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OutdoorMN News - Many Minnesota outdoor recreational facilities, buildings in disrepair


Rick

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Gov. Mark Dayton asks Legislature for $130 million in natural resources asset preservation support for DNR

Visitors to Jay Cooke State Park are awed by the scenic views of the St. Louis River and the historic swinging bridge. But one thing they won’t find at this iconic park is water for drinking or flushing toilets.

That is because the park’s main water line failed this winter, forcing the park to shut down the water supply and close all of its bathrooms with flush toilets.

The broken water line is among the growing list of repairs needed throughout the state to hundreds of roofs, dilapidated bridges, washed out roads and culverts, substandard electrical service, and failing mechanical and utility systems.

As part of his 2018 Public Works bill, Gov. Mark Dayton is asking the Legislature to invest $130 million in urgently needed improvements to Department of Natural Resources’ buildings and other infrastructure. The DNR needs to make these fixes in order to provide recreation and natural resources services. These repairs also create hundreds of construction jobs for Minnesotans.

“My Public Works bill would invest $130 million to maintain and restore recreational buildings, access roads, campgrounds, boat launches, fishing piers, and other infrastructure across Minnesota,” Dayton said. These projects are essential for protecting our environment and improving recreational opportunities for Minnesotans. I urge the Legislature to preserve these Minnesota treasures for future generations by passing a robust Public Works bill that invests in our natural resources.”

DNR Commissioner Tom Landwehr said the list of repairs needed at DNR facilities across the state grows longer each year.

“These are facilities owned by the citizens of Minnesota and managed by the DNR,” said Landwehr. “Many of these needs are becoming urgent and require immediate funding to slow or stop their decline.”

According to the DNR’s most recently completed facility assessment, the agency has more than $35 million of building components in need of immediate repair or replacement. The DNR also has hundreds of millions of dollars of other investments needed over the next decade to prevent asset failures like the broken water line at Jay Cooke State Park. Repair costs increase about 8 percent annually, so addressing these problems now saves Minnesota money over the long term.

The 10-year capital needs report shows 192 of the agency’s inventory of 2,700 buildings are in crisis or unacceptable condition, and 520 are in poor condition. Some DNR forest road or trail bridges are weight restricted due to structural deterioration over time – meaning logging trucks and grooming vehicles can’t use them.

Many facilities have hidden infrastructure that is essential to outdoor recreationalists. In addition to Jay Cooke State Park, Blue Mounds State Park, near Luverne, has been without potable water for several years because of well contamination. Aging waste water treatment systems at other state parks, such as Itasca and Myre Big Island, also need replacement.

“Some basic services for people—access to clean drinking water and functional bathrooms—are now not being met at DNR facilities,” said Landwehr. “That is just simply unacceptable for a state whose $13 billion tourism economy is based on high-quality outdoor recreation opportunities.”

Fixing trails, hatcheries, state buildings, and water control structures

Other types of infrastructure needed to support DNR recreation programs also require repair. The DNR needs to make critical repairs to its fish hatcheries, including one near Lanesboro that supplies thousands of trout for anglers. Many water control structures – used at wildlife management areas to maintain water levels for waterfowl – are more than four decades old and need to be fixed.

More than 100 miles of state trails are in need of repairs. The agency is hoping to secure bonding funds for resurfacing, culvert and bridge replacements, erosion control, and accessibility improvements for the Sakatah, Root River, Gateway, Willard Munger, and Blufflands state trails.

Additionally, many buildings used by agency staff and the public require new roofs, heating and air conditioning systems, and modifications to ensure accessibility.

“Our natural resources-related facilities have been used hard and loved well,” Landwehr said. “Investments are needed now to ensure we leave the next generation with the same quality facilities and natural resources our own generation has been enjoying.”

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • Brianf.
      I'm not there, so I can't tell exactly what's going on but it looks like a large area of open water developed in the last day with all of the heavy snow on the east side of wake em up Narrows. These two photos are from my Ring Camera facing north towards Niles Point.  You can see what happened with all of snow that fell in the last three days, though the open water could have been wind driven. Hard to say. .  
    • SkunkedAgain
      Black Bay had great ice before but a few spots near rockpiles where there were spots of open water. It looks like the weight of the snow has created a little lake in the middle of the bay.  
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the south end...   Thanks to some cold spring weather, ice fishing continues strong for those still ice fishing.  The bite remains very good.  Most resorts have pulled their fish houses off for the year, however, some still have fish houses out and others are allowing ATV and side by sides.  Check social media or call ahead to your favorite resort for specifics. Reports this week for walleyes and saugers remain excellent.   A nice mix of jumbo perch, pike, eelpout, and an occasional crappie, tullibee or sturgeon being reported by anglers. Jigging one line and using a live minnow on the second line is the way to go.  Green, glow red, pink and gold were good colors this week.     Monster pike are on a tear!  Good number of pike, some reaching over 45 inches long, being caught using tip ups with live suckers or dead bait such as smelt and herring in 8 - 14' of water.   As always, work through a resort or outfitter for ice road conditions.  Safety first always. Fish houses are allowed on the ice through March 31st, the walleye / sauger season goes through April 14th and the pike season never ends. On the Rainy River...  The river is opened up along the Nelson Park boat ramp in Birchdale, the Frontier boat ramp and Vidas boat ramp.  This past week, much of the open water skimmed over with the single digit overnight temps.   Areas of the river have popped open again and with temps getting warmer, things are shaping up for the last stretch through the rest of the spring season, which continues through April 14th.   Very good numbers of walleyes are in the river.  Reports this week, even with fewer anglers, have been good.  When temps warm up and the sun shines, things will fire up again.   Jigs with brightly colored plastics or jigs with a frozen emerald shiner have been the desired bait on the river.  Don't overlook slow trolling crankbaits upstream as well.   Good reports of sturgeon being caught on the river as well.  Sturgeon put the feed bag on in the spring.  The bite has been very good.  Most are using a sturgeon rig with a circle hook loaded with crawlers or crawlers / frozen emerald shiners. Up at the NW Angle...  Ice fishing is winding down up at the Angle.  Walleyes, saugers, and a number of various species in the mix again this week.  The bite is still very good with good numbers of fish.  The one two punch of jigging one line and deadsticking the second line is working well.   Check with Angle resorts on transport options from Young's Bay.  Call ahead for ice road guidelines.  
    • CigarGuy
      With the drifting, kind of hard to tell for sure, but I'm guessing about a foot and still lightly snowing. Cook end!
    • PSU
      How much snow did you get on Vermilion? 
    • Mike89
      lake here refroze too...  started opening again yesterday with the wet snow and wind...  very little ice left today...
    • Hookmaster
      A friend who has a cabin between Alex and Fergus said the lake he's on refroze. He texted me a pic from March 12th when it was open and one from 23rd when it wasn't. 🤯
    • SkunkedAgain
      I don't think that there has been any ice melt in the past few weeks on Vermilion. Things looked like a record and then Mother Nature swept in again.   I'll give my revised guess of April 21st
    • leech~~
      As I get older it's really not just about sending bullets down range.  Some of it's just the workmanship of the gun and the wow factor. The other two guns I have really wanted which I'll never have now because of their price, is a 8mm Jap Nambu and 9mm German Luger.   Just thought they always looked cool!  
    • jim curlee
      I had a guy hit me with a lightly used 1969 BAR, he wanted $1650 with an older Leupold scope. More than I think they are worth, I made an offer, he declined end of story.   You know if you look at the old brochures, a grade II BAR sold for $250 in the late 60s, $1650 would be a good return on your investment.    Why would anybody want a 50 year old gun, they are heavy, have wood stocks, and blued metal.  I guess mainly to keep their gun safes glued to the floor. lol   You can probably buy a stainless rifle that you never have to clean, with a synthetic stock you never have to refinish, is as light as a feather, and for half as much money, perfect.   I'm too old for a youth gun, although I've shrunk enough that it would probably fit. lol   No Ruger 10/44s.   Jim      
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