Show All Mississippi River - Grand Rapids Watershed
Overview
Watershed at-a-glance
The Mississippi River – Grand Rapids watershed covers 1,316,071 acres and contains 1,908 miles of stream/rivers and 552 lakes greater than 10 acres. The watershed drainage comprises parts of Aitkin, Carlton, Cass, Itasca, and St. Louis Counties. Some of the major cites are Grand Rapids, McGregor, Remer.
| Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) | 07010103 | [More Info] |
| Intensive monitoring start year | 2014 | [More Info] |
| Major lakes | Major rivers and streams |
|---|---|
|
Big Sandy, Minnewawa, Big Rice, Trout, Swan |
Prairie, Willow, Moose, Swan |
Characteristics
Land use consists of 56% forested, 27% grass and wetland, 7% agricultural, 7% water, and 3% urban. The watershed has 4 nutrient-impaired lakes and 2 impaired stream reaches (2008). Nearly 89% of the land is privately owned; 4.76% is publicly owned. The watershed contains numerous heavily developed lakes. The majority of the lakes are important recreational resources and economic benefits to the watershed.
What's being done
Surface Water Assessment Grants completed sampling on 147 lakes within Itasca County. The Big Sandy TMDL project is nearing completion.
Protection strategies will be an essential element moving ahead into the future to maintain the water resources of the watershed. This watershed is scheduled to start in 2014.
MPCA's watershed approach: Since 2007, the MPCA and its partners have begun implementing a 10-year rotation for watershed restoration plans to address Minnesota's waters at the major watershed level.
[+] See large map
Watershed News
Minnesota water stories
In communities throughout Minnesota, MPCA staff, along with other government agencies and citizen groups, are working to protect and restore the water quality of our rivers, lakes, and streams. Learn more about these efforts.
Preventing runoff
Find out how keep our lakes and rivers clean by capturing rainwater in your yard.
WaterFront Bulletin
WaterFront Bulletin: Find out about updates on impaired waters, watershed project funding, and water restoration and protection activities underway throughout the state.
Restoration and protection
The restoration and protection process
The MPCA and partner organizations evaluate water conditions, establish improvement goals and priorities, and take actions designed to restore or protect water quality on a 10-year cycle.
Monitoring and assessment
Projects in this watershed to test water quality conditions and determine whether our lakes, rivers, and wetlands are meeting state water quality standards. [More info]
| Project Name | Status |
|---|---|
| 1st WQ Inventory of Itasca County Lakes |
|
| Aitkin Cnty Lks Surface Water Monitor |
|
| Big Sandy Area Lakes Watershed Management Project |
|
| Bigfork River Watershed Priority Waters Assessment |
|
| Carlton County Lake Monitoring |
|
| Cass County Citizens Lakes Monitoring |
|
| Itasca County Lake Model Calibration Data Set |
|
| Itasca County Watershed Assessment |
|
| North Central Lakes Sediment Core Analysis |
|
| Upper Mississippi R Information Access Initiative |
|
| Volunteer Monitoring in the Big Sandy Area Lk WS |
|
Data available for this watershed
Lakes and stream segments with condition and monitoring information
Lakes and streams are divided into "assessment units" for monitoring.
Impairments in this watershed listed by lake or stream segment
Generally, a waterbody has an impairment when it exceeds a particular pollutant standard.
Strategy development projects
Projects in this watershed that establish federal- or state-required plans for restoring water quality for impaired waters, or protecting high-quality waters. [More info]
| Project Name | Status |
|---|---|
| Big Sandy TMDL Project |
|
| Mercury Pollutant Reduction Plan |
|
| Mississippi River - Grand Rapids Major Watershed WRAP Strategy |
|
Implementation activities
Projects in this watershed to put water restoration or protection measures in place, ranging from best management practices to reduce runoff from fields or streets, to fixes to wastewater treatment facilities, to education activities for citizens and landowners. Implementation projects are supported by local, state and federal government sources, including Minnesota's new Clean Water Fund.
Our partners in the watershed are continually involved in these kinds of activities. See Contacts tab.
| Project Name | Status |
|---|---|
| Big Sandy Area Lakes Watershed Mgmt Continuation |
|
| Upper Mississippi River Source Water Protection |
|
Water data tools
Search for your lake or stream's assessment data
See information about your local lake or stream.
DNR Lake Finder
Find information about 4500+ lakes, rivers, and streams
Search MPCA surface water data
Use this tool for accessing and comparing data in all surface waters.
Contacts
Greg VanEeckhout, MPCA project manager
218-316-3896
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Maps
Watershed Map
Many of Minnesota’s lakes and streams do not currently meet water-quality standards because of pollution such as excess sediment or nutrients, bacteria or mercury. These waters are considered “impaired.” For more information, visit the impaired waters page.
The toggles show impaired waters and monitoring stations. Click on a site for more information.
Impairments in this watershed, listed by lake or stream segment
Generally, a waterbody has an impairment when it exceeds a particular pollutant standard.
