Minnesota's Impaired Waters and TMDLs

TMDL Project: Lac qui Parle, Yellow Bank — Bacteria, Turbidity and Low Dissolved Oxygen

Background

This project addresses 19 impairments on 11 reaches in the Lac qui Parle and Yellow Bank River watersheds. The Lac qui Parle River watershed contains eight impaired reaches addressing bacteria, turbidity, or low dissolved oxygen, including the entire mainstem of the Lac qui Parle River. The North Fork and South Fork Yellow Bank Rivers are impaired for bacteria and the Yellow Bank River is impaired for both bacteria and turbidity.

The project began with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hiring a contractor to begin the technical work for the low dissolved oxygen TMDL project on the Lac qui Parle River. Since then, the project took a new direction by including bacteria and turbidity impairments for both the Lac qui Parle River watershed and the Yellow Bank River watershed. The Lac qui Parle — Yellow Bank Watershed District has partnered with the MPCA in completing this TMDL.

Map and location

The Lac qui Parle River watershed is located in the western portion of the Minnesota River basin. It starts in Lincoln County and flows north through Yellow Medicine and Lac qui Parle counties. The Yellow Medicine River is located in the northern portion of Lac qui Parle County. A portion of both watersheds are also in South Dakota.

• Map of project area (wq-iw7-24h)

TMDL report and implementation plan

• Factsheet: Lac qui Parle-Yellow Bank Total Maximum Daily Load for Turbidity, Bacteria, Dissolved Oxygen (wq-iw7-24a)
• Draft TMDL (wq-iw7-24b)
• Public Notice open for comment May 29, 2012 – June 27, 2012

Other documents

• none

Meetings and events

• A public informational meeting will be held June 4, 2012 at 7:00 pm at the Lac qui Parle County Annex Building, 422 5th Avenue, Madison, MN. The objective of this meeting is to inform the public about the Lac qui Parle Yellow Bank Bacteria, Turbidity, and Low Dissolved Oxygen TMDL so they feel comfortable to provide comments and to keep those informed about the project who do not wish to comment.

• Lac qui Parle Public Stakeholder Meetings: Two public meetings were held to introduce the TMDL project on November 24, 2009. The first meeting was from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm at the Canby Community Center, 110 Oscar Avenue North, Canby MN 56220. The second meeting was from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm at the Madison VFW, 711 2nd Street, Madison MN 56256.

Additional meeting notes are located on the Lac qui Parle Yellow Bank Watershed District website.

See the TMDL Meetings, Events and News page for notices of general interest and event-related information on impaired waters/TMDLs.

Links

• Minnesota River Basin
• Minnesota Association of Watershed Districts (MAWD): includes contact information for the Lac qui Parle - Yellow Bank Watershed District.
• Basins in Minnesota
• Lac qui Parle Yellow bank Watershed District

Information contact

Katherine Pekarek-Scott
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
1601 East Hwy 12, Suite 1
Willmar, MN 56258
320-441-6973
katherine.pekarek-scott@state.mn.us