Wadena Soil and Water Conservation District Surface Water Assessment Grant (SWAG) 2022

This project will utilize eight surface water sites in the Redeye River Watershed to collect chemical samples and complete field analysis that will be helpful in determining the health of the streams in the watershed. The Redeye River Watershed contains three main rivers (Red Eye, Leaf, and Wing) that drain to the Crow Wing River and ultimately to the Mississippi River. Main concerns in this watershed are low dissolved oxygen levels, excess sediment, increased drainage and flow alterations, and high bacteria levels. These eight sites are equally distributed in Otter Tail and Wadena Counties and include sites on Bluff Creek, Leaf River, Red Eye River, Oak Creek, and the Wing River. Stream sampling will occur multiple times from early May to early September of 2022 and 2023. Parameters to be tested include TSS, TP, Chloride, hardness, E. Coli, Secchi tube, specific conductance, temperature, pH, DO, and user perception assessments (recreational suitability, appearance, and stage). The Redeye River One Watershed One Plan includes goals of reducing bacteria, phosphorus, sediment, and nitrogen and encourages monitoring to determine water quality trends. Collection of this data is crucial in determining surface water quality conditions and targeting focal areas for implementing best management practices in the future.