2016 Lake Emily Watershed BMP Targeted Implementation Project

The Lake Emily Watershed BMP Targeted Implementation Project will provide funding for 48 water and sediment control projects and potential shoreline and riparian restoration. This work would address surface water quality sources identified in the water plan (Section 2-pg 11) including direct drainage from the Lake Emily sub-watersheds (070200050304, 070200050303, 070200050203, 070200050201, 070200050202) the Little Chippewa, and from upstream discharge between Lake Emily and Lake Minnewaska. The Pope County Water Plan has identified surface water quality and erosion control as the top two priority resource concerns in the 2013-2023 Comprehensive Water Plan (page 1-17). These two priorities account for 33% of the phosphorus loading to Lake Emily. Lake Emily is identified in the Eight Lake TMDL study and the Pope County Water plan as being impaired for excessive nutrients. In recent years, Pope County has had rainfall events 2-4 times a summer that have caused severe gully erosions. By utilizing water and sediment control basins as identified in the TMDL implementation plan (section 1.1 page 3) and the Pope County Water Plan (2-25) as a method of lowering the annual load of TSS and TP water quality trends improve and not decline. This proposal will target the highest contributing direct drainage areas to implement projects. Based on averages calculated from past WASCOBs in the West Central area these projects have the potential to reduce the sediment load leaving the field by 1,121 Tons/year of TSS and 960 lbs/year of TP which will directly address 15% of Lake Emily's TP reduction goal for direct drainage from storm water runoff. A Water Quality Decision Support App (WQDSA) has also been completed and projects identified in this application in the medium to highest category will receive priority for funding.