Some flood relief money goes to conservation projects

Flood damage
Minnesota Department of Transportation crews remove temporary levees, Monday, Oct. 4, 2010, near a 140-foot section of northbound Highway 169 near St. Peter, Minn. that was collapsed by the flooding Minnesota River last week. The major highway remains closed north of St. Peter as Mn/DOT works on an emergency contract to establish two-way traffic in the southbound lane and repair the washed-out roadway.
AP Photo/Mankato Free Press, John Cross

Some of the money the Legislature approved earlier this week for flood relief in southern Minnesota will go toward conservation projects.

John Jaschke, chair of the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources, says the board received $13 million in the disaster relief law signed by Gov. Tim Pawlenty after Monday's special session.

Jaschke said about $10 million will pay for conservation projects on marginal, flood-prone lands to try to prevent future flood damage to property in the 21 disaster-declared counties.

"Areas adjacent to rivers and streams where the water jumped out and moved across the land and did damage, we're going to look at putting permanent conservation cover back on those areas as well," he said.

Some of the money will be used to acquire permanent easements from willing landowners to hold back water in future floods. Jaschke said the $10 million in state money may leverage $10 million to 15 million in federal dollars.

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