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 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.
