Marshall, Minn. - The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) today announced a public comment period March 1 - March 31 on a report addressing water pollution in the lower portion of the Pomme de Terre River. The report, known as a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) study, focuses on pollution resulting in turbidity impairment.
The MPCA has placed the lower section of the river on the state’s impaired waters list for exceeding the water quality standard for turbidity. It is caused by particles, such as sediment and algae, suspended or dissolved in water that scatter light making the water appear cloudy or murky. High turbidity can have a harmful impact on drinking water supplies, habitat and recreation. Measurement of total suspended solids also relates to turbidity.
The TMDL report is 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.
In the past decade, about 60 percent of water samples from the Pomme de Terre exceeded the standard measures for turbidity. During an average year, from April through September, more than 11,000 tons of suspended solids are transported down the river. Land use practices that reduce sediment include buffer strips, water storage, increased crop residue and removing or protecting open field tile intakes.
After receiving public comments, the MPCA may revise the draft Pomme de Terre River TMDL report prior to submitting to the EPA for approval. Following EPA approval, a plan will be developed to reduce turbidity pollution in the river.
The Pomme de Terre River TMDL draft report for turbidity is available on the Web at www.pca.state.mn.us/water/tmdl/index.html, or at the MPCA Marshall office, 1420 E. College Dr., Suite 900. Comments may be submitted to Katherine Pekarek-Scott, MPCA, 1420 E. College Dr., Suite 900, Marshall, MN, 56258. For more information, contact Pekarek-Scott at 507-476-4267 or by e-mail at katherine.pekarek-scott@state.mn.us. Additional information can also be provided by Shaun McNally, Pomme de Terre River Watershed Project Coordinator, 320-589-4866, ext. 109 or by e-mail at shaun.mcnally@stevensswcd.org.
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/index.html, or by calling toll-free 1-800-657-3864.
Written comments must include the following:
A statement of your interest in the draft TMDL report; 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 specific reasons supporting your position.
