Data gathered will direct river clean-up resources for decades to come
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) today announced a new initiative to monitor water quality throughout the entire Mississippi River within Minnesota’s borders for the first time in a single year. The agency made the announcement in recognition of Earth Day at an event along the banks of the Mississippi River in St. Paul, where leaders from the Department of Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, and the Metropolitan Council joined MPCA Commissioner Katrina Kessler to formally kick off the water monitoring season.
Water and aquatic life samples taken in 2024 from 50+ strategic locations between Bemidji and the Iowa border will provide a complete picture of water quality along the 650-mile stretch of the river within the state. The MPCA has previously gathered water samples from designated stretches of the river over many years — not ever attempting to sample the entire river in Minnesota during one monitoring season.
Monitoring lakes and rivers for pollution is a critical aspect of maintaining clean water. Information collected from the river throughout 2024 will be used to direct funding and other resources for river clean-up and improve water quality both within Minnesota and downstream.
“Water monitoring is critical to clean water. By monitoring our lakes and rivers, we are supporting safe drinking water, enjoyable recreation, tourism, and Minnesota’s strong economy,” said MPCA Commissioner Katrina Kessler. “Our work protecting the mighty Mississippi from its headwaters here in Minnesota is critical to maintaining a healthy river downstream, all the way to the Gulf of Mexico.”
Water monitoring allows the MPCA to identify and address emerging pollution concerns before they become a bigger problem. In 2024, for the first time, the MPCA will also screen samples taken from the river for per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) contamination. This will help the agency identify and stop sources of these “forever chemicals” that are entering the Mississippi.
The MPCA takes a multilayered approach to monitoring water quality. Water samples are collected to gauge factors like temperature, transparency, and levels of pollutants like phosphorus, nitrogen, and ammonia. MPCA crews use electrofishing to collect fish, measure them, identify abnormalities, and return them to the water. The agency also collects insects from river habitats, including bottom sediment and stream banks, and brings them to a lab for evaluation.
This monitoring effort is supported with funding from Minnesota’s Clean Water Fund. The fund was created in 2008 when Minnesota voters passed the Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment, increasing the sales tax through 2034. In addition to water monitoring, Clean Water Funds are used for watershed studies and on-the-ground restoration projects, making Minnesota home to one of the most robust water monitoring programs in the country.
Keeping our lakes and rivers clean is our shared responsibility as Minnesotans. The MPCA encourages Minnesotans who value our state’s lakes and rivers to join the Volunteer Water Monitoring program. For over 50 years, volunteers have collected water clarity data from local bodies of water that are submitted to the PCA and used to make important decisions about watershed protection and restoration across our state.
For more information and to join the program visit www.pca.state.mn.us/get-engaged/volunteer-water-monitoring.
Share this
