minnesota trout unlimited

Since voters overwhelmingly approved the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, MNTU and its seven chapters have worked with the Minnesota DNR and other conservation groups to restore and enhance over 19 miles of streams in Minnesota.

Last week, Governor Mark Dayton signed into law a bill containing an appropriation of $2.1 million to enable Minnesota Trout Unlimited to continue its work restoring in-stream, riparian and lake habitats around the State. The funding will come from the Outdoor Heritage Fund, and reimburse the direct construction expenses on 11 new habitat projects. This appropriation will be used by Minnesota Trout Unlimited chapters and members to improve habitat on thirteen streams and lakes. Habitat will be restored or improved on six northern Minnesota trout waters, two Twin Cities metropolitan area streams and five streams in the Driftless area of southeast Minnesota. The new appropriation becomes available in July and will fund 2013 field work on these trout waters: Boys Lake, Kimball Lake and Mink Lake in Cook County; a trout stream in Cook County; Camp Creek in Fillmore County; East Indian Creek in Wabasha County; Garvin Brook, Rush and Pine creeks in Winona County; Hay Creek in Goodhue County; Mill Creek in Olmsted County; Stewart River in Lake County and the Vermillion River in Dakota County.

At its April 2012 meeting, the Minnesota Council of Trout Unlimited spelled out its concerns regarding silica sand mining operations and their potential impacts upon water resources and coldwater fisheries. The statement formalizes the approach which the Council, chapters and local members have taken for the past year and more as they work with citizens and government to address this serious threat.