City of Kandiyohi and Private Lands Project
September 2007
United States Fish and Wildlife Services
A photo overlay of project identifying wetland restorations and tile re-route in
relation to city boundary
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Excavator digging trench to re-route drainage tile line away from the City of Kandiyohi |
Constructed low level berm to hold shallow water in wetland basin and away from
city park
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The City of Kandiyohi, just east of Willmar, has historically experienced flooding
in its city park and “blow-outs” or sink-holes due to a large sub-surface drainage
tile that drained wetlands on neighboring farmland and ran through the city via
the storm water drainage system.
Through a cooperative effort initiated by staff at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s
(USFWS) Litchfield Wetland Management District, neighboring landowners and the City
of Kandiyohi worked together to restore four wetlands totaling approximately 23
acres and re-route the tile line away from the City to alleviate future flooding
problems. Water control structures were installed in the tile lines and a small
embankment was constructed on the south end of the large wetland to maintain water
elevations in the wetland basins and hold flood water away from the City. Surrounding
acreage was enrolled in the USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program to provide a grassland
buffer around the wetland basins.
Funding for the project was provided by a grant from the Environment and Natural
Resources Trust Fund through Phase III of the Habitat Corridors Project, the City
of Kandiyohi, the Kandiyohi County Water Task Force, and the USDA. Technical expertise
and funding for the project was also provided by USFWS staff through the Partners
for Fish and Wildlife (PFW) program.