Minnesota's Impaired Waters and TMDLs
Project: Pope County 8 Lakes TMDL — Excess nutrients (total phosphorus)
Background
Eight lakes in Pope County, Minn., have been determined to be impaired due to excess nutrients (total phosphorus). The lakes are Ann, Emily, Gilchrist, Leven, Malmedal, Pelican, Reno and Strandness.
A TMDL study has been completed that identifies phosphorus as the primary pollutant leading to excessive plant growth, such as algae, in these lakes. The TMDL study/report is under final review.
Stakeholder groups involved in the TMDL include:
- Pope County Soil and Water Conservation District,
- Pope County,
- Chippewa River Watershed Project,
- Individual lake associations,
- Pope County Coalition of Lakes Association (COLA),
- Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR),
- Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR),
- Minnesota Department of Agriculture, and
- A number of area residents.
Map and Location
The eight lakes in the TMDL are located within a roughly 30-mile radius of Glenwood, Minn., in west central Minnesota. The lakes are in the Chippewa River Watershed.
More maps are available on the TMDL maps page.
TMDL Report and Implementation Plan
-
Draft TMDL (wq-iw7-35b) - Public Notice open for comment July 23, 2012 – August 22, 2012
- Pope County 8 Lakes TMDL supporting documents
The TMDL study is undergoing final review. The study determined the amount of phosphorus reductions needed for each lake:
- Anne, 90%,
- Emily, 35%,
- Gilchrist, 48%,
- Leven, 35%,
- Malmedal, 72%,
- Pelican, 35%,
- Reno, 36%, and
- Strandness, 54%.
Sources of phosphorus include:
- point sources such as feedlots and wastewater treatment facilities,
- stormwater runoff,
- loading from upstream waters,
- atmospheric deposition,
- subsurface sewage treatment systems (SSTS),
- groundwater,
- internal loading, and
- in-stream erosion.
Where specific sources were identified, the report assigned allocations to those sources. These include the Blair Farms Inc. feedlot, wastewater treatment facilities in Lowry and Starbuck, and stormwater runoff from construction activities in Pope County.
Implementation of the corrective phase of the TMDL project will be accomplished by both state and local action. Water quality restoration efforts will be led by the Pope County Soil and Water Conservation District, Pope County, the Chippewa River Watershed Project, and through lake associations and the Pope County Coalition of Lakes Association (COLA).
Other Documents
None.
Meetings and Events
Monthly stakeholder meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month 2 - 4:30 p.m. at the Pizza Ranch in Glenwood, Minn. Contact Luan Johnrud (Pope SWCD) to confirm the meeting: 320-634-5327 or visit the Pope Soil and Water Conservation District website.
For notices of general interest and event-related information on impaired waters and TMDLs, visit the TMDL Meetings and Events page.
Links
- Pope County SWCD
- Pope County
- Chippewa River Watershed Project
- Pope County COLA
- DNR Fisheries Glenwood, Minnesota
- Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR)
Information Contact
Tim James
TMDL Project Manager
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
714 Lake Avenue, Suite 220
Detroit Lakes, MN 56501
218-846-8103
tim.james@state.mn.us