Physical and Digital Infrastructure Security Grant for Health Care Practitioners

The Multipurpose Drainage Management grant program, offered by the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR), aims to provide financial assistance for projects and practices that control water volume and rates. This program aligns with the broader mission of protecting infrastructure, improving water quality, and delivering related public benefits, while also mitigating climate change impacts. It serves as a competitive grant opportunity, with $900,000 available in FY24, to support multipurpose drainage management activities. The program's core objective is to reduce critical pollution in source areas, thereby decreasing erosion and sedimentation, lessening peak flows and flooding, and enhancing water quality. Simultaneously, it seeks to preserve drainage system efficiency and lower maintenance requirements for priority Chapter 103E drainage systems. The primary beneficiaries of this grant program are Chapter 103E drainage authorities, including County, Joint County Boards, or Watershed Districts, and Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs). The program strongly encourages partnerships between these entities to apply for and utilize the grant funds effectively. Local governments, such as counties, watershed districts, watershed management organizations, and SWCDs, are also eligible if they are operating under current State-approved and locally adopted water management plans. Municipalities can qualify if they have an approved water plan or adopted a comprehensive watershed management plan. Counties in the seven-county metropolitan area are eligible if they have adopted a county groundwater plan or a county comprehensive plan approved by the Metropolitan Council. The impact goals are centered on comprehensive water resource management, aiming for widespread environmental and infrastructural improvements across Minnesota. The grant program prioritizes a range of activities, including structural and non-structural practices and projects, project support, and grant management and reporting. Technical and engineering assistance is considered an essential component of eligible activities, to be factored into the total project or practice cost. The focus is explicitly on multipurpose drainage management practices that target specific pollution sources. By doing so, the program aims to address multiple environmental challenges simultaneously, such as reducing the physical degradation of land through erosion, preventing widespread water damage from flooding, and improving the overall ecological health of water bodies. This integrated approach ensures that interventions are holistic and yield compounded benefits. Expected outcomes from the funded projects include a measurable reduction in erosion and sedimentation, which will contribute to clearer waterways and healthier aquatic ecosystems. A decrease in peak flows and flooding is anticipated, leading to enhanced protection for infrastructure and agricultural lands, thereby reducing economic losses associated with water damage. Critically, the program expects a tangible improvement in water quality, which has direct public health and environmental benefits. Furthermore, by improving drainage system efficiency and reducing maintenance needs for Chapter 103E drainage systems, the program aims to create more sustainable and cost-effective water management solutions for the long term. These measurable results collectively support the strategic priorities of BWSR in fostering responsible water stewardship and resilience against climate change impacts.