Natural Prioritizing Conservation Project ImplementationProjects with Partners

Minnesota Traditions



In 2016 the MHB created a campaign to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species (zebra mussels, Eurasian watermilfoil). Thirty minute infomercials were created and aired on Fox Sports North and a social media campaign named Minnesota Traditions was launched to help educate and change Minnesotan’s behavior when they recreate in our lakes, rivers, and streams. Throughout the campaign, many different media were used to educate the user, but the social media campaign seemed to be the most successful strategy to reach people and change behavior. Today the social media program reached millions of Minnesotans on Facebook and Twitter to implement Clean, Drain, & Dry techniques at the boat launches, and Dispose of bait properly. This program complements the local county inspectors at the boat accesses and the resource messaging can be found on this website at: MHB Education

Resource Documents: Stormwater Reports

In 2014 and 2015 the MHB received Clean Water Fund grants from the Board of Water and Soil Resources to help identify and rank stormwater pollution priorities in 12 cities. This innovative study was new at the time because it studied stormwater pollutants and developed a prioritization methodology at a regional level. This methodology lead Soil & Water Conservation District to successfully compete and receive implementation grants to help protect pollutants from entering the Mississippi River.

MHB Strategic Plan

In 2020, the MHB board adopted a long range strategic plan to help protect the watersheds that drain to the Mississippi River. It strategic plan aligned our efforts with the One Watershed One Plan efforts being done in the MHB member counties. The document provided data to focus the efforts of organizations when implementing land protection programs (easements, fee-title acquisitions, and Sustainable Forest Incentive Practices). Below is a powerpoint that provides maps of the protection areas.

Mississippi Headwaters Habitat Corridor Program

In 2016, the Mississippi Headwaters Board developed a program in partnership with the Board of Water and Soil Resources and The Trust for Public Land to protect critical fish and wildlife habitat values on private land that lies on the Mississippi River, headwaters lakes and reservoirs, and contributing tributaries. The program uses Outdoor Heritage funds created from the Clean Water Land and Legacy constitutional amendment to create and expand contiguous habitat complexes of permanently protected shoreland.

Resource Documents: Sub Watershed Prioritization Maps

In 2014, Implementation plans and methodologies were developed for the County Local Water Plan by the MHB through a Clean Water Fund grant in the 8 MHB member counties. The methodology measured risk by using GIS data and classified each watershed on the Mississippi River as a low risk to high risk based on the percent of public land and percent of disturbed land. It also identified key point source risks that enabled the implementer to identify and treat. The MHB board of commissioners used this methodology and adapted it into their local county water plans. Today this methodology is being used in the One Watershed One Plan program.

Mississippi River Water Plan Implementation Chapters/Catchment Maps (by County)

Mississippi River Water Plan Implementation Chapters/Catchment Maps (by County)

Mississippi River Water Plan Implementation Chapters/Catchment Maps (by County)