MPCA seeks comments on revised water quality improvement report for Little Rock Lake

For release: Sept. 12, 2011

Contact: Stephen Mikkelson, 218-316-3887

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MPCA seeks comments on revised water quality improvement report for Little Rock Lake

 Brainerd, Minn. -- The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is seeking comments on a revised water quality improvement report for Little Rock Lake, which is just southeast of the city of Rice. The report, known as a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), focuses on pollution caused by excess nutrients. This second public comment period begins Sept. 12, and continues through Oct. 12, 2011.

Little Rock Lake is located in western Benton County, in the Mississippi River-Sartell Watershed. Historically the lake resembled more of a wetland, but with the installation of the Sartell Dam in 1911, water levels were raised about seven feet, creating the shallow lake.

 

Little Rock Lake was placed on Minnesota’s list of impaired waters in 2008 because of excess nutrient levels, particularly phosphorus. This TMDL study indicates that phosphorus levels will need to be reduced by 56 percent for the lake to meet water-quality standards during the summer growing season. This TMDL report was recently revised to include load allocations for three Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s). The revision prompted the second public comment period. The three MS4s are Watab Township, Benton County, and MnDOT-Outstate.

 

The TMDL report is part of a nationwide effort under the federal Clean Water Act to identify and clean up pollution in streams, rivers and lakes. Every two years, states are required to submit a list of impaired waters to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). A TMDL report is a scientific study that calculates the maximum amount of a pollutant a water body can receive (known as the "loading capacity") without exceeding water-quality standards.

 

After receiving public comments, the MPCA will revise the Little Rock Lake TMDL report and submit it to the EPA for approval. Following EPA approval of the study, a plan will be developed to reduce pollution throughout the watershed.

 

The Little Rock Lake TMDL draft report is available on the Draft/Public Noticed TMDLs webpage, or at the MPCA St. Paul office, 520 Lafayette Road N.

 

Comments should be mailed to Maggie Leach, MPCA, 7678 College Rd, Ste. 105, Baxter, MN 56425, or sent by e-mail to margaret.leach@state.mn.us. For more information, call Leach at 218-316-3895 or 800-657-3864.

 

Written comments must include (1) a statement of your interest in the draft TMDL report; (2) a statement of the action you wish the MPCA to take, including specific references to sections of the draft TMDL that you believe should be changed; and (3) specific reasons supporting your position.

 

More information on the state's impaired waters list and TMDL studies is available on the MPCA’s Impaired Waters and TMDLs webpage, or by calling 800-657-3864.

 

Broadcast version

 

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is seeking comments on a revised water quality improvement report for Little Rock Lake, just southeast of Rice, in western Benton County.

The report, known as a Total Maximum Daily Load, or T-M-D-L, focuses on pollution caused by excess nutrients, particularly phosphorus. Little Rock Lake was placed on Minnesota’s list of impaired waters in 2008.

The report was recently revised to include load allocations for municipal stormwater runoff in the area, prompting this second public comment period, which begins September 12 and continues through October 12. For more information, go to the M-P-C-A website at www.pca.state.mn.us.

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