Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Contact: Kayla Bromelkamp, 651-757-2468, 800-657-3864

St. Paul, Minn.-- The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) will host an open house on the progress of the Lake St. Croix water quality improvement project, known as a TMDL, on Jan. 11 at 6:00 p.m. at Hudson City Hall in Hudson, Wis.  The open house is a follow-up to meetings held earlier this year.

This meeting will provide updates on the project, including next steps, changes to the report, implementation planning, and a citizen engagement strategy.  A presentation on the draft TMDL report will begin at 6:30 p.m.  WDNR and MPCA staff will be available to answer questions.

Included in the preliminary TMDL report is information about both regulatory and non-regulatory reductions in phosphorus necessary to restore Lake St. Croix.  To view the preliminary report, visit www.pca.state.mn.us/publications/wq-iw6-04b.pdf.

The lower 25 miles of the St. Croix River Basin between Stillwater, Minn., and Prescott, Wis., known as Lake St. Croix, was designated an impaired water in 2008 because of excess phosphorus.  While phosphorus is an essential nutrient for algae and plants, it is considered a water pollutant when it stimulates excessive growth and impairs water quality.

The scenic and recreational St. Croix River is an important resource to both Minnesota and Wisconsin, and the two states are working together with groups in the basin to develop a comprehensive plan to reduce the flow of phosphorus to the river and improve the water quality of Lake St. Croix.