The Rush River watershed (RRW) is a rural watershed in south central Minnesota that drains 257,770 acres (403 square miles) in three counties: Sibley (74% of area), Nicollet (24% of area) and McLeod (2% of area). The RRW comprises 22% of the total land area of the Lower Minnesota River watershed, a sub-basin of the Minnesota River Basin. The population of the Rush River watershed is estimated at 9,010 people, with 55% percent of the population living in the municipalities of Gaylord, Gibbon, Lafayette and Winthrop.
There are three branches to the Rush River: the north, middle and south branches. All three of these branches drain into the mainstem of the Rush River south of Henderson, MN. The combined stream length of all three branches and the mainstem is 50 miles. In addition, there are 500 miles of public open ditches, several miles of public and private tile lines and an estimated 7,000 open tile intakes providing drainage within the watershed. The Rush River watershed’s primary land use is agriculture, with 90% of the watershed acreage utilized for producing crops such as corn, soybeans, small grain and forage.
The overall goal of the Rush River Watershed Implementation Project Continuation (RRWIPC) is to improve and protect water quality and quantity in the Rush River watershed through the promotion and installation of targeted measurable Best Management Practices (BMPs), as well as education and outreach opportunities. The project will aim to foster watershed stewardship among residents of the Rush River watershed to achieve a legacy beyond the life of the continuation grant.
The Rush River Watershed is suffering from high levels of fecal coliform bacteria, total phosphorus, nitrate+nitrite-nitrogen, and total suspended solids. To improve water quality in the Rush River Watershed, we offer a variety of cost-share and incentives for Best Management Practices. Practices include open intake alternatives (slotted risers, rock tile inlets, dense pattern tiling), structural practices (water & sediment control basins, terraces, diversions, grade control structures), cover crops, vegetative practices (wetland restorations, filter strips, riparian buffes, grassed waterways), storm water management practices (rain gardens, rain barrels) and septic system upgrades.
