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Kandiyoi Soil and Water asks county for $420,800 to match state and federal conservation grants
Summary
Margaret Johnson of the Kandiyoi Soil and Water Conservation District presented a 2026 budget request seeking $420,800 in county support (about 23% of the district budget) to leverage state and federal grants for private-land conservation, watershed planning and well decommissioning assistance.
Margaret Johnson, executive director of the Kandiyoi Soil and Water Conservation District, presented the district's 2026 budget request to the Kandiyoi County Board on Aug. 5, asking the county to contribute $420,800 as local match to access larger pools of state and federal conservation funding.
Johnson told commissioners the requested county contribution is about 23% of the district's total budget; the remainder comes from state and federal sources and from program-generated revenues. She said local match funds are essential to compete for state and federal grants that fund technical assistance, cost-share projects and perpetual easements.
Johnson reviewed the district's work and local conservation priorities: comprehensive watershed planning across four major watersheds (North Fork, South Fork, Hawk Creek and Chippewa), private-lands conservation, cost-sharing and technical assistance for landowners, and programs addressing buffer law, wetland restoration and pollinator habitat.
The district highlighted county landscape statistics: the county covers about 551,000 acres; Johnson said there are 361 lakes (defined in her presentation as lakes larger than 10 acres), and roughly 29% of the county is water when wetlands, lakes and bogs are included. She said 61% of the county's surface water area is wetlands and 39% is lakes. Johnson also reported that 40% of sampled lakes in the county are listed as impaired and that the county has lost close to 90% of its historical wetlands.
Johnson also raised well-water and nitrate concerns, noting that wells with nitrate above 10 mg/L should not be used for drinking water; her office assists landowners with well decommissioning and can provide financial assistance up to 100% in priority areas. She said the district uses local contractors and that each $1 spent on conservation locally generates $1.81 in local economic activity.
The presentation was received for information; the district requested the county consider the funding ask during the 2026 budget process.
