Reminder: BALMM meets Dec. 18 at MPCA office in Rochester

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency sent this bulletin at 12/16/2013 02:36 PM CST

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Dec. 16, 2013

BALMM meets Dec. 18 at MPCA office in Rochester.

The Basin Alliance for the Lower Mississippi in Minnesota (BALMM) will meet Wednesday, Dec. 18, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) office in Rochester at 18 Wood Lake Drive S.E.

Agenda as follows:

  • 9 a.m.: “Nitrates in Minnesota Surface Waters” – David Wall, MPCA hydrologist and Wayne Anderson, MPCA strategy planner
  • 10 a.m.- BREAK
  • 10:15 a.m.: “Update on draft Nitrogen Fertilizer Management Plan” – Annie Felix-Gerth, State Program Administrator Principal, Fertilizer Management Unit, Minnesota Department of Agriculture
  • 11 a.m.: “Draft Impaired Waters List” – Miranda Nichols, MPCA
  • 11:30: Questions and Answers on agenda items
  • Noon: Adjourn

Comments invited on water quality reports for lakes that feed Upper Cannon River

German Lake in Upper Cannon watershed

New water quality studies released by the MPCA focus on reducing nutrient levels in the Jefferson-German chain of lakes and Lake Volney in south-central Minnesota. These lakes drain to the Upper Cannon River, a major tributary to the Mississippi River in Minnesota. Nutrients such as phosphorus are problematic because they can fuel algal blooms and make lakes less suitable for recreation. The MPCA invites comments on the study reports through Jan. 9, 2014.

The studies, called Total Maximum Daily Loads, focus on reducing the levels of nutrients, or loads, to levels that the lakes can accept and still meet state water quality standards for aquatic recreation. The TMDLs are part of a nationwide effort under the federal Clean Water Act to identify and clean up pollution in streams, rivers and lakes.

The chain of lakes includes deep and shallow lakes in southeastern Le Sueur and northeastern Blue Earth counties. It consists of West Jefferson, Middle Jefferson, Swedes Bay, East Jefferson and German lakes. These five lakes total 3,157 acres, making it the largest lake system in south-central Minnesota. Despite the relatively large size of this chain of lakes, the watershed that drains into it is relatively small at 15,167 acres and is mainly used for agriculture. 

The lakes are popular for swimming, boating and fishing. Le Sueur County and local partners have taken several steps to improve the water quality of the lakes, including bringing feedlots and on-site sewer treatment systems into compliance with state rules.

Phosphorus levels, however, still violate the water quality standard designed to make sure lakes are swimmable and fishable.  Water monitoring found phosphorus levels ranging from 65 parts per billion (ppb) in deeper lakes, above their standard of 40 ppb, to more than 300 ppb in shallower lakes, above their standard of 60 ppb.

Phosphorus enters the lakes through runoff from the land draining to the chain of lakes, and persists in the bottom sediment. Curly-leaf pondweed, a plant not native to the chain, is also a problem as the plant releases phosphorus into the water as it dies.

Photos above show a monitoring site for German Lake during snowmelt and mid-summer.

Lake Volney, in east-central Le Sueur County, is 277 acres in size with an average depth of 22.7 feet and a maximum depth of 65 feet. Its drainage area covers 2,017 acres and is mostly used for agriculture. Through local efforts, phosphorus levels have dropped in the lake, but further reductions are needed to meet the water quality standard designed to ensure that lakes are swimmable and fishable.  Water monitoring found phosphorus levels average 63 ppb, above the standard of 40 ppb. Once popular for swimming, several algae blooms, including toxic blue-green algae, have restricted recreation in the lake in recent years.

To reduce the nutrient levels in the lakes, the draft reports recommend best management practices for agriculture, including nutrient management plans for fertilizer and manure applications; best management practices for urban and residential areas, including treating runoff and upgrading sewer systems; and in-lake treatments such as establishing native plants to use up the nutrients in the lake bottom.

The deadline for comments, which must be in writing, is 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 9. Submit comments, which must be in writing, to Justin Watkins, MPCA, 18 Wood Lake Dr. SE, Rochester, MN 55904. Watkins can also be contacted by phone at 507-206-2621 or 800-657-3864; or by email at justin.watkins@state.mn.us. Written comments must include a statement of your interest in the reports; a statement of the action you wish the MPCA to take, including specific references to sections of the draft reports you believe should be changed; and specific reasons for your position.

After receiving public comments, the MPCA may revise the draft reports before submitting them to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for approval. Following EPA approval, the MPCA will work with local partners to develop a plan to reduce the amount of nutrients entering the Jefferson-German chain and Lake Volney.