Contact; Cathy Rofshus, 507-206-2608
St. Paul, Minn. – The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has completed a draft pollution-reduction report for the stretch of the Mississippi River that runs from St. Paul to Red Wing. The public is invited to comment on the report through April 27. The agency also encourages those interested in the project to attend an open house March 29, from noon to 9 p.m., at the St. James Hotel in Red Wing.
The agency’s goal is for water in this stretch of the river, called the “South Metro Mississippi,” to become clear enough to grow aquatic plants that benefit fish and wildlife. The South Metro Mississippi is much healthier than in past decades due to improvements in treating wastewater and rainwater runoff. However, the Mississippi remains severely impaired by suspended soil particles that prevent sunlight from penetrating the water. This inhibits the growth of aquatic plants and reduces the quality of habitat for fish and wildlife.
With extensive input from citizens and scientists, the MPCA has conducted this project, called a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). This refers to the amount of a pollutant ─ in this case, sediment ─ that the river can accept and still meet state water-quality standards. The TMDL is part of a nationwide effort under the federal Clean Water Act to identify and clean up pollution in streams, rivers and lakes.
Although the South Metro Mississippi is only about 64 miles long, its drainage area is immense: about 50,000 square miles, or half of Minnesota, drain to this stretch of the Mississippi. Based on more than 20 years of monitoring and more than 20 studies by agencies and universities, the MPCA recommends reductions in total suspended solids from river systems that drain to the Mississippi, including the Upper Mississippi River, the Minnesota River, and the Cannon River, as well as smaller streams that drain directly to the Mississippi. In addition, municipalities will need to reduce sediment in their stormwater and wastewater discharges.
“This project has been a big undertaking for the MPCA. We are talking about a high-profile and highly valued resource,” said Bob Finley, regional manager for the MPCA. “We are looking at changes needed across half of Minnesota ─ the area of land that drains to the Mississippi ─ to achieve clearer water in the river and upstream waters. For this project, we have intensely studied the sources of sediment coming into the river and how that erosion is happening. We have a much better understanding now of these river systems. While more research is needed, we know enough to move ahead.”
The draft report is available on the MPCA’s South Metro Mississippi TMDL Turbidity Impairment webpage. The deadline for comments, which must be in writing, is 4:30 p.m. on April 27. Submit comments to Bob Finley, 12 Civic Center Dr., Ste. 2165, Mankato, MN 56001 (fax 507-389-5422, email robert.finley@state.mn.us). Finley can be reached by phone at 507-344-5247 or 800-657-3864. Written comments must include a statement of your interest in the report; a statement of the action you wish the MPCA to take, including specific references to sections of the draft report you believe should be changed; and specific reasons for your position.
The MPCA also invites comments on the pollution-reduction report for the Minnesota River, which has been shown to contribute a majority of the sediment flowing into the South Metro Mississippi.
After receiving public comments, the MPCA will revise the draft reports and submit them to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for approval. Following EPA approval, the MPCA will develop a plan to reduce the amount of sediment entering the rivers and upstream waters.
