Minnesota's Impaired Waters and TMDLs

TMDL Project: Redwood River Watershed — Turbidity Assessment and Implementation Plan Development

Background

The Redwood River watershed area covers 451,250 acres (705 square miles) of land and is located in parts of Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Pipestone, Redwood, and Yellow Medicine counties. The Redwood River originates near Ruthton in northeast Pipestone County and flows about 125 miles northeast through Redwood Lake reservoir and to the Minnesota River at North Redwood. The dominant land use in the Redwood River watershed is cultivated agricultural row crops, accounting for 85.5 percent of all land use.

The Redwood-Cottonwood Rivers Control Area (RCRCA) is responsible for the completion of the TMDL assessment and implementation plan report with the assistance of project participants, a technical committee, and stakeholder meetings. This project will be addressing the turbidity impairments within the Redwood River watershed. Project partners and participants have been established through the existing and ongoing Redwood River Clean Water Project sponsored by the Clean Water Partnership program.      

The beneficial use of aquatic life is impaired for turbidity along three stretches of the Redwood River and one tributary, Three Mile Creek.

The Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) assessment report will describe the magnitude of the problem from turbidity sources at the listed reaches. The TMDL implementation plan will provide direction for improving water quality and load reductions needed within the Redwood River watershed to meet water quality standards.

Map and location

For a map of this impairment, see the Google map below or the Impaired Waters Viewer and/or for additional information at the Redwood-Cottonwood Rivers Control Area (RCRCA) website.

TMDL report and implementation plan

• Fact sheet

A preliminary draft TMDL assessment report and implementation plan are currently in development.  It is anticipated that the draft TMDL assessment report and implementation plan will be completed by the fall of 2010.

Other documents

None.

Meetings and events

See the TMDL Meetings, Events and News page for notices of general interest and event-related information on impaired waters/TMDLs. Specific information and meetings on the Redwood River Turbidity TMDL project is provided by the Redwood-Cottonwood Rivers Control Area (RCRCA) Web site.

Links

• Redwood-Cottonwood Rivers Control Area (RCRCA)

Information contact

Mark T. Hanson, Project Manager
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
504 Fairgrounds Road, Suite 200
Marshall, MN 56258
507-537-7146
mark.hanson@pca.state.mn.us