Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Contacts: Media Contact: Dan Olson, 218-846-7390 Technical Contact: Mike Vavricka, 218-846-0776 Breckenridge, Minn. - The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has listed an 8.2 mile segment or "reach" in the Lower Otter Tail River, from Breckenridge Lake to the confluence with the Bois de Sioux River, as impaired because it does not meet the water quality standard for turbidity. A draft report about this pollution problem is currently available for review, and interested parties are invited to submit comments on it by Nov. 29, 2006. Turbidity is a measure of water clarity, and the primary source of turbidity in this section of the river is suspended sediment. The pollutant can affect the growth and development of fisheries by reducing spawning areas and food sources. In addition, accelerated sedimentation can increase stream channel width/depth ratios and cause bank erosion and failure. Sediment can adversely affect drinking water supplies by causing taste and odor problems and fouling treatment systems. The federal Clean Water Act requires states to develop Total Maximum Daily Load studies for lakes, rivers and streams that do not meet water quality standards set to protect human health, aquatic life and recreation. A TMDL is a scientific study that calculates the maximum amount of a specific pollutant that a water body may contain and still meet water quality standards for that pollutant. It is a process that identifies all of the sources of the pollutant causing the impairment and allocates necessary reductions among them. Citizen participation is an important part of the TMDL process and the public comment period begins Oct. 30 and runs through Nov. 29, 2006. The draft Lower Otter Tail Turbidity TMDL report is available on the MPCA's Web site at/water/tmdl/index.html. Copies are also available at the MPCA's Detroit Lakes office or by calling 218-847-1519. Comments on the draft report should be sent to Michael Vavricka, MPCA, 714 Lake Avenue, Suite 220, Detroit Lakes, Minn. 56501, or submitted by e-mail to michael.vavricka@pca.state.mn.us. The turbidity problem appears to be directly correlated with the increased water flow during the critical spring snow pack melt and the more severe rainstorms. The TMDL study concludes that increased sediment pollution is influenced by wind erosion, lack of crop cover during storms and overland flows. Monitoring conducted on the Lower Otter Tail River through the Red River Basin water quality monitoring program will be used to measure progress toward achieving goals. An implementation plan to reduce sedimentation contributed by the various sources will be developed separately.