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A TMDL is the maximum amount of a pollutant a body of water can receive without violating water quality standards, and an allocation of that amount to the pollutant’s sources. The TMDL process identifies all sources of a pollutant and determines how much each source must reduce its contribution in order to meet the standard. Once a body of water is added to the Minnesota Impaired Waters List, a TMDL must be developed for it. After impaired waters are listed, the MPCA organizes them into TMDL projects using the watershed approach.

5221: Watershed project managers
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Watershed project managers

Contact MPCA staff project managers of watershed projects.

Other resources

Draft and pending WRAPS/TMDL projects

Draft WRAPS and TMDLs go through an extensive technical review and public notice process before the WRAPS reports are approved by MPCA, and the TMDL reports are submitted to the U.S. EPA for final approval. Public comments on draft WRAPS and TMDL reports are typically accepted for 30 days. If there are substantial changes made to the draft as a result of public comment, it will be re-public noticed. EPA typically completes its review of the final draft TMDL report within 30 days of receiving it from the MPCA, but some studies may require additional time.

Approved WRAPS, TMDLs and implementation plans

This spreadsheet includes WRAPS reports and implementation plans approved by the MPCA and TMDLs approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

TMDL projectsTMDL approved
(U.S. EPA)		Implementation
plan approved
(MPCA)		Basin
Redwood River Watershed eutrophication TMDL report2024-01-19 Minnesota River
Crow Wing River Watershed WRAPS report update 2023  Upper Mississippi River
Lake Osakis: Excess nutrients TMDL2023-12-20 Lower Mississippi River
Sauk River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2023-08-02 Upper Mississippi River
Blue Earth River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2023-08-01 Minnesota River
Redwood River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2023-05-11 Minnesota River
North Fork Crow River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2023-05-15 Upper Mississippi River
Cottonwood River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2023-01-09 Minnesota
Lower Rainy River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2022-10-12 Red River of the North
Rainy River - Headwaters Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2022-07-20 Rainy River
Wild Rice River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2022-06-29 Red River of the North
Duluth Area Beaches TMDL2022-06-29 Lake Superior
Minnesota River Headwaters Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2022-04-18 Minnesota River
Rapid River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2022-03-23 Rainy River
Vermilion River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2022-02-04 Rainy River
Otter Tail River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2021-10-14 Red River of the North
Lac qui Parle River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2021-08-31 Minnesota River
Lake Winona Excess Nutrients TMDL2021-07-28 Upper Mississippi River
Marsh River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2021-07-28 Red River of the North
Shell Rock River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2021-06-30 Cedar River
Upper/Lower Red Lake Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2021-06-22 Red River of the North
Lake of the Woods: Excess Nutrients TMDL2021-06-17 Rainy River
Lake Pepin Excess Nutrients TMDL2021-05-19 Lower Mississippi River
Sauk River Chain of Lakes TMDL2021-05-17 Upper Mississippi River
Kettle River and Upper St. Croix River Watersheds WRAPS and TMDL2021-04-28 St. Croix River Basin
Des Moines River Basin Watersheds WRAPS and TMDL2021-04-01 Des Moines River
Des Moines River Headwaters Watershed River Eutrophication TMDL2021-03-25 Des Moines River
Clearwater River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2021-02-18 Red River of the North
Roseau River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2021-01-07 Red River of the North
Mississippi River - Sartell Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2020-12-22 Upper Mississippi River
Snake River - Red River Basin Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2020-12-21 Red River of the North
Upper Mississippi River TSS TMDL2020-12-15 Upper Mississippi River
Duluth Urban Area Streams WRAPS and TMDL2020-11-18 Lake Superior
Mississippi River - Brainerd Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2020-09-01 Upper Mississippi
Mississippi River - La Crescent Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2020-08-31 Lower Mississippi
Winnebago River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2020-07-09 Cedar River
Bois de Sioux River Watershed2020-05-08 Red River of the North
Watonwan River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2020-04-07 Minnesota River
Upper Iowa River and Mississippi River - Reno Watersheds WRAPS and TMDL2020-03-26 Lower Mississippi River
Lower Minnesota River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2020-03-13 Minnesota River
Lake of the Woods Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2020-03-02 Rainy River
Upper Wapsipinicon River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2020-02-24 Cedar River
Minnesota River - Mankato Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2020-02-20 Minnesota River
Minnesota River and Greater Blue Earth River Basin TMDL for TSS2020-02-12 Minnesota River
Red Lake River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2019-12-23 Red River of the North
Mississippi River - Grand Rapids Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2019-10-01 Upper Mississippi River
Two Rivers Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2019-06-27 Red River of the North
Cedar River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2019-06-24 Cedar River
Minnesota River bacteria TMDL and strategies report2019-06-11 Minnesota River
Crystal Lake (Blue Earth County): Excess Nutrients TMDL2019-05-16 Minnesota River
Grand Marais Creek Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2019-05-14 Red River of the North
South Fork Crow River Watershed2019-05-08 Upper Mississippi River
Lower Red River - Tamarac Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2019-04-16 Red River of the North
Thief River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2019-03-28 Red River of the North
Lake Superior South Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2019-02-22 Lake Superior
Mississippi River Headwaters Watershed WRAPs and TMDL2018-10-19 Upper Mississippi River
St. Louis River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2018-10-17 Lake Superior
Lake Superior North Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2018-09-13 Lake Superior
Big Fork Watershed2017-12-20 Rainy River
Pine River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2017-11-14 Upper Mississippi River
Hawk Creek Watershed TMDL2017-11-20 Minnesota River
Sandhill River Watershed2017-06-27 Red River of the North
Pope County 8 Lakes: Excess nutrients2017-03-01 Minnesota River
Coon Creek Watershed District2016-09-26 Upper Mississippi River
12-Mile Creek DO TMDL (North Fork Crow River Watershed)2016-09-26 Upper Mississippi River
Lower Minnesota River: Low Dissolved Oxygen2004-09-282006-02Minnesota River
Yellow Medicine (South Branch) TMDL: Fecal coliform bacteria2004-09-302005-09-27Minnesota River
Chippewa River: Un-ionized Ammonia2004-10-292004-11Minnesota River
Chippewa River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2017-06-07 Minnesota River
Long Prairie River Watershed: Low Dissolved Oxygen2005-08-052006-01Upper Mississippi River
Long Prairie River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2017-01-12 Upper Mississippi River
Lower Mississippi River Basin TMDL: Regional fecal coliform2006-04-052007-09Lower Mississippi River
Chippewa River TMDL: Fecal coliform2007-01-112016-03-10Minnesota River
Lower Otter Tail River TMDL: Turbidity2007-02-122007-02Red River
Shingle Creek TMDL: Chloride2007-02-142007-03-05Upper Mississippi River
Sunrise River (North Branch) TMDL: Fecal Coliform Bacteria2007-02-222007-02St. Croix River
Lake Independence TMDL: Excess nutrients2007-02-232007-03Upper Mississippi River
Carver-Bevens-Silver Creeks TMDL: Fecal coliform2007-03-142007-03Minnesota River
Statewide TMDL: Mercury Pollutant Reduction Plan2007-03-272009-10Statewide
Lower Cannon River TMDL: Turbidity2007-07-132009-10-14Lower Mississippi River
Twin and Ryan Lakes TMDL: Excess nutrients2007-11-092007-11-13Upper Mississippi River
Blue Earth River TMDL: Fecal coliform bacteria2007-06-072007-11-14Minnesota River
Pomme de Terre River TMDL: Fecal coliform bacteria2007-12-072008-09-29Minnesota River
Rock River TMDL: Fecal and Turbidity2008-04-232008-10Missouri River
Pipestone Creek TMDL: Fecal coliform bacteria and turbidity2008-07-032008-09Missouri and Des Moines River
High Island Creek - Rush River: Fecal coliform2008-11-142009-07-14Minnesota River
Burandt Lake: Excess Nutrients2008-11-262009-06-09Minnesota River
West Fork Des Moines River Watershed: Multiple impairments2008-12-182009-09-22Missouri and Des Moines Rivers
Crystal Lake (Metro): Excess nutrients2009-03-252009-07-07Upper Mississippi River
Long and Farquar Lakes: Excess nutrients (Metro)2009-04-082010-06-30Lower Mississippi River
Groundhouse River: Fecal Coliform and Impaired Biota2009-03-122009-07-15St. Croix River
Hardwood Creek: Impaired Biota, Dissolved Oxygen (Metro)2009-06-182009-07-10Upper Mississippi River
Lower Wild Rice River TMDL: Turbidity2009-07-172009-10-12Red River
Schmidt, Pomerleau, and Bass Lakes: Excess Nutrients2009-09-252009-12-03Upper Mississippi River
Vermillion River TMDL: Turbidity2009-09-292011-09-14Lower Mississippi River
Golden Lake: Excess Nutrients (Metro)2009-09-302012-07Upper Mississippi River
Clearwater River and 6 Lakes: Bacteria and Nutrients2010-01-262010-05-19Upper Mississippi River
Kohlman Lakes: Excess Nutrients (Metro)2010-03-232010-05-06Upper Mississippi River
Meadow Lake: Excess Nutrients (Metro)2010-03-232010-06-14Upper Mississippi River
Cedar Island, Pike and Eagle Lakes: Excess Nutrients2010-04-142010-05-18Upper Mississippi River
Comfort Lake - Forest Lake TMDL: Excess Nutrients2010-06-072010-06-11St. Croix River
Mustinka River: Turbidity2010-06-082010-11-30Red River of the North
Knife River: Turbidity2010-07-022011-12-09Lake Superior
Silver Lake TMDL: Excessive Nutrients2010-07-292011-05-25Upper Mississippi River
Fish and Schwanz Lakes: Excess Nutrients (Metro)2010-09-092010-11-24Minnesota River
Reitz Lake: Excess Nutrients (Metro)2010-09-202010-09-20Minnesota River
Clearwater River - Five Lakes Nutrients TMDL (Albion, Augusta, Caroline, Henshaw and Swartout Lakes)2010-09-282010-05-19Upper Mississippi River
Benton Lake TMDL: Excess nutrients (Metro)2013-05-172013-09-16Minnesota River
South Fork Crow River Lakes: Excess nutrients (Metro)2010-09-282010-11-03Upper Mississippi River
Magda Lake: Excess nutrients (Metro)2010-09-302010-10-01Upper Mississippi River
Wirth Lake: Excess nutrients (Metro)2010-10-252010-10-25Upper Mississippi River
Lake Margaret: Excess nutrients2010-10-26 Upper Mississippi River
Clearwater River (UM Basin) CD #44 to Lake Betsy: Dissolved oxygen2010-11-082010-05-19Upper Mississippi River
Nemadji River Watershed2017-08-16 Lake Superior
Nine Mile Creek: Impaired Biota, Turbidity & Chloride2010-11-29 Minnesota River
Browns Creek: Lack of a coldwater assemblage and Impaired Biota2010-12-212012-02-16St. Croix River
Como Lake: Excess Nutrients2010-12-23 Upper Mississippi River
Getchell, Unnamed, Stony (GUS): Turbidity2011-02-072014-06-30Upper Mississippi River
Medicine Lake: Excessive nutrients (Metro)2011-02-082011-02-08Upper Mississippi River
Minnehaha Creek Watershed Lakes: Excess nutrients (Metro)2011-04-25 Upper Mississippi River
Lake Sarah: Excess nutrients (Metro)2011-04-252011-09-16Upper Mississippi River
Jessie Lake: Excess nutrients2011-05-04 Rainy River
Rabbit River: Turbidity2011-06-14 Red River
Big Sandy Area Lakes: Excess nutrients2011-06-142013-05-22Upper Mississippi River
Long and Ringo Lakes TMDL: Excess nutrients2011-07-20 Minnesota River
Sweeney Lake: Phosphorus2011-08-10 Upper Mississippi River
Spring Lake-Upper Prior Lake: Excess nutrients (Metro)2011-09-142012-02-29Minnesota River
Diamond Lake: Excess nutrients2011-09-212011-10-11Upper Mississippi River
Pomme de Terre River Watershed: Turbidity2011-09-212011-11-23Minnesota River
Crystal, Keller, Lee, and Earley Lakes: Excess nutrients2011-09-302011-11-03Minnesota River
Shingle and Bass Creeks: Impaired Biota & Dissolved Oxygen (Metro)2011-11-042012-01-30Upper Mississippi River
Little Rock Creek TMDL2017-01-09 Upper Mississippi River
Little Rock Lake: Excess nutrients2012-02-022013-03-14Upper Mississippi River
Cedar and McMahon Lakes: Excess nutrients2012-02-232012-06-18Minnesota River
North Fork Crow River, Rice Lake: Excess nutrients2012-05-072012-06-04Upper Mississippi River
Ann and Emma Lakes: Excess Nutrients2012-05-222012-06-19Upper Mississippi River
Zumbro River Watershed: Turbidity2012-05-252012-08-28Lower Mississippi River
Bald Eagle Lake: Excess Nutrients (Metro)2012-06-112012-06-11Upper Mississippi River
Elk River Watershed: Multiple Impairments2012-06-142012-07-10Upper Mississippi River
Martin and Typo Lakes: Excess nutrients2012-06-202012-08-08St. Croix River
Lake St. Croix: Excess nutrients2012-08-082012-10-26St. Croix River
Carnelian Marine St. Croix 10 Lake TMDL: Excess nutrients2012-09-182013-08-30St. Croix River
Lake Shaokatan: Excess nutrients2012-09-20 Minnesota River
Bevens Creek turbidity TMDL2012-09-202013-07-24Minnesota River
Mill Creek bacteria and Pearl Lake nutrients2012-09-252014-06-30Upper Mississippi River
Carver Creek turbidity TMDL2012-09-262013-07-24Minnesota River
Chisago Lakes: Nutrient/Eutrophication Biological Indicators2013-02-202013-02-25St. Croix River
Lac qui Parle River-Yellow Bank: Bacteria, Turbidity, and Low Dissolved Oxygen2013-05-082013-06-20Minnesota River
Goose, Hydes, Miller, and Winkler lakes TMDL: Excess nutrients (Metro)2010-09-282010-11-12Minnesota River
Ann River Watershed: Excess nutrients and impaired biota2013-06-032013-07-15St. Croix River
Lake Osakis Watershed: Excess Nutrients2013-06-052014-06-30Upper Mississippi River
Bluff Creek: Turbidity and Impaired Fish Biota (Metro)2013-06-282013-07-24Minnesota River
Deer Creek: Turbidity2013-08-122014-04-01Lake Superior
North Fork Lower Crow River: multiple impairments2013-08-20 Upper Mississippi River
Lino Lakes Chain of Lakes: Excess Nutrients (Metro)2013-09-272010-05Upper Mississippi River
Sauk Lake (North Bay): Excess Nutrients2013-11-132014-06-30Upper Mississippi River
Sauk Lake (Southwest Bay) TMDL2017-06-07 Upper Mississippi River
Peltier and Centerville Lakes: Excess Nutrients (Metro)2013-11-252013-08Upper Mississippi River
Buffalo Creek - South Fork Crow River: Bacteria2013-12-03 Upper Mississippi River
Buffalo River Watershed2017-02-16 Red River of the North
Poplar River: Turbidity2013-12-112014-02-06Lake Superior
Cottonwood River: Fecal Coliform2014-01-08 Minnesota River
Redwood River: Fecal Coliform2014-01-21 Minnesota River
Lura Lake: Excess Nutrients2014-02-19 Minnesota River
Minnehaha Creek Bacteria and Lake Hiawatha Excess Nutrients (Metro)2014-02-24 Upper Mississippi River
Snake River Watershed2014-03-31 St. Croix River
Vadnais Lake Area WMO: TMDL and Protection Study2014-04-032014-07-25Upper Mississippi River
Sunrise Watershed TMDL: Multiple Impairments2014-04-28 St. Croix River
Upper Minnehaha Creek Watershed Lakes and Bacteria (Metro)2014-06-262014-09-12Upper Mississippi River
Upper Cannon Lakes: Excess Nutrients (Lake Volney)2014-09-02 Lower Mississippi River
Upper Cannon Lakes: Excess Nutrients (Jefferson-German Lake Chain)2014-09-02 Lower Mississippi River
Chippewa River: Turbidity2014-09-292016-02-29Minnesota River
Crow Wing Watershed TMDLs: Multiple Impairments2014-11-19 Upper Mississippi River
Upper Mississippi River: Bacteria2014-11-202016-02-18Upper Mississippi River
Lower Mississippi River WMO Watershed WRAPS/TMDL2014-11-24 Upper Mississippi River
Rice Creek Watershed District SW Urban Lakes2015-02-26 Upper Mississippi River
North Fork Crow River Watershed WRAPS/TMDL2015-05-08 Upper Mississippi River
Mississippi River - St. Cloud Watershed WRAPS/TMDL2015-05-14 Upper Mississippi River
Mississippi River - Lake Pepin Watershed WRAPS/TMDL2015-08-18 Lower Mississippi River
Pomme de Terre River Watershed TMDL2015-08-26 Minnesota River
Vermillion River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2015-12-21 Lower Mississippi River
Goose Creek Watershed2016-02-05 St. Croix River
Le Sueur River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2016-03-15 Minnesota River
Eagan Lakes TMDL2015-12-21 Minnesota River
South Metro Mississippi River TMDL (Metro)2016-04-26 Upper Mississippi River
Twin Cities Metro Area Chloride TMDL2016-06-092016-02-26Multiple basins
Valley Branch Watershed District2016-07-07 St. Croix River
Mississippi River - Winona Watershed2016-07-15 Lower Mississippi River
St. Clair Lake - Otter Tail River Watershed2016-08-04 Red River
Cannon River Watershed2017-02-16 Lower Mississippi River
Root River Watershed2017-02-16 Lower Mississippi River
Mustinka River Watershed2017-03-15 Red River of the North
Redeye River Watershed2017-03-14 Upper Mississippi River
Yellow Medicine River Watershed2017-03-28 Minnesota River
Elm Creek Watershed2017-06-26 Upper Mississippi River
Rum River Watershed2017-09-26 Upper Mississippi River
Pioneer Sarah Creek Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2017-09-29 Upper Mississippi River
Miller Creek TMDL2018-01-09 Lake Superior
Ramsey-Washington Metro WD2017-09-29 Upper Mississippi River
Sauk River Bacteria & Nutrient TMDL2017-09-26 Upper Mississippi River
Upper Red River of the North Watershed2018-01-25 Red River
Zumbro River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2018-02-22 Lower Mississippi River
Missouri River Basin WRAPS and TMDL2018-02-15 Missouri River
Little Fork River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2018-05-09 Rainy River