising on trails

Canoeing, kayaking, or paddle boarding

Swimming

Motor boating

Hunting

Fishing

Camping

Enjoying the view

None

Other (please specify)

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* 5. How often do you use the lakes, ponds, wetlands, streams, rivers, and natural areas in your area for recreational purposes?

Monthly or more frequently

5-10 times per year

A few times per year

Less frequently than once every year

Never

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* 6. How important are the following natural resources in your area?

	very important	somewhat important	a little important	not important	don't know / no opinion
Rivers and streams	Rivers and streams very important	Rivers and streams somewhat important	Rivers and streams a little important	Rivers and streams not important	Rivers and streams don't know / no opinion
Wetlands	Wetlands very important	Wetlands somewhat important	Wetlands a little important	Wetlands not important	Wetlands don't know / no opinion
Lakes	Lakes very important	Lakes somewhat important	Lakes a little important	Lakes not important	Lakes don't know / no opinion
Farmland	Farmland very important	Farmland somewhat important	Farmland a little important	Farmland not important	Farmland don't know / no opinion
Public land	Public land very important	Public land somewhat important	Public land a little important	Public land not important	Public land don't know / no opinion
Private conservation land	Private conservation land very important	Private conservation land somewhat important	Private conservation land a little important	Private conservation land not important	Private conservation land don't know / no opinion
Forests	Forests very important	Forests somewhat important	Forests a little important	Forests not important	Forests don't know / no opinion
Groundwater	Groundwater very important	Groundwater somewhat important	Groundwater a little important	Groundwater not important	Groundwater don't know / no opinion

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* 7. How important are each of the following water- and resource-related issues to you?

	very important	somewhat important	a little important	not important	don't know / no opinion
Quality of groundwater and drinking water supply	Quality of groundwater and drinking water supply very important	Quality of groundwater and drinking water supply somewhat important	Quality of groundwater and drinking water supply a little important	Quality of groundwater and drinking water supply not important	Quality of groundwater and drinking water supply don't know / no opinion
Groundwater quantity and groundwater sustainability	Groundwater quantity and groundwater sustainability very important	Groundwater quantity and groundwater sustainability somewhat important	Groundwater quantity and groundwater sustainability a little important	Groundwater quantity and groundwater sustainability not important	Groundwater quantity and groundwater sustainability don't know / no opinion
Water quality of rivers and streams	Water quality of rivers and streams very important	Water quality of rivers and streams somewhat important	Water quality of rivers and streams a little important	Water quality of rivers and streams not important	Water quality of rivers and streams don't know / no opinion
Water quality of lakes	Water quality of lakes very important	Water quality of lakes somewhat important	Water quality of lakes a little important	Water quality of lakes not important	Water quality of lakes don't know / no opinion
Function and maintenance of drainage ditches	Function and maintenance of drainage ditches very important	Function and maintenance of drainage ditches somewhat important	Function and maintenance of drainage ditches a little important	Function and maintenance of drainage ditches not important	Function and maintenance of drainage ditches don't know / no opinion
Drainage from farm fields	Drainage from farm fields very important	Drainage from farm fields somewhat important	Drainage from farm fields a little important	Drainage from farm fields not important	Drainage from farm fields don't know / no opinion
Appropriate manure management	Appropriate manure management very important	Appropriate manure management somewhat important	Appropriate manure management a little important	Appropriate manure management not important	Appropriate manure management don't know / no opinion
Flooding and surface water quantity issues	Flooding and surface water quantity issues very important	Flooding and surface water quantity issues somewhat important	Flooding and surface water quantity issues a little important	Flooding and surface water quantity issues not important	Flooding and surface water quantity issues don't know / no opinion
Wetland / water storage	Wetland / water storage very important	Wetland / water storage somewhat important	Wetland / water storage a little important	Wetland / water storage not important	Wetland / water storage don't know / no opinion
Invasive species	Invasive species very important	Invasive species somewhat important	Invasive species a little important	Invasive species not important	Invasive species don't know / no opinion
Impacts of climate change	Impacts of climate change very important	Impacts of climate change somewhat important	Impacts of climate change a little important	Impacts of climate change not important	Impacts of climate change don't know / no opinion
Wildlife habitat degradation or loss	Wildlife habitat degradation or loss very important	Wildlife habitat degradation or loss somewhat important	Wildlife habitat degradation or loss a little important	Wildlife habitat degradation or loss not important	Wildlife habitat degradation or loss don't know / no opinion
Ravine, stream, and shoreline erosion	Ravine, stream, and shoreline erosion very important	Ravine, stream, and shoreline erosion somewhat important	Ravine, stream, and shoreline erosion a little important	Ravine, stream, and shoreline erosion not important	Ravine, stream, and shoreline erosion don't know / no opinion
In-field erosion	In-field erosion very important	In-field erosion somewhat important	In-field erosion a little important	In-field erosion not important	In-field erosion don't know / no opinion
Pollutant loading to surface and groundwater	Pollutant loading to surface and groundwater very important	Pollutant loading to surface and groundwater somewhat important	Pollutant loading to surface and groundwater a little important	Pollutant loading to surface and groundwater not important	Pollutant loading to surface and groundwater don't know / no opinion

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* 8. Are there specific waterbodies or natural resources you are worried about?

Yes (what are your specific concerns?)

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* 9. Please share any additional comments you have regarding water and natural resource management in your area:

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* 10. Please provide your contact information below if you are interested in being contacted for any of the following reasons (select all that apply):

$100 Visa Gift Card Drawing

Best Management Practice (BMP) implementation opportunities

Meetings/events related to Plan development and implementation

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* 11. Enter contact information if you answered Q10:

Name:

Address:

Phone number:

Email: