A Clean Water Fund grant awarded to the Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Organization (VRWJPO) provided for Conservation Corps Minnesota AmeriCorps members to work diligently for six days in June on a variety of projects in the Vermillion River Watershed. Members formed two crews and worked with City of Lakeville and VRWJPO staff on four sites improving habitat and water quality and stabilizing banks.

The crews planted 20 trees and 9 shrubs along the banks of South Creek in Farmington. Each was protected with a wire cage to prevent animal browsing, mulched and wrapped to prevent rodent damage and sunscald. The trees and shrubs will provide bank stability and will shade the stream to maintain or reduce water temperature.

Also in Farmington, crews placed approximately 10 tons of large rocks in Middle Creek’s streambed to add habitat and cover for fish and macroinvertebrates.

The crews planted 50 trees and 50 shrubs in the Avonlea Development (Lakeville) along a restored section of Middle Creek. The trees and shrubs will shade the stream, add bank stability and increase wildlife habitat.

A newly stabilized drainage channel near 205^th Street in Lakeville was planted with 40 trees and 30 shrubs to further enhance the channel’s restoration. Trees and shrubs were mulched and will provide bank stabilization and increase wildlife habitat.

Additional restoration work at these four sites, plus one additional site, is planned for the CCM crews in October.