Watershed Projects & Plans

Our region's rivers and creeks are a unique and critical resource. The South St. Louis Soil and Water Conservation District works collaboratively with many agencies and citizen groups to help improve the water quality and habitat of these Lake Superior tributaries.

We are currently most active in impaired watersheds, including Miller Creek, Knife River and Amity Creek.


This photo shows Beaver River at flood stage.

Other Watershed Projects

Tischer Creek Watershed

A 2011 cost-share project on Tischer Creek brought together engineering and energetic youth. Conservation Corps members (of MN and IA) salvaged lengths of a fallen black willow tree. Spiked into the streambank, the wood helps lessen the scouring power of floodwaters along that shore.

See slideshow of Willow Project (Oct 2011)

View video of Tischer Stream Vane (Oct 2010)

Read article on 2010 cost-share among neighbors (Jan 2011)

White Pine River Watershed
In 2009, the SWCD launched a new program to help small acreage landowners (5-20 acres) manage their parcels in the White Pine River Watershed (a tributary to the St. Louis River).These parcels are often too small to qualify for other conservation or tax incentive programs. The White Pine River is not impaired like other North Shore Rivers, and private landowners are critical in keeping it that way.

Funding for this project was partially provided by the Clean Water Legacy Act, a State program that aims to protect the health of existing high quality waters. The first phase of this program is complete, but we hope to expand the program to all small landowners in southern St. Louis County in the future. Click on the links below to see more information about this initiative.
Program Brochure
Watershed Map

Sucker River Watershed
In 2005, the South St. Louis Soil and Water Conservation District worked closely with the Lake Superior Basin Programmatic Work Group on a watershed project to benefit the Sucker River. The Sucker has remained a high-quality trout stream, even though parts of the watershed have undergone land-use changes. Preventing impacts to a stream is the key to keeping it in good shape - restoration is expensive, and it’s hard to get a damaged trout stream back. The goal of this project was to help watershed residents understand the link between their land and the health of the river, and learn what they can do to keep the Sucker in good shape. To this end, a watershed protection plan was developed to help communities and individuals adopt stewardship practices that prevent degradation of the Sucker River. Click on the links below to learn more about this project.
Sucker River Watershed Map
Sucker River Overview