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Board adopts Mississippi–Saint Cloud 1 watershed plan and joint powers agreement; first-year funding proposed
Summary
Benton County adopted the Mississippi–Saint Cloud 1 watershed plan and the accompanying joint powers agreement; presenters said the watershed covers 691,000 acres, FY25 programming requests total about $1.2 million for the first year, and commissioners named a primary appointee to the new board.
Emily Forbord, watershed and outreach specialist with the Vinton SWCD, presented the Mississippi–Saint Cloud 1 watershed plan and said it covers roughly 691,000 acres and focuses on restoring impaired waters, protecting high-quality resources and safeguarding groundwater and soil health.
"The total acreage of the watershed is 691,000 acres, and the main focus of the plan is to restore impaired waters and habitats, protect high-quality resources, and protect groundwater," Forbord said, outlining priority issues and measurable goals. She described implementation zones that include priority restoration areas in Benton County—Headwaters Elk, the Elk River and Saint Francis subwatersheds—and identified Mayhew Lake as a priority restoration lake for the county.
Commissioners moved to adopt the plan and then adopted the joint powers agreement to enable multi-jurisdictional implementation; the board also recommended Commissioner Johnson as the primary appointee with a named alternate. Forbord said initial funding requests programmed for fiscal year 2025 total about $1,200,000 and that the plan's implementation period extends to Dec. 31, 2027.
The joint powers agreement binds multiple counties and soil-and-water conservation districts to coordinate projects and prioritize best-management practices (BMPs) in high-priority areas; staff said the board will later identify the specific implementation board and its membership.
