Project Contact
Edd Twigg
Twin Cities TU President
edd@twincitiestu.org

Project Description
The Vermillion River in Dakota County is a special resource in Minnesota. Located within a half-hour drive of downtown St. Paul in a rapidly growing part of the south metro, the Vermillion harbors a self-sustaining population of trophy-sized brown trout. The number of large trout per mile in the Vermillion rivals any stream in the state with some fish approaching 30 inches in length, and its proximity to the Twin Cities metropolitan area creates the potential for significant use by anglers. However, public fishing areas on the Vermillion have been limited. In the last 5 years the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) has purchased 2 parcels on the Vermillion that provide access for anglers. These parcels are both degraded from past land management and need improvements to increase their ability to produce and support trout, and to provide a quality angling experience for the public.

Project 1 (Completed September of 2009)
In 2008 the MDNR purchased 46 acres of floodplain adjoining the Vermillion River in Dakota County. Prior to purchase the parcel had been used for cattle grazing, and the land shows lingering signs of damage from cattle trampling the banks and grazing streamside vegetation. The stream is over-wide in many places, leaving shallow depths that are not suitable for adult trout. Stream bank vegetation is dominated by reed canary grass, an invasive species that does a poor job of holding stream banks in place. The over-wide channel combined with a lack of streamside trees results in increased warming of the stream, stressing trout that need cold water to survive. In addition, the poor vegetation on the banks has lead to significant erosion of silt and sand into the stream. These fine materials reduce the ability of the stream to produce insect life that the trout feed on, and can smother trout eggs that are laid in gravel during spawning. There is also a lack of cover for fish in this reach of the Vermillion due to shallow pool depths, few undercut banks, and no woody habitat.

This project will address stream bank erosion and an over-wide channel along approximately 4000 feet of stream channel. A number of practices will be installed to stabilize stream banks and provide cover for fish. These include installation of woody habitat and root wads in the stream, bank sloping and reseeding with native plants, and installation of fish habitat structures. The project will limit the use of rock riprap in order to create a more natural appearance, and to allow the stream the ability to adjust to changing watershed conditions in the future. Tree planting will enhance future shading of the stream to help maintain cool water temperatures. The MDNR Trout Stream Habitat Specialist has agreed to assist Trout Unlimited with project design and construction oversight, and supports the proposed project. Project construction is proposed for September of 2009.

Project 2
The second MDNR parcel on the Vermillion River is larger than the one described in project 1, encompassing over 400 acres of land. There is over a mile of Vermillion River frontage in the parcel, but the river has been severely degraded by ditching done prior to the 1930′s. Air photos from that time show the remnants of the old meandering channel that was replaced by a ditch. The stream is still nearly straight on the property, a stark contrast to nearby parts of the Vermillion where the river takes a very meandering path. The lack of bends in the river results in a monotonous channel with little variation in depth or cover that trout prefer. Rivers are not stable when straightened, and the channel shows signs of erosion in many places where the stream is attempting to return to a more meandering state, and the early stages of bend formation can be seen. However, this process may take many decades to occur naturally, and in the process tons of sediment will be washed away as the stream recreates a more appropriate channel.

We propose to accelerate this natural process by creating a more natural stream channel to replace the ditch. Similar projects have been done in many places throughout the state, such as the Whitewater River in southeast Minnesota where several miles of new stream channel were constructed. The new stream channel on the Vermillion will replace the existing approximately 1 mile of ditch with over 1.5 miles of meandering stream channel. The new stream channel will also have fish cover structures on some bends to enhance habitat, and to help stabilize the stream banks. All stream banks will be planted in native vegetation, and trees will be planted along the new stream corridor to help maintain cool stream temperatures that trout require. The project will also have some side benefits beyond the river. MDNR wildlife staff has expressed an interest in plugging small ditches that drain land adjacent to the river as part of this project to restore wetland habitat.