Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) Leech Lake River Watershed - Update October 28, 2014 Phil Votruba Watershed Division
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency July2007MuskyLeechLake.jpg.lnk IMG_2716.jpg.lnk 2
National Treasure Glacier National Park (August 2014)
First a Look into the Past! This picture is of a sewer in downtown Minneapolis in 1927: Over 1.5 million gallons of sewage and runoff and other waste, on average, per day, going to the Mississippi River to go away. How would you like to live downstream of this! Picture of early 19 th century Logging in Northern MN. 4
Federal Clean Water Act 72 Goal Fishable/Swimmable by 1983 Framework to protect and restore WQ Water quality standards are established to protect: Aquatic life Recreation and Consumption
Briggs Lake Sherburne County September 2014 Federal Clean Water Act 72 Goal Fishable/Swimmable by 1983 Framework to protect and restore WQ Water quality standards are established to protect: Aquatic life Recreation and Consumption
Briggs Lake Sherburne County September 2014 7
Ten Mile Lake 8
Beneficial Uses
Beneficial Use Classifications Use Class Beneficial Use Class 1 Class 2 2A 2Bd 2B 2C 2D Class 3 Class 4A Class 5 Class 6 Class 7 Drinking Water Aquatic life and recreation Cold water fisheries, trout waters Cool and warm water fisheries, drinking water Cool and warm water fisheries Indigenous fish and associated aquatic community Wetlands Industrial uses and cooling Agriculture and wildlife uses Aesthetics and navigation Other uses Limited resource value waters
Ecoregions of Minnesota
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The 10 Year Cycle Monitoring and Assessment Condition monitoring Effectiveness monitoring Every 10 Years Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy TMDL Protection Strategy Implementation Plans Implementation Activities BMPs Permits Etc. 13
Map of Minnesota s Basins Upper Mississippi River Basin
Leech Lake watershed designated one of nationally recognized 10 'Water to Watch' By Denton (Denny) Newman Jr. on Jun 21, 2013 at 9:04 p.m. The National Fish Habitat Partnership (NFHP) has designated Leech Lake watershed as one of the nationally recognized 10 Waters to Watch, for 2013, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
Watershed Facts Approximately 277 Total River Miles, 750 Lakes (170,000 + total open water acres) ½ of MN Natural Muskie Habitat, ¼ of U.S. Natural Muskie Habitat 44% Forest, 24% Wetland, 20% Open Water, 12 % (grassland, shrubs, residential, urban, row crops) 16
Surface Water Assessment Grants Priority Sites 10x Stream sites (water chemistry) lakes 100-499 acres (water chemistry) Goal Combine local resources with state resources to enhance monitoring capacity. (SWAG) 2012-2013 SWAG Lakes (16) funding through Cass County (Partners LLBO, Hubbard SWCD, HSC) County Lake Name Lake ID Cass Boss 11-0382-00 Hubbard Horseshoe 29-0059-00 Cass Howard 11-0472-00 Cass Hunter 11-0170-00 Cass Kego 11-0182-00 Cass Knight 11-0087-00 Cass Larson 11-0374-00 Cass Little Bass 11-0063-00 Cass Paquet 11-0381-00 Cass Portage 11-0490-00 Cass West Twin 11-0125-00 Cass Twin 11-0484-00 Cass Thirteen 11-0488-00 Cass Lower Sucker 11-0313-00 Cass Portage 11-0204-00 Cass Six Mile 11-0146-00
MPCA Water Quality Monitoring 2012-2013 MPCA Priority Sites 100 lakes/year with a heavy emphasis on lakes >500 acres A percentage of lakes 10-499 acres All 10x stream sites not picked up by grantees Goal Ensure monitoring of lakes most heavily used for recreation Ensure Stream chemistry data is available to support biological assessments 12 lakes to be monitored by MPCA in the LLRW. 11-0387-00 Little Webb 07010102 CASS 11-0475-00 Gadbolt 07010102 CASS 11-0482-00 May 07010102 CASS 29-0048-00 Benedict 07010102 HUBBARD 29-0061-00 Garfield 07010102 HUBBARD 29-0063-00 Hart 07010102 HUBBARD 29-0130-00 Twenty-One 07010102 HUBBARD 29-0131-00 Nelson 07010102 HUBBARD 29-0132-00 Bass 07010102 HUBBARD 29-0224-00 McCarty 07010102 HUBBARD 11-0120-01 INGUADONA (N. BAY) 07010102 CASS 11-0129-00 Lower Trelipe 07010102 CASS
Leech Lake River Watershed Stressor Identification August 27, 2014 Kevin Stroom MPCA - Brainerd
Stream Impairments Two stream biological impairments (Spring Cr., Northby Cr.) Both are likely due to natural causes Natural Background Committee Review Low Dissolved Oxygen in many locations Low gradient streams Wetland riparian conditions Little shading
Strong wetland influence Necktie River at Cty Hwy 39
Spring Creek A small stream flowing into the south side of Wabedo Lake. 49 beaver dams above the sample site (some breached) Low DO at every visit (4). Macroinvertebrate impairment - no sensitive species, probably due to low DO.
Spring Creek Perched culvert at Cty Hwy 47 Another wetland-dominated riparian corridor
Boy River May be some DO impairments, but it will depend on data interpretation during the official assessment effort this fall.
Stream Monitoring Conclusion Overall, the biological communities are healthy! Just a couple biological impairments, which are likely due to natural causes. Official assessment happens this fall (November 2014). A nice Boy River walleye!
Lakes Not Meeting Current Water Quality Standards Based on Pre-Assessment Data TPμg/L 30 Chlorophyll-a μg/l 9 Secchi disk transparencn ot less than 2.0 m
IIIioiiijkjjjjjj (Long-term Monitoring data) Improving Mule, Blackwater, Ten Mile & Baby Declining Inguadona, Ponto, Stony 28
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016-21 Pre- Planning Leech Lake River Watershed WRAPS Timeline Biological Monitoring Lake & Stream Monitoring Flow Monitoring Reviewing data, preparing assessments Nov 2014, WAT Dec 2014, PJG Jan 2015 Pre-Mod. Modeling Stressor ID & Priority Management Zones Citizen Engagement Final Reports TMDLs & Protection Plans Implementation
Leech Lake River WRAPS Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Project Updates WRAPS project started (December 2011) Intensive Watershed Monitoring 2012-2013 Developed Strategic Plan for Civic Engagement component of project. CE is a continued effort throughout project Several CE team and Stakeholder meetings held for WRAPS since 12/2011. Watershed kickoff event held at the Hope Lutheran Church in Walker (May 2012) Second WRAPS to have a NEMO/NERO session. A few impairments (other than mercury) exist in the watershed 4 Lakes (Nutrients Natural background?) Hart (208 acres), Twin (162 acres), Blueberry (23 acres) and McCarthey (148 acres) 2 Stream reaches (Biological Impairments Natural Background?) 2 Stream reaches -Two stream biological impairments (Spring Creek, Northby Creek). Both are likely due to natural causes. Conducted field work this past summer to support IWM efforts and to gather information for natural Background determinations. (Stressor ID) HSPF Modeling scenario development.
What s Next? Prioritization Planning for watershed (Zonation Modeling) Zonation Survey Watershed Assessment process to begin- based on Existing data and data gathered in 2012-2013 (Starting in November 2014, PJG Jan 2015) Continued Stakeholder Involvement and Public Participation (CE Strategic Plan) Start Phase III of WRAPS project (Final Phase) Writing of the WRAPS and TMDLs (if necessary). Includes development of Implementation Table Monitoring and Assessment & Stressor ID reports (Spring 2015) Continuation of Watershed HSPF modeling process (HSPF modeling finished summer 2015)
Hydrologic Simulation program FORTRAN (HSPF Scenarios) A good tool for the toolbox 32
Land Use Classification
Average Simulated Total Phosphorus Concentration by Subwatershed based on land use and land cover
Potential Threats to the Watershed and its Water Quality
Potential Threats to the Watershed and its Water Quality (continued) 36
Potential Threats to the Watershed and its Water Quality (continued) Cass Lake now added to AIS list September 2014 Little Rock Lake Benton County (2008) 37
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency We Protect What we Love - Jacques Cousteau Photo: Explore Minnesota Tourism