The Castle Rock Wetland Mitigation Bank was established to provide high-quality compensatory mitigation for unavoidable wetland impacts, as authorized by the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Serving Bank Service Area 8, this project restores critical wetland and prairie ecosystems while supporting regional water quality and wildlife habitat.

Project Objectives

• Rehabilitation: Restore degraded ecological functions across 122.8 acres of historical wetlands and buffer areas.
• Wetland Restoration: Re-establish and sustain 109 acres of functioning wetlands.
• Prairie Restoration: Restore and sustain 12.3 acres of mesic prairie.

Ecological Impact

The Castle Rock project is designed to increase native plant diversity and support pollinator populations, including bees and butterflies. Restored wetlands and prairies provide important stopover habitat for migratory birds, while also improving local water quality through reduced nitrogen and phosphorus discharges into the watershed.