The Water Quality and Storage Grant Program provides financial assistance to model, design, and construct projects and practices that will control water volume and rates to protect infrastructure, improve water quality and related public benefits, and mitigate climate change impacts.
Donor Name: Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources
State: Minnesota
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 12/23/2025
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
The Water Quality and Storage Program grants will establish storage practices in Minnesota with priority given to practices in the Minnesota River basin and the Lower Mississippi River basin in Minnesota. Practices must control water rates and/or volumes to protect infrastructure, improve water quality and related public benefits, and mitigate climate change impacts. Funding for two different efforts will be available through this opportunity: 1) modeling and conceptual design, and 2) final design and construction.
Funding Information
Funding for this application period is $4,500,000, with up to $500,000.
Eligible Activities
Eligible activities must result in a reduction to peak flow rates and/or volumes to demonstrate a decrease in downstream flooding, improvement of water quality or related public benefits, or to mitigate climate change impacts. Grants may include any number of practices, but the practices cumulatively must reduce the hydrograph peak at an area of interest (to be determined by the applicant). The area of interest must be identified at the time of application and an explanation provided of the flooding issues, water quality concerns, or climate vulnerabilities at that location. Pre-project and post-project runoff hydrographs must be provided to quantify the reduction in peak flow rate and/or volume. Presence of any public drainage systems near the proposed project must be identified on a map and included with the application.
Examples of eligible practices include, but are not limited to:
- Ponds without permanent pools (Dry detention ponds)
- Ponds with permanent pools (Wet detention ponds)
- Water and Sediment Control Basins (WASCOBs)
- Wetland Construction or Restorations
- Improvements or retrofits of existing storage areas to increase storage capacity or retention time
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible applicants include municipalities, towns, counties, soil and water conservation districts, watershed districts, or organizations formed for the joint exercise of powers, as defined under section 103B.305, subdivision 5, and includes Tribal Governments. LGU applicants must have a State approved and locally adopted local water management plan, comprehensive watershed management plan, watershed district plan, or soil and water conservation district (SWCD) comprehensive plan.
For more information, visit BWSR.
