Citizens interested in forming a group to work on improving water quality in the Le Sueur watershed will meet Tuesday, Aug. 27, from 6-8 p.m. at the Amboy Cottage Café. At past events, citizens have identified several strategies to improve water quality in area lakes and streams:

• More stormwater management and in-ditch water storage;
• More experimentation and demonstrations of temporary water storage basins;
• More strategically placed buffers, terraces and grassed waterways;
• More communication and education;
• Less red tape;
• More maintenance of snags in the river channel that cause bank erosion or create major obstructions; and
• More stabilization of streambanks and ravines.

The Le Sueur River Watershed contributes a significant amount of sediment and nutrients to the Minnesota River. Many projects and studies have been completed in the watershed and changes in land use have been promoted and adopted, yet the waters remain polluted. Citizens hold the key for finding and implementing solutions that work and a citizen-led process with support from watershed partners is a promising route to cleanup.

With funding from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), this watershed project is organized by the Water Resources Center at Minnesota State University-Mankato, Clean Up the River Environment, Rural Advantage, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and counties.

To RSVP for the Aug. 27 meeting, contact Patrick Moore at 320-841-1487 or riverartisan@gmail.com.

The Mississippi is the first of Minnesota’s five largest rivers to be targeted by the MPCA water quality monitoring effort.

MPCA monitoring crews are about half way through a 10-year effort to assess the condition of smaller rivers, streams and lakes throughout Minnesota’s 81 watersheds. The state’s largest rivers — the Mississippi, Minnesota, Rainy, Red and St. Croix — will be sampled over the next five years. During the 2013-14 monitoring seasons, the Mississippi River will be monitored from its headwaters in Itasca State Park down to St. Anthony Falls in Minneapolis.

To complement the smaller watershed monitoring, the large river monitoring will provide data to assess the aquatic life, aquatic recreation, and aquatic consumption designated uses in the main stems of these largest rivers.

As an example, the Mississippi River, from its headwaters to Minneapolis, has 15 smaller watersheds that flow into it. By combining the results of ongoing monitoring in these smaller watersheds with the results obtained by monitoring the Mississippi, the MPCA can obtain a more complete picture of the condition of our waterways, and help further identify potential problem areas.

This monitoring is designed to measure and evaluate the condition of rivers and streams by sampling fish, aquatic invertebrates, habitat, fish tissue, and water chemistry. Examples of aquatic invertebrates include insect larvae, crayfish, snails, small clams, worms and leeches. Stream water chemistry is monitored to provide information about the quality of the water in which these fish and invertebrates live. Fish tissue samples will be taken to update fish consumption advisories.

The sampling results will be compared to the appropriate MPCA standards. If samples do not meet those standards, the sampling location could be considered impaired. If that happens, the MPCA will look more closely at what could be causing the impairments and find ways to correct the problems.

To see monitoring teams in action, you can watch short videos on fish sampling and invertebrate sampling on the MPCA’s Biological monitoring webpage..

For more information about these monitoring program activities, visit the MPCA’s Water quality condition monitoring webpage.

For the Greater Blue Earth River, Minnesota River and South Metro Mississippi basins, the following monitoring and stressor identification reports are available.

• Bluff Creek TMDL Biological Stressor Identification
• Cedar River Watershed Monitoring and Assessment Report
• Le Sueur River watershed Monitoring and Assessment Report
• Mississippi River Lake Pepin Watershed Monitoring and Assessment Report  and Mississippi River-Lake Pepin Tributaries Biotic Stressor Identification
• Pomme de Terre River Watershed Biotic Stressor Identification Study
• Root River Watershed Monitoring and Assessment Report
• Shell Rock River Monitoring and Assessment Report
• Shingle Creek and Bass Creek Biotic Integrity Stressor ID
• Vermillion River Watershed Monitoring and Assessment Report

Through the efforts of the Mississippi Makeover project, a unique group of citizens, groups and technical experts came together to plan restoration for the river from Spring Lake in Pool 2 to Upper Lake Pepin and the Lower Vermillion River.

Starting in 2008, this group came together to study the river, envision its restoration, set targets to achieve, and formulate a plan. The Mississippi Makeover was an off-shoot of the Lake Pepin and Lower Vermillion River Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) studies as water in Pool 3 violates the state’s water quality standard for turbidity. The makeover project included ideas such as building islands and lowering water levels temporarily to establish plant life and improve water quality. To measure results of the project, citizen and technical advisers selected several indicators, including water clarity, plant life, invertebrates, fish and waterfowl.

The Mississippi Makeover was funded by a grant from the MPCA and led by the Dakota Soil and Water Conservation District, most notably by Laura Jester, a watershed conservationist with the SWCD. (The photo above shows Laura on a tour of islands in Pool 5 in 2010.) The second phase of the project ended with the grant on June 30.

This project highlighted the need for restoration through tours, events, speakers, training and publications.

For example, a recent boat tour of Pool 3 and North and Sturgeon Lakes showcased the need for more islands and larger aquatic plant beds in this area to provide habitat and respite from wind-churned waters.  A total of 23 residents, state and local officials, and Audubon members gathered to hear from experts and view the restoration needs first-hand. The Hastings Star Gazette also reported on the tour, “Mending the Mississippi: River tour highlights plans for backwater restoration.”

Another recent outcome of the project was an interim report card showing progress toward the Mississippi Makeover Targets. The report card shows that some indicator metrics have recently improved. However, these may be temporary results of low water during the drought years.  It will take additional years of data collection to track the trends of the indicators.

“One thing is certain, there is much more work needed here – to continue making progress toward the targets and keep the attention of decision makers and agencies focused on this area. While there are no plans for a third phase of the Mississippi Makeover Project, there are many other organizations with activities and advocacy surrounding the Mississippi River in this area … It has been a pleasure working with you on this project. Take care and keep up the great work on the Great River!” Jester said in her farewell email to project members.

Years of effort by groups and individuals working to improve the Minnesota River could receive a boost from a national recognition program highlighting major river basins. The Minnesota River Watershed Alliance has nominated the Minnesota River to become a “National Blueway.”

The U.S. Dept. of Interior established the National Blueways System in 2012 to promote a network of nationally significant rivers and their watersheds that are highly valued as economic, recreational, social, and ecological assets. The Connecticut River spanning four states in New England was the first to receive National Blueways designation.

The Minnesota River Watershed Alliance (MRWA) is a watershed-wide network of individuals from private organizations and public agencies, and citizens who meet quarterly and work on projects that support and benefit the Minnesota River basin. More than 50 public and private organizations from all sectors supported the nomination.

Recently, opposition to the Blueways program surfaced in Arkansas and Missouri, where the White River had been the second to receive the designation. Since local support and control is paramount, the Dept. of Interior accepted a request to withdraw the White River designation, and placed the program temporarily on hold. In response, the MRWA is expanding efforts to show local support, and disseminate accurate information.

A delegation from the Blueways nomination team will meet at noon, Monday, Aug. 26 at the Joseph Nicollet Tower and Museum in Sisseton, SD. There will be a visit to the Little Minnesota River source at Sica Hollow State Park, followed by an open house/community listening session from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the City Hall Community Room in Sisseton. For more information about the event, contact Patrick Moore at riverartisan@gmail.com, or 320-841-1487.

For more information about the proposal, visit the Minnesota River nomination website. In the photo above, alliance members Brad Cobb and Patrick Moore, with John Schueller, Redwood County commissioner and Minnesota River Board chairperson, show a poster on the nomination effort.

At this year’s State Fair Aug. 22-Sept. 13, take the plunge at the Eco Experience and learn all about the lakes, rivers, drinking water, and groundwater that make our state great Minnesota. 

New this year, a 200-square-foot map will feature a satellite view of the Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District, with imagery so detailed that metro visitors will be able to find their own houses and locate places in the watershed where residents are working to improve water quality. 

Also at Eco Experience:

• Young artists selected as finalists in the H2O for Life competition will have their winning posters on display. Budding water scientists will have a chance to try their hand at testing clarity of water from Lake Phalen and see Minnesota water bugs, some of which are more than 3 inches long.
• Salt is a problem for Minnesota lakes. Road salt keeps drivers safe, but it washes into lakes where it’s toxic to living things and cannot be removed. Learn how to use de-icing salt the right way so it keeps pavement clear with a minimal amount of waste.
• Native plants, rain gardens, and shoreline stabilization have become popular landscaping elements. Visitors can learn how to get started from a rain garden expert at the Blue Thumb gardening station. This exhibit will be staffed with knowledgeable landscapers, water educators, and nursery specialists who can answer questions about how to use plants to protect water quality.