Rock County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) directors extended 20 approved projects for completion in 2020 at their meeting Monday morning.
The projects were slotted for completion this year, but weather prevented $340,000 of flood relief work from being completed through the Land Management Office.
Twenty-two projects were finished in 2019, with LMO staff currently working on an additional 25 projects.
“Mother Nature has not been kind — excessive rains have saturated the areas we need to work in to construct these conservation projects,” said LMO Assistant Director Doug Bos. “This year’s weather patterns only allowed small windows of time to get the work done before it would rain again.”
The $340,000 in extended flood relief work is part of the LMO SWCD 2020 budget of $537,970.
Directors unanimously approved the 2020 budget and individually approved the extensions of the 2019 unfinished projects to June or December 2020.
“We all need a gentle spring,” said office manager Mary Thompson.
Bosch joins LMO as engineering technician
Brandon Bosch, a Luverne High School 2011 graduate, joined the Land Management Office as an engineering technician.
He replaced Lance Wheeler, who accepted a similar position in Pipestone County.
Bosch’s desire to work in soil conservation stems from growing up on the family farm near Ash Creek in southern Rock County and his enjoyment of hunting and fishing. He is the son of Larry and Nicie Bosch.
“We need to leave the resources in better shape than we started with,” he said.
Bosch began in the LMO office in mid-November. He’ll primarily work on soil conservation projects as well as assist with the feedlot program.
After graduating from Bemidji State University with a degree in environmental studies in May 2015, Bosch worked at Great Plains Processing in Luverne as a health, safety, environment and quality lead.
He currently lives in Steen. In addition to outdoor activities, he likes to play basketball.
In other business, the SWCD directors:
•voted to rescind the November approval of the Missouri River One Watershed One Plan resolution and joint powers agreement.
After the Nov. 18 meeting, Rock County Commissioners added more restrictions to the joint powers agreement.
Directors unanimously supported the new restrictions.
The One Watershed One Plan defines conservation projects in Rock, Pipestone, Nobles, Jackson, Lincoln and Murray counties until 2028.
“It’s easier to be more restrictive earlier than later,” Bos said.
•were notified Rock County SWCD would receive $127,905 in 2020 as local capacity funds and $25,000 for implementation of state buffer compliance law.
•set their next meeting for 8 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 21.