South Heron Lake TMDL Implementation: Phase 2
The purpose of this project is to reduce phosphorus entering South Heron Lake (SHL), which currently does not meet state standards for this water pollutant. Efforts will be focused on Jackson County Judicial Ditch 3 (JD3), which has been petitioned to the HLWD for improvement. JD3 drains 52 percent of the SHL watershed, highlighting its importance in making meaningful progress towards water pollution reduction. The practices include eleven water and sediment control basins and a 10-acre storage and treatment wetland restoration. The practices provides a total phosphorus load reduction of 2,372 pounds annually.
Historically, the Heron Lake watershed was wetland prairie with saturated, organically rich soils. Those soils were perfect for farming. To produce crops, fields are tilled. Excess water is directed to ditches or streams, which can cause erosion. Many lakes and wetlands were drained to increase the amount of farmable land. These landscape changes have contributed to water pollution, which has had a drastic impact on North and South Heron Lake (SHL), once key migratory waterfowl habitat.
The purpose of this project is to reduce phosphorus entering SHL, which currently does not meet state standards for this water pollutant. Too much phosphorus in a waterbody creates harmful algal blooms and decreased levels of dissolved oxygen, making it difficult for fish to live, aquatic plants to survive, and unpleasant for recreation. To address this, the Heron Lake Watershed District (HLWD) and Jackson Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) are actively partnering with landowners to implement projects to reduce phosphorus in the SHL watershed.
Efforts will be focused on Jackson County Judicial Ditch 3 (JD3), which has been petitioned to the HLWD for improvement. JD3 drains 52 percent of the SHL watershed, highlighting its importance in making meaningful progress towards water pollution reduction. The practices include eleven water and sediment control basins (WASCOB) and a 10-acre storage and treatment wetland restoration, which are proven to cost-effectively reduce phosphorus. The project also provides added benefits, such as erosion reduction, improved wildlife habitat, and protection from flooding. The practices provide a total phosphorus load reduction of 2372 pounds annually.
This project is the second phase of efforts to reduce phosphorus entering SHL. Additional funding has been secured through the EPA's 319 program to implement two wetland restorations, a streambank stabilization project, and several WASCOBs in adjacent portions of JD3, which drains to SHL.
Annie Felix-Gerth
(j) $750,000 the first year and $750,000 the second year are for technical assistance and grants for the conservation drainage program in consultation with the Drainage Work Group, coordinated under Minnesota Statutes, section 103B.101, subdivision 13, that includes projects to improve multipurpose water management under Minnesota Statutes, section 103E.015.
The projects will reduce phosphorus in SHL by 2372 pounds per year. Implementation of the practices will make meaningful progress towards the reduction goal for SHL of 79 percent, as identified in the WFDMR and Heron Lake TMDL Report (TMDL Report).
Grant funds funded 12 Alternative Side Inlets (instead of 11 Water and Sediment Control Basins) and a Wetland Restoration Project implementation that will suspend 1503.6 pounds of phosphorus a year (as opposed to 2372 pounds as proposed).
LOCAL LEVERAGED FUNDS