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A watershed is the area of land where all of the water that drains off of it goes into the same place — a river, stream or lake.
Protecting and restoring water quality is one of the MPCA's core areas of focus.
The MPCA works with city and county governments, watershed districts, consultants, and others on monitoring, protecting, and restoring water quality. This is a repository of guidance and technical resources for agency partners.
The MPCA monitors and assesses lakes around the state to determine if they meet water quality standards.
A training and certification program for evaluating aquatic life in Minnesota’s rivers and streams.
The MPCA provides financial and technical assistance to local government and other water resource managers to address nonpoint-source water pollution.
Surface water assessment grants (SWAG) provide local organizations and citizen volunteers with funds to complete the monitoring needed to meet assessment requirements on Minnesota lakes and streams. Assessment is usually the first step in protecting or restoring surface waters.
Removing of an old dam and restoring a creek's curves are improving habitat and water quality in the Pomme de Terre River Watershed.
The MPCA uses the Environmental Quality Information System (EQuIS) to store water quality data from more than 17,000 Minnesota sampling locations.
The Duluth Urban Area Watershed is a focused geographic area designed to recognize the complexity and challenges in an urban center with a water-rich environment. It is defined by a series of small watersheds that are portions of three major watersheds.
Water quality trading is a market-based approach to the protection and restoration of surface waters, another tool to be used in conjunction with existing voluntary, regulatory, and financial assistance programs.
Image Although Minnesota is rich in lakes and streams, Lake Superior is easily the most spectacular waterbody in Minnesota. Despite its immense size…
The Clearwater River Watershed drains an area of 886,600 acres in the Red River of the North basin. The river flows to the northwest and southwest, eventually emptying into Red Lake River near Red Lake Falls.
The Snake River begins its 50-mile course in Marshall County and drains an area of 611,800 acres. The Snake River Watershed lies within Marshall, Polk, and Pennington Counties in NW Minnesota.
Ten TMDL projects undertaken in the Lower St. Croix River Watershed to address nutrient, biota, bacteria, and other impairments.
Controlling phosphorus is an important part of protecting Minnesota waters.
MPCA studies shows 75% of Minnesota lakes meet standards for recreation. Clean Water Fund dollars help answer water quality questions.
Clean Water Fund dollars come from the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment that Minnesotans approved in 2008.
A new planning effort in northwest Minnesota takes a basin-wide approach to reducing the state's phosphorous contributions to the Red River, and to Canada's Lake Winnipeg.
The Clean Water Council was created to advise the Legislature and the governor on the administration and implementation of the 2006 Clean Water Legacy Act