Jackson SWCD will collect water chemistry data at three sites; West Fork Little Sioux River, Little Sioux River, and the Loon Lake Outlet. A full suite of lab and field parameters will be collected May - September in 2011 and 2012 at all three sites.
The goal of this project is to develop, implement, and evaluate the impacts of co-developed civic engagement outcomes for the Big Fork and Littlefork River Watersheds.
The Big Fork River Watershed Assessment will include the waters of the Big Fork, Sturgeon River, Caldwell Brook, Bear River, and Bowstring River. This Assessment will also include Mirror Lake, Battle Lake, Bass Lake, Larson Lake, Gunn Lake, Coon Sandwick Lake, Busties Lake, Dead Horse Lake, North Star Lake, Burns Lake, Big Ole Lake, Big Island Lake, Bello Lake, Maple Lake, Long Lake, Jessie Lake, Trestle Lake, Clear Lake, Dora Lake, Moose Lake, Shallow Pond Lake, and Island Lake.
The Koochiching County SWCD staff will collect water chemistry and field parameters at specific times to determine amount of contaminant load into each stream. These sites will coincide with locations where stream flow data is also being collected. This project will focus on watershed load monitoring in both the Big Fork and Little Fork River watersheds.
The goal of this project is to finalize the Lake Pepin Watershed phosphorus total maximum daily load (TMDL) report by using the existing information and documentation prepared under previous contracts to prepare one TMDL report that addresses the impairments on the mainstem of the Mississippi River. Information developed to date for draft TMDLs on the Minnesota River mainstem will be documented for later use by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
The goal of this project is to support the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) in responding to public comments on the Lake Pepin Watershed Phosphorus Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), which were prepared by LimnoTech under previous phases of the project.
Contractor will address MPCA comments to the pre-public notice draft Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) study for the Lake of the Woods watershed and produce a revised study ready for public notice. RESPEC will also prepare for and participate in two webinar-style public meetings once the study is on public notice.
The consultant LimnoTech will support response to Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) comments the peer review process, United States Environmental Protection Agency and public notice. They will then revise the TMDL document as needed and attend internal and external project meetings.
The purpose of this project is to continue supporting the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency in responding to public comments on the Lake Pepin Watershed Phosphorus Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) study, which was prepared by LimnoTech under previous work orders.
The goal of this project is to prepare a draft Lake Pepin Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Report. Lake Pepin is impaired by high levels of nutrients that cause excessive growth of algae.
This project will provide monitoring of four of the major watersheds (8-digit Hydrologic Unit Codes) in the western part of the Rainy River Basin. Staff from the Lake of the Woods SWCD will conduct water quality sampling, review, manage and provide collected data to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA).
This project will repair and upgrade the water control structure and provide water quality enhancement measures on Oasis Pond in Roseville, Minnesota. This project will also protect the quality of downstream receiving waters; specifically Lake Johanna, by reducing phosphorus pollutant loads.
This project will provide information about the amount and sources of phosphorous flowing into Lake St Croix by implementing additional water quality monitoring and reduce the amount of phosphorous flowing into Lake St Croix by implementing phosphorous reduction activities. The St Croix River Association (SCRA) will coordinate with the St. Croix Basin Water Resources Planning Team (Basin Team) on the identification and funding of comprehensive water monitoring and phosphorus reduction activities in the Lake St. Croix portion of the St.
The Rainy River - Rainy Lake, Rainy River - Baudette and Rapid River Watershed Assessments will include the waters of the Baudette River, Black River, Peppermint Creek, Rapid River, Rat Root River and Winter Road River in Koochiching and Lake of the Woods Counties. This assessment focuses on collection of water chemistry and field parameters at the 12 key sites identified and modified by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). Five of the sites will have extra total phosphorus and chlorophyll analysis completed as identified by the MPCA for collecting river nutrients.
The goal of this project is to finalize the draft Lake Pepin Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Report, issue it for public comment, address comments, and finalize the report. Lake Pepin is impaired by high levels of nutrients that cause excessive growth of algae. High levels of sediment, carried in by major river systems, also affect the lake. The sediment is filling in the lake at a much faster rate than before Minnesota was settled and intensely farmed. Nutrients and sediment are distinct yet inter-related pollutants, and are being addressed in separate TMDL reports.
This project will develop an Implementation Plan for restoring Lake St. Croix and impaired waters within the contributing watershed, and protect waters currently attaining water quality standards.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is a co-sponsor and assists with a portion of the financial support for the International Rainy River-Lake of the Woods Watershed Forum.
Lake George is the premier recreational lake in Anoka County with above average water quality, a vibrant fishery, and a large regional park and beach that is among the most utilized in the county. Located in northwestern Anoka County within the Upper Rum River Watershed Management Organization (URRWMO), the Lake George Improvement District (LGID) was formed to tend to the lake's diminishing water quality and problematic invasive species.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Loon Lake, the receiving waterbody for Jackson Judicial Ditch 8 (JD8), is impaired for nutrients - with phosphorus being a primary concern, along with a delta of sediment forming where JD8 flows into Loon Lake. JD8 is impaired for benthic macroinvertebrates and fish bioassessments, which indicates that the long-term health of the system is poor. The project proposed in this application will construct a 4.6-acre constructed wetland along the JD8 open ditch, providing water storage and allowing sediment and nutrients to settle out before entering the lake.
The Rice Creek Watershed District is proposing to improve water quality and habitat in Locke Lake and Lower Rice Creek by stabilizing stream banks and bluffs on Lower Rice Creek, reducing in-stream erosion and sediment delivery to Locke Lake, and improving in-stream habitat complexity for fish and invertebrates. Eleven bank stabilization practices would be installed over a continuous 5,400-foot reach in Lower Rice Creek. The anticipated outcome of this project is the prevention of 2,874 tons per year of sediment, which is 58% of the sediment reduction goals for Lower Rice Creek.
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 project will reduce sediment and nutrient loading to the main stem and local tributaries of the Lower Minnesota River (LMR) by providing cost share for practices that treat ravine headcut and channel erosion, streambank/shoreline erosion, ephemeral gully erosion, and direct-discharging open inlet drainage systems. Targeted Best Management Practices (BMPs) will include but not be limited to grade control structures, grassed/lined waterways, water & sediment control basins, shoreline/streambank stabilization and alternative tile inlets.
This project builds on the momentum of previous Clean Water Fund grants in making significant and quantifiable sediment, nutrient and runoff volume reductions to address the turbidity, dissolved oxygen and other impairments of the Lower Minnesota River (LMR). These water quality improvements will be achieved by constructing on-the-ground conservation best management practices (BMPs) in the targeted watersheds -including specifically Sand and Roberts Creek - and near channel sources.
This project will develop draft Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) studies addressing seven impaired lakes in the Lower Minnesota River Watershed (Fish, Pike, O’Dowd, Thole, Schneider, Titlow and Cleary Lakes). TMDLs will describe the impairment in each lake and water quality targets, and will include a phosphorus source assessment, a lake response model and supporting report components that document assumptions and methodologies, and a TMDL equation with completed load allocations, wasteload allocations, and margin of safety for each impairment.
