Obtaining additional funding for the dredging of Fountain Lake will be the Shell Rock River Watershed District’s top legislative priority for the upcoming session, District Administrator Andy Henschel said during the Board of Managers meeting Tuesday.

Henschel said district staff are looking to travel up to the Legislature to meet one-one-one with legislators and Gov. Tim Walz about the dredging project in the coming weeks, and he hoped some of the board members and Albert Lea City Council members could also attend.

“The more support we can get up there, the better we are,” he said.

The district stated previously it plans to request an additional $7.5 million for the dredging project, which will allow for additional sediment to be dredged from the lake than initially planned. Costs per cubic yard were also higher than initially expected when the Watershed District previously requested bonding funds.

Dredging has been underway on the lake already for two years and is anticipated to move into the main bay this year. If the bonding funds are granted, it will allow the district to use the money to dredge from City Beach to the Fountain Lake dam, as well as limited dredging of Bancroft Bay.

In other action:

• The Shell Rock River Watershed District is slated to receive $2.2 million through the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council this session, according to an update given by Watershed District Project Manager Courtney Phillips.

Phillips said the district had been expected to receive $1.8 million but that number increased after more funding was forecasted to be available.

Funds will go toward the ninth phase of the Watershed District’s habitat restoration program.

• Phillips said plans for the Vandegrift wetland restoration are about 60% complete. The watershed purchased the property, which consists of 19 acres near Minnesota Highway 13 and Interstate 90, in 2019.

She said the district has received comments regarding the plans from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources but is awaiting comments from the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources.

Plans should be completed in the next few months with construction slated to begin in the spring.

• The board awarded the bid to Barth Construction Inc. for stream bank restoration for the Lower Twin Lake fish barrier project.

• The board approved the last two easements for the Lower Twin Lake fish barrier stream enhancements.

Henschel said the board had already approved six or seven easements for the project.

• Henschel said the Pioneer Park shoreline erosion project on Fountain Lake has started. The Watershed District partnered with the city on the project.

He said during construction, part of the walking trail near the park will be detoured.

• The board voted to combine two projects into one for purposes of bidding. The projects are for shoreline and in-stream restoration near an aquatic management area near the Albert Lea dam and for stream bank restoration near the Iowa border of a waterfowl production area on the Shell Rock River.

• The board approved audit services with Hill, Larson, Walsh & Benda.

• The board approved continued services with Briggs and Morgan Professional Association.

• The board approved continued services with Peterson, Kolker, Haedt & Benda, the district’s primary attorneys.

• Designated the Albert Lea Tribune as the official legal newspaper.

• Designated U.S. Bank as the depository for district funds.

• Scheduled the monthly April board meeting and the annual meeting for April 16. The regular meeting will begin at 6 p.m., with the annual meeting to begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Albert Lea City Council Chambers.