Goose Lake Alum Treatment 2020

East Goose Lake (62-0034) in White Bear Lake, MN, is a listed impaired waterbody (303(d) Impaired Waters) for nutrient levels for recreational use. East Goose Lake total phosphorus (TP) and Chlorophyll-a levels average nearly 4 times shallow lake State standards. High nutrient levels have resulted in a lake that is devoid of vegetation and dominated by algae, including blue-green algae. VLAWMO seeks funding to perform a 2-phase alum treatment on East Goose Lake, as the most cost-effective means to remove biologically available phosphorus from the water column in East Goose and also improve the unnamed wetland, locally referred to as West Goose, located directly downstream (62'0126).

Studies conducted on East Goose Lake show that 88% of East Goose Lake's phosphorus loading is internal. Reports that provide more detail include the TMDL (Wenck, 2014) and feasibility study (Barr, 2018). A 91% overall reduction in phosphorus is needed to meet the MPCA TP standard for shallow lakes (Wenck, 2014).

Historical accumulated inputs combined with external inputs led to the current internal load. East Goose Lake was the discharge point for the White Bear Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant from the 1930s to the 1960s. Addressing problems in East Goose lake are important because it is part of the headwaters of Lambert Creek, tributary to East Vadnais Lake, which is the drinking water reservoir for more than 430,000 St. Paul residents. This area is also identified by the MDA Source Water Protection Area Map as High Priority (See attachments).

External loading has been and continues to be reduced in the subwatershed. Best management practices (BMPs) have been completed including stormpond additions (N = 7), a network of raingardens on County Rd. F, and major redevelopment BMPs. In 2019, Barr Engineering completed hydraulic/hydrologic modeling to identify and provide preliminary designs of 3 projects (WBF Grant P19-3281). One of these projects will be implemented spring 2020.