Lake Washington Nutrient Reduction Project
Lake Washington is impaired for aquatic recreation, aquatic consumption, and aquatic life due to excess nutrients, specifically phosphorus (P). The goal of the Lake Washington Targeted Watershed P Reduction Project is to strategically place Best Management Practices (BMPs) in order to improve the quality of the water in the Washington watershed by 21% reduction in P; the lake requires 4,217lbs/yr or 60% reductions in external loading to meet water quality standards of aquatic recreation, aquatic consumption, and aquatic life. The proposed project will provide up to 1,499 lbs/yr of reductions. Tools used to target priority areas were Terrain Analysis (TA) & the Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), along with onsite visual concurrence. Through Geographic Information System (GIS), TA produced 7 moderate to high priority sites. Sites were field verified for priority (see map). Within the high priority areas, 22 economically feasible BMP projects would be installed. The projects include the following: Install 19 Water and Sediment Control Basins (WASCOBs) to reduce large scale field gullies that have caused large deposits of sediment and nutrients to outlets, Install 1 storm water catch basins to retain water and allow nutrients to settle adjacent to the lake, Restore 1 drained wetland to full capacity that will filter water from a high priority, nutrient rich subwatershed, and Install 225 ac of cover crops (CC) on targeted, high priority fields to significantly reduce sediment and nutrient discharge. Blue Earth Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) will only be participating in the CC program with this grant. All of their projects will go through the Le Sueur SWCD board.
Marcey Westrick
[Projects and Practices 2020] (b) $16,000,000 the first year and $16,000,000 the second year are for grants to local government units to protect and restore surface water and drinking water; to keep water on the land; to protect, enhance, and restore water quality in lakes, rivers, and streams; and to protect groundwater and drinking water, including feedlot water quality and subsurface sewage treatment system projects and stream bank, stream channel, shoreline restoration, and ravine stabilization projects. The projects must use practices demonstrated to be effective, be of long-lasting public benefit, include a match, and be consistent with total maximum daily load (TMDL) implementation plans, watershed restoration and protection strategies (WRAPS), or local water management plans or their equivalents. A portion of this money may be used to seek administrative efficiencies through shared resources by multiple local governmental units. Up to 20 percent of this appropriation is available for land-treatment projects and practices that benefit drinking water.
As identified in the TMDL and WRAPS, Lake Washington needs a P reduction of 60% or 4,217lbs/yr. The proposed project, when fully completed, will provide up to 1,499 lbs/yr or 21% of the 60% reduction needed to meet water quality standards.
LOCAL LEVERAGED FUNDS