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Rochester,
Minn. – To allow more time for the public to provide comments, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has extended
the public notice period on a water quality improvement
report for Byllesby Reservoir. Comments
will now be accepted through July 15.
Located
on the Cannon River in Goodhue and Dakota counties, this reservoir is popular
for swimming, boating and fishing. Created by a dam in 1911, Byllesby Reservoir
is a shallow basin covering 1,400 acres. The land that drains to the reservoir
totals about 730,000 acres, representing 1.3 percent of the state of Minnesota.
Because
of sediment, nutrients and other pollutants entering the reservoir, Byllesby
suffers from cloudy water and algal blooms that harm fish and wildlife habitat.
The lower water quality also decreases recreational opportunities.
The MPCA, with the Cannon River Watershed Partnership, is conducting a study of
the reservoir. This study is called a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), and is
part of a nationwide effort under the federal Clean Water Act to identify and clean
up water pollution. A TMDL is the amount of a pollutant that a water body can
accept and still meet state water-quality standards.
The study indicates that significant reductions in nutrients will be needed to
meet standards specifically for Byllesby. Urban changes will include providing
wastewater treatment to unsewered communities and upgrading wastewater
treatment in other communities. Some communities, including Northfield,
Faribault and Owatonna, have already taken steps to reduce phosphorus in their
wastewater discharges. Rural changes will include managing manure and
fertilizer, as well as reducing erosion and runoff to local waters.
The TMDL draft report is available on the MPCA’s Byllesby Reservoir webpage.
After receiving comments, revising the report, and receiving federal approval
of the report, the MPCA will work with local partners to develop strategies to
reduce pollution throughout the watershed.
Submit comments, which must be in writing, to Justin Watkins, MPCA, 18 Wood
Lake Dr. SE, Rochester, MN 55904 (phone 507-206-2621 or 800-657-3864; email justin.watkins@state.mn.us).
Broadcast version
To allow
more time for the public to provide comments,
the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has extended the public notice period on a water quality improvement report for Byllesby Reservoir. Comments will now be accepted through July 15.
The report, which is part of a nationwide effort to clean up water pollution,
is available on the MPCA’s website.
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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 • Willmar
www.pca.state.mn.us • Toll-free and TDD 800-657-3864
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