Minnesota's Impaired Waters and TMDLs
TMDL Project: Long and Farquar Lakes - Excess Nutrients
Background
Long and Farquar Lakes located in Apple Valley, Minn., are 34 and 67 acres respectively. Both lakes and their watersheds are located within the Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Organization in the southern part of the Minneapolis and St. Paul metropolitan area. Long and Farquar Lakes are both shallow lakes with drainage basins that are dominated by low and medium density residential development.
In 2002, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) listed Long and Farquar Lakes as impaired for aquatic recreation. The main cause for this impairment is excessive nutrients in the lakes. Summer water quality monitoring from 2002 through 2005 show phosphorus concentrations of 300 mg/L for Long Lake and just over 200 mg/L for Farquar Lake. The phosphorus levels are some of the highest known for Minnesota lakes and significantly exceed the water quality standard of 90 mg/L for shallow lakes in the Western Corn Belt Plains Ecoregion. Algal blooms caused by the excess nutrients now occur throughout much of the summer season and negatively impact recreational use and aesthetic enjoyment.
The Long and Farquar Lakes Nutrient Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Report assesses the phosphorus load reductions needed for Long and Farquar Lakes to comply with Minnesota water quality standards. The specific sources of nutrients, target reductions from each source, strategies to achieve the reductions, and the approach to meet the applicable water quality standards for each lake are discussed in the document. The City of Apple Valley is working with Bonestroo to prepare the Long and Farquar Lakes Nutrient TMDL Report for the MPCA in partnership with the Vermillion River Joint Powers Organization and Wenck Associates, Inc.
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Farquar Lake no algae
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Farquar Lake algae bloom
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Long Lake no algae
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Long Lake algae bloom
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Map and location
Long and Farquar Lakes are located in Apple Valley (southern Twin Cities metro area, Dakota County) Vermillion River subwatershed of the Mississippi River - Lake Pepin watershed in the Lower Mississippi River Basin.
Map of Long and Farquar Lakesheds: TMDL Project Area- 2008 Map of Impaired Lakes in the Lower Mississippi River Basin
TMDL report and implementation plan
- Factsheet
- Final TMDL Report
- EPA Approval Letter (April 8, 2009)
- TMDL Implementation Plan (Approved by MPCA on June 30, 2010) (wq-iw9-06c)
Other documents
Meetings and events
See the TMDL Meetings, Events and News page for notices of general interest and event-related information on impaired waters/TMDLs.
Links
- Long and Farquar Lakes TMDL Study and Lake Management Plan
- Local Sponsor: City of Apple Valley
- Lead Consultant: Bonestroo
- Consultant: Wenck Associates, Inc.
- Partners: Vermillion River Joint Powers Organization
- MPCA: Lower Mississippi River Basin
Information contact
Barb Peichel
TMDL Project Manager
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
520 Lafayette Road
St. Paul, MN 55155
651-757-2646
barbara.peichel@state.mn.us