NEW ULM — Brown County commissioners will consider spending up to $1,800 of water planning funds for taking an additional sediment core from Sleepy Eye Lake for the Cottonwood River Watershed Restoration and Protection Program on May 22.

Brown County Water Planning has been involved in the Cottonwood River Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS) program since 2017. The program that includes the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and county water planners and Soil Water and Conservation District (SWCD) members, to better understand current and past pollutant loads that affect Cottonwood River Watershed water resources.

The primary focus of WRAPS is to develop an understanding of the watershed condition for water quality assessment, planning, implementation and measurement of results.

Watershed partners include Brown, Redwood, Murray and Cottonwood Counties, the MPCA, the SWCDs, Board of Water and Soil Conservation Districts (BWSR) and the Redwood Cottonwood River Control Area (RCRCA).

The Cottonwood River WRAPS group hired Wench Associates to develop the WRAPS report and watershed strategies. Water quality information is collected for watershed streams and lakes.

In addition, watershed sediment cores are taken to better understand water quality historically in the waterbody.

Funding is available for one sediment core in each major watershed lake. The WRAPS group proposes to take two sediment cores from Sleepy Eye Lake in the dredged and not dredged areas of the lake to measure phosphorus.

Phosphorus can be found naturally or may end up in the lake artificially. Taking two sediment cores will give a better understanding of whether or not phosphorus has been there very long or was recently introduced. The cost of an additional sediment core sample and analyzation is about $1,800.

Commissioners will also consider:

• Drainage ditch tree, brush and weed control bids.

• A public hearing continuation for John Bode’s petition in Linden Township to outlet to County Ditch 63 at 11 a.m.

• Authorizing a $3,937 payment for the purchase of a buffer easement owned by Bode, along CD 8, Linden Township.

• Planning Commission recommendations from May 8 at 11:30 a.m.

The meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the courthouse commissioner’s room.

fbusch@nujournal.com