Contact: Anne Moore 218-302-6605
St. Paul, Minn. -- The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is seeking comments on two water quality improvement reports for seven Carver County lakes west of the Twin Cities. A public comment period begins July 19 and continues through Aug. 18, 2010.
The South Fork Crow River Lakes Excess Nutrients Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Report covers Eagle, Oak and Swede Lakes. The Carver Creek Lakes Excess Nutrients Total Maximum Daily Load Report covers Goose, Hydes, Miller and Winkler Lakes. All are in primarily rural areas where agriculture is the dominant land use.
The seven lakes have been placed on the state's impaired waters list because of excess nutrient levels, particularly phosphorus. While phosphorus is an essential nutrient for algae and plants, it is considered a pollutant when it stimulates excessive growth of algae. The TMDL studies assessed the phosphorus concentration in the lakes and indicated that a phosphorus reduction from 42 to 97 percent will be needed to meet state water quality standards during summer growing season conditions.
The TMDL reports were prepared as part of a nationwide effort under the federal Clean Water Act to identify and clean up pollution in streams, rivers and lakes. Every two years, states are required to submit a list of impaired waters to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). A TMDL report is a scientific study that calculates the maximum amount of a pollutant a water body can receive, known as the “loading capacity” without exceeding water quality standards.
After receiving public comments, the MPCA will revise the draft TMDL reports and submit them to the EPA for approval. Following approval, plans will be developed to reduce phosphorus pollution in the lakes.
The Carver Creek Lakes and South Fork Crow River Lakes draft reports are available on the Web at www.pca.state.mn.us/water/tmdl/tmdl-draft.html. Both are also available at the MPCA’s St. Paul office, 520 Lafayette Road North. Comments for both reports may be submitted to Chris Zadak, MPCA, 520 Lafayette Road North, St. Paul, MN 55155. For more information, contact Zadak at 651-757-2837, 1-800-657-3864 or via e-mail at chris.zadak@state.mn.us.
Written comments must include the following:
1. A statement of your interest in the draft TMDL report;
2. A statement of the action you wish the MPCA to take, including specific references to sections of the draft TMDL that you believe should be changed; and
3. Specific reasons supporting your position.
More information on the state's impaired waters list and TMDL studies is available on the Web at www.pca.state.mn.us/water/tmdl or toll-free at 1-800-657-3864.
