This project supports the planning, coordination and civic engagement/outreach components of the Leech Lake River Major Watershed project. Phase 1 will focus towards the development of project teams, identifying stakeholders, developing an initial civic engagement strategic plan and reviewing current and past watershed project data. Phase II of this project will focus on source assessment, running of watershed modeling scenarios, lake protection planning, stressor identification and the continuation of the Civic Engagement components of the project.
The main outcome of Phase III of the project will be the final deliverable of a WRAPS report that will prescribe the restoration and protection strategies for the surface water resources within the Leech Lake River Watershed. The WRAPS will provide the analytical and strategic foundation which will be essential in protecting the surface water resources within this high quality watershed. Along with the development of the WRAPS report, this project will support the development and completion of the MPCA Stressor ID and Watershed Assessment reports to be completed for this watershed.
This project will initiate the process of community engagement in the LeSueur River watershed by assessing the needs and interests of the community and bringing a diverse set of stakeholders together to determine how best to foster action in improving and protecting water quality.
Minnesota Departments of Information Technology Services (MNIT) and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) are partnering with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to acquire high-resolution digital elevation data developed from airborne lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) for the Minnesota River East and West regions. The data will be used to generate Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) for use in engineering design and design reviews, conservation planning, research, delivery, floodplain mapping, and hydrologic modeling utilizing lidar technology.
This project will complete updates to existing information and incorporate new information into the Minnesota Stormwater Manual including the Blue Star Assessment tool. Stormwater practitioners use the information and assessment tool to implement the most effective and cost-efficient practices for managing stormwater runoff volume, stormwater pollutants, and to meet regulatory requirements associated with stormwater permits.
Four stream segments, totaling over 100 miles, are impaired in the Little Fork River for Total Suspended Solids (TSS) and this study will provide local partners with project options for reduction of sediment in the Little Fork Watershed. Through the use of sediment fingerprinting determinations can be made if the sediment is from in or near channel, or the watershed and identify what sub-watershed the sediment is coming originating.
The sediment fingerprinting design will be custom fit for the unique geology and land-use history in the Little Fork River Watershed. The design will identify potential sources of sediment pollution within the watershed, including soil erosion from upland forests and wetlands from subwatersheds with different glacial deposits and bedrock geology, gullies, riverbanks, and bluffs. This will enable local partners to field verify potential BMP locations with private and public land owners to mitigate sediment inputs to the Little Fork Watershed.
This phase one project is to develop an understanding of sediment transport and fate in the Little Fork River system through the use of sediment fingerprinting and a sediment budget by setting up sampling sites for target sediments and source sediments.
The MPCA has selected the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) watershed model to simulate watershed hydrology and water quality to assess various restoration scenarios in the Little Cannon River watershed. The SWAT model is an important tool in developing an understanding of existing conditions and simulating conditions under various management scenarios to inform the development of implementation strategies and plans to restore and protect streams and lakes.
The Little Fork River and Big Fork River - USGS FLOWSED project was established to collect site specific data for streamflow, SSC, and bedload at the Littlefork and Big Fork Rivers in Northern Minnesota; use the data to evaluate the use of dimensionless sediment rating curves for the rivers; and document the results of the study in conjunction with the results from other rivers in the state for the application of regional sediment rating curves to rivers in Minnesota.
Four stream segments, totaling over 100 miles, are impaired in the Little Fork River for Total Suspended Solids (TSS). This study will provide local partners with project options for reducing sediment in the Little Fork Watershed. Through the use of sediment fingerprinting determinations can be made if the sediment is from in (or near) channel, or the watershed and identify what sub-watershed the sediment is coming originating.
The Little Fork River Watershed Assessment will include the waters of the Rice River, Little Fork River, Flint Creek, Nett Lake River, Beaver Brook, Valley River, Willow River, Sturgeon River, Bear River, Dark River, and the Lost River. This Assessment will also include Little Bear Lake, Bear Lake, Thistledew Lake, Little Moose Lake, Raddison Lake, Napoleon Lake, Owen Lake, Dark Lake, Clear Lake, Long (Main) Lake, Dewey Lake, and Long (North) Lake. These lakes and streams are found throughout the Little Fork River Watershed, which spans parts of Koochiching, St. Louis and Itasca Counties.
The purpose of this project is to re-calculate the Littlefork river sediment Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) utilizing the 15 mg/L Total Suspended Solids (TSS) standard and update the associated Littlefork Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS) document.
This project will develop, implement, and evaluate civic engagement activities within the Rainy River Headwaters and Cloquet watersheds. In addition, Lake County will also assist in expanding water quality monitoring efforts in support of the Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) process.
The goal of this project is to develop a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for all impaired stream reaches and lakes within the Long Prairie and Red Eye Watersheds.
This project will provide surface water quality data to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to inform the Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS) update process. All locations are in the Douglas County portion of the Long Prairie Watershed. Sites have been targeted based on local knowledge and citizen concerns. A culvert inventory will also be completed through this project. This will provide flow path data that will be utilized in future water quality analysis and project designs.
This project will gather watershed data to support the development of a Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy with parameter-specific targets that will maintain or improve water quality for the Long Prairie River Watershed. This project will also provide an important framework for civic and citizen engagement and communication, contributing to long-term public participation in surface water protection and restoration activities throughout the watershed.
This project is to finalize the Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) and Watershed Restoration & Protection Strategies (WRAPS) for the Red Eye and Long Prairie Watersheds.
The purpose of this contract is to augment data collection efforts for the St. Louis River (SLR) Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) and for four impaired Duluth beaches. For the SLR WRAPS, activities include: attaining datasets for watershed stressors and geomorphic conditions, water quality gap monitoring, and a civic engagement component. Impaired beaches activities include: collection of field observational data, field water chemistry, and water quality samples for analytical analysis.
Beginning in June 2019, the St Louis River Watershed will start the second round of the Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS) process. This project helps the Carlton County SWCD (SWCD) initiate a broader citizen participation process in the Watershed. The SWCD staff will be enabled to create a greater degree of public interest in and awareness of the general health of the Watershed. This work will create the foundation for greater citizen involvement in the planning and implementation of restoration and protection activities in the Watershed.
The objectives of this project are to update and extend the simulation periods of the St. Louis River and Cloquet River watershed Hydrologic Simulation Program – FORTRAN (HSPF) model and the Duluth urban area HSPF model and conduct recalibration of the hydrology and water quality simulations. The model updates will support work to update the existing Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) reports.
State resource agencies are implementing a delisting strategy for the St. Louis River Area of Concern (AOC) by completing the Remedial Action Plan (RAP). A suite of 80 management actions in the RAP were developed to address specific Beneficial Use Impairments (BUI) identified throughout the estuary. Removing these legacy impacts often involves restoring historically altered habits by manipulating sediment characteristics, restoring shoreline function, and constructing under water features.
This project will provide a protocol for prioritizing sites in the St. Louis Area of Concern (AOC ) for restoration based on site-specific bioavailability considerations. Despite large data collection efforts focused on sediment chemistry, the extent to which sediment with moderate levels of contamination is available for uptake into biota and therefore contributing to Beneficial Use Impairments (BUI)s is still largely unknown.
The St. Louis River Area of Concern (SLRAOC) conservation partners are focused on removing Beneficial Use Impairments (BUI) in the estuary and eventually delisting the SLRAOC. Cooperative efforts between multiple resource agencies and regional stakeholders have identified a host of restoration objectives, developed project support activities, and partially secured funding that includes a state commitment through the Minnesota Clean Water Fund.
The St. Louis River Area of Concern (SLRAOC) conservation partners are focused on removing Beneficial Use Impairments (BUI) in the estuary and eventually delisting the SLRAOC. Cooperative efforts between multiple resource agencies and regional stakeholders have identified a host of restoration objectives, developed project support activities, and partially secured funding that includes a state commitment through the Minnesota Clean Water Fund.
The goal of the St. Louis River Watershed Mercury Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) is to determine the mercury reductions needed to meet the water quality standards for mercury and support healthy consumption of fish by people and wildlife. Fishing is important in this watershed for economic and cultural reasons, including the exercise of tribal treaty rights; Fond du Lac’s 0.77 ng/L water quality standard protects subsistence fishing. This project will result in the development of the Mercury TMDL calculations and associated mercury source assessment.
The project provides the opportunity for the North Saint Louis Soil and Water Conservation District (NSLSWCD) to engage in efforts to increase public participation in the St. Louis River Watershed and participate in the planning and technical review of the Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS) process. NSLSWCD contains the headwaters of the St. Louis River Watershed. The District’s knowledge of the area, communities, and organizations puts them in a unique position to work cooperatively in the watershed.
This project will gather watershed data necessary for the development of a Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) report to maintain and improve water quality for the St Louis River Watershed.
This project will provide technical, planning and engineering assistance to the MPCA for the development and implementation of the St. Louis River Remedial Action Plan (RAP). USACE and USEPA in partnership with the MPCA will administer work plans to complete a sediment assessment for Minnesota areas within Superior Bay, St. Louis Bay, Lower St. Louis River and the Upper St. Louis River, encompassing approximately 5,349 acres of the St. Louis River and Estuary.
The purpose of this project is to provide technical support to data generators and users of the Saint Louis River Area of Concern (SLRAOC) to support the Beneficial Use Impairment (BUI) removal process.
The St. Louis River watershed is one of the largest watersheds in northern Minnesota and the largest single contributing watershed to Lake Superior. Surface waters are abundant with 353 lakes and 97 streams segments. Large areas of forest and wetlands help to sustain areas of exceptional water quality. However, land use changes have degraded many lakes, rivers, and streams. 21 stream reaches have aquatic life impairments, as identified by high turbidity (1 reach), poor quality aquatic macro-invertebrate community (16 reaches), and/or poor quality fish community (12 reaches).
This project is completing Feasibility Study Addendums and updating other project documents for Thomson and Scanlon Reservoirs, and Mud Lake W sites in the St. Louis River Area of Concern (AOC).
This Partnership Agreement is a 5-year effort that will provide the technical, planning and engineering assistance for implementation of the 2013 St. Louis River Area of Concern Remedial Action Plan. Through this agreement the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and MPCA will develop detailed work plans and construction design plans for numerous sites in the project AOC and assist with critical AOC-wide issues. • 21st Avenue West Restoration Site. Outcome will be preliminary to final engineering designs and costs ready for bid package development. • Knowlton Creek Site.
USGS will make streamflow discharge measurements at lowflow measuring stations throughout the state. Measurements will be made during lowflow conditions. On average 100 measurements will be made during FY2012. Stream flow measurements will be entered into the USGS database and made available on the USGS Low Flow Data for Minnesota Streams website.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) requires the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to carry out the Total Maximum Daily Load Program (TMDL) in the state of Minnesota. Minnesota has an abundance of lakes and river reaches, many of which will require a TMDL study. In an effort to expedite the completion of TMDL projects, the MPCA constructs watershed models. These models support the development of TMDL studies for multiple listings within a watershed. In 2017 the Lake of the Woods (LOW) watershed HSPF model was extended through 2014.
The purpose of this work is to develop a Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) and associated Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) documents for the Lower Rainy River and Rainy River Rainy Lake Watersheds.
This Sauk River Watershed District project will conduct the Whitney Park river clean-up, adopt a river program and other community events as part of their healthy living programs; will collaborate with the city of St. Cloud to install a rain garden demonstration site at Whitney Park; use local radio and public television stations to promote the District’s “neighborhood rain garden initiative” and other incentive programs.
This project will include analysis of existing and newly collected water quality data to verify the impairments on the currently listed reaches and to determine the status of the remaining river reaches as being either impaired or currently meeting standards. Stakeholder involvement and public participation will be a focus throughout the Watershed Approach Project. The project provides an opportunity to assess and leverage the capacity for the local community to engage in the process of watershed management and to adopt protection and restoration practices.
