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The watershed that
includes the iconic Mississippi River Headwaters has very good overall water
quality, and forest protection is critical to preserve it, according to two
draft reports recently released by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
(MPCA) and local partners. The agency is seeking public comments on the
reports through July 5, 2018.
This
part of the Mississippi River is the healthiest of the entire river length down
to the Gulf of Mexico, according to a study of the entire river in Minnesota. This
wealth of water resources includes some of Minnesota’s most famous lakes and
streams. To preserve its current
water quality, forest protection is critical. The watershed is heavily forested
with many rare or declining plant and animal species dependent on the aquatic
resources and features the watershed provides.
The watershed is located in the northernmost portion of the
Upper Mississippi River Basin and covers 1,961 square miles. It contains the Mississippi
River headwaters in Itasca State Park and parts of six counties: Becker, Beltrami, Cass, Clearwater, Hubbard and
Itasca. It is rich in surface water resources with about 685 river miles and
more than 1,000 lakes.
The first report, known as a Total
Maximum Daily Load, establishes the amount of each pollutant that a water body
can accept and still meet water quality standards. The TMDL
report describes the impairments for Little Turtle Lake and Lake Irving in
Beltrami County. These lakes do not meet the state’s water quality standards
due to excess amounts of phosphorus that cause excess algae (small
free-floating green plants) and reduces water clarity. Phosphorus reductions required to attain water quality
standards for Lake Irving are 57% and Little Turtle Lake, 33%. Key strategies
to restore these lakes include reducing phosphorus sources, fixing failing
septic systems, and in-lake phosphorus treatment.
The
second report, the Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies, uses TMDL and other information to develop
strategies to address different pollution sources. The WRAPS process is
designed to develop strategies that not only restore impaired waters but also
protect healthy waters from degradation. This report resulted from a strong collaborative
effort between the MPCA, other state agencies, the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, local
government partners, and other stakeholders.
The WRAPS report identified several focused priority
areas for water quality protection and restoration. These include lands in the Mississippi
River corridor, the Lake Bemidji catchment area, associated with Bemidji’s
drinking water supply management areas, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Superfund site in Cass Lake, and numerous stream riparian and floodplain areas.
Another high priority is protecting the important recreational and environmental
lakes most sensitive and vulnerable to phosphorus pollution.
The draft reports are
available on the MPCA’s Mississippi River-Headwaters
Watershed webpage, or at the St. Paul MPCA office, 520 Lafayette Road North. Comments may
be submitted to Phil Votruba, MPCA, 7678 College Road, Baxter, MN, 56425, or by
e-mail to, phil.votruba@state.mn.us by 4:30 p.m. on
July 5. For more information, contact Votruba at 218-316-3901, or toll-free at
800-657-3864.
Written comments
must include a statement of your interest in the report, and the action you
wish the MPCA to take, including specific references to sections of the draft
report you believe should be changed and the reasons for making those changes.
More information
on all of Minnesota’s 80 major watersheds is available on the MPCA’s watershed web pages. Information
about the study of the entire Mississippi River in Minnesota is available on
the MPCA website: www.pca.state.mn.us/featured/upper-mississippi-river-what-protect-what-fix.
Broadcast version
The Minnesota
Pollution Control Agency is seeking comments on two water quality reports for the Mississippi River
Headwaters watershed in north-central Minnesota. The
area, which includes the iconic Mississippi River Headwaters, has overall very
good water quality and to preserve it, forest protection is critical. The watershed
is heavily forested and has a large number of rare or declining plant and
animal species dependent on the watershed’s aquatic resources. A public review
and comment period runs through July fifth.
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The mission of the MPCA is to protect and improve the environment and enhance human health.
St. Paul • Brainerd • Detroit Lakes • Duluth • Mankato • Marshall • Rochester
www.pca.state.mn.us • Toll-free and TDD 800-657-3864
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