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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 TMDL and WRAPS reports

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)		Basin
Le Sueur River Watershed TMDL report 20252025-05-23Minnesota River
Redwood River Watershed eutrophication TMDL2024-01-19Minnesota River
Crow Wing River Watershed WRAPS report update 2023 Upper Mississippi River
Lake Osakis: Excess nutrients TMDL2023-12-20Lower Mississippi River
Sauk River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2023-08-02Upper Mississippi River
Blue Earth River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2023-08-01Minnesota River
Redwood River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2023-05-11Minnesota River
North Fork Crow River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2023-05-15Upper Mississippi River
Cottonwood River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2023-01-09Minnesota
Lower Rainy River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2022-10-12Red River of the North
Rainy River - Headwaters Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2022-07-20Rainy River
Wild Rice River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2022-06-29Red River of the North
Duluth Area Beaches TMDL2022-06-29Lake Superior
Minnesota River Headwaters Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2022-04-18Minnesota River
Rapid River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2022-03-23Rainy River
Vermilion River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2022-02-04Rainy River
Otter Tail River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2021-10-14Red River of the North
Lac qui Parle River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2021-08-31Minnesota River
Lake Winona Excess Nutrients TMDL2021-07-28Upper Mississippi River
Marsh River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2021-07-28Red River of the North
Shell Rock River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2021-06-30Cedar River
Upper/Lower Red Lake Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2021-06-22Red River of the North
Lake of the Woods: Excess Nutrients TMDL2021-06-17Rainy River
Lake Pepin Excess Nutrients TMDL2021-05-19Lower Mississippi River
Sauk River Chain of Lakes TMDL2021-05-17Upper Mississippi River
Kettle River and Upper St. Croix River Watersheds WRAPS and TMDL2021-04-28St. Croix River Basin
Des Moines River Basin Watersheds WRAPS and TMDL2021-04-01Des Moines River
Des Moines River Headwaters Watershed River Eutrophication TMDL2021-03-25Des Moines River
Clearwater River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2021-02-18Red River of the North
Roseau River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2021-01-07Red River of the North
Mississippi River - Sartell Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2020-12-22Upper Mississippi River
Snake River - Red River Basin Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2020-12-21Red River of the North
Upper Mississippi River TSS TMDL2020-12-15Upper Mississippi River
Duluth Urban Area Streams WRAPS and TMDL2020-11-18Lake Superior
Mississippi River - Brainerd Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2020-09-01Upper Mississippi
Mississippi River - La Crescent Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2020-08-31Lower Mississippi
Winnebago River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2020-07-09Cedar River
Bois de Sioux River Watershed2020-05-08Red River of the North
Watonwan River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2020-04-07Minnesota River
Upper Iowa River and Mississippi River - Reno Watersheds WRAPS and TMDL2020-03-26Lower Mississippi River
Lower Minnesota River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2020-03-13Minnesota River
Lake of the Woods Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2020-03-02Rainy River
Upper Wapsipinicon River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2020-02-24Cedar River
Minnesota River - Mankato Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2020-02-20Minnesota River
Minnesota River and Greater Blue Earth River Basin TMDL for TSS2020-02-12Minnesota River
Red Lake River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2019-12-23Red River of the North
Mississippi River - Grand Rapids Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2019-10-01Upper Mississippi River
Two Rivers Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2019-06-27Red River of the North
Cedar River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2019-06-24Cedar River
Minnesota River bacteria TMDL and strategies report2019-06-11Minnesota River
Crystal Lake (Blue Earth County): Excess Nutrients TMDL2019-05-16Minnesota River
Grand Marais Creek Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2019-05-14Red River of the North
South Fork Crow River Watershed2019-05-08Upper Mississippi River
Lower Red River - Tamarac Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2019-04-16Red River of the North
Thief River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2019-03-28Red River of the North
Lake Superior South Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2019-02-22Lake Superior
Mississippi River Headwaters Watershed WRAPs and TMDL2018-10-19Upper Mississippi River
St. Louis River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2018-10-17Lake Superior
Lake Superior North Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2018-09-13Lake Superior
Big Fork Watershed2017-12-20Rainy River
Pine River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2017-11-14Upper Mississippi River
Hawk Creek Watershed TMDL2017-11-20Minnesota River
Sandhill River Watershed2017-06-27Red River of the North
Pope County 8 Lakes: Excess nutrients2017-03-01Minnesota River
Coon Creek Watershed District2016-09-26Upper Mississippi River
12-Mile Creek DO TMDL (North Fork Crow River Watershed)2016-09-26Upper Mississippi River
Lower Minnesota River: Low Dissolved Oxygen2004-09-28Minnesota River
Yellow Medicine (South Branch) TMDL: Fecal coliform bacteria2004-09-30Minnesota River
Chippewa River: Un-ionized Ammonia2004-10-29Minnesota River
Chippewa River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2017-06-07Minnesota River
Long Prairie River Watershed: Low Dissolved Oxygen2005-08-05Upper Mississippi River
Long Prairie River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2017-01-12Upper Mississippi River
Lower Mississippi River Basin TMDL: Regional fecal coliform2006-04-05Lower Mississippi River
Chippewa River TMDL: Fecal coliform2007-01-11Minnesota River
Lower Otter Tail River TMDL: Turbidity2007-02-12Red River
Shingle Creek TMDL: Chloride2007-02-14Upper Mississippi River
Sunrise River (North Branch) TMDL: Fecal Coliform Bacteria2007-02-22St. Croix River
Lake Independence TMDL: Excess nutrients2007-02-23Upper Mississippi River
Carver-Bevens-Silver Creeks TMDL: Fecal coliform2007-03-14Minnesota River
Statewide TMDL: Mercury Pollutant Reduction Plan2007-03-27Statewide
Lower Cannon River TMDL: Turbidity2007-07-13Lower Mississippi River
Twin and Ryan Lakes TMDL: Excess nutrients2007-11-09Upper Mississippi River
Blue Earth River TMDL: Fecal coliform bacteria2007-06-07Minnesota River
Pomme de Terre River TMDL: Fecal coliform bacteria2007-12-07Minnesota River
Rock River TMDL: Fecal and Turbidity2008-04-23Missouri River
Pipestone Creek TMDL: Fecal coliform bacteria and turbidity2008-07-03Missouri and Des Moines River
High Island Creek - Rush River: Fecal coliform2008-11-14Minnesota River
Burandt Lake: Excess Nutrients2008-11-26Minnesota River
West Fork Des Moines River Watershed: Multiple impairments2008-12-18Missouri and Des Moines Rivers
Crystal Lake (Metro): Excess nutrients2009-03-25Upper Mississippi River
Long and Farquar Lakes: Excess nutrients (Metro)2009-04-08Lower Mississippi River
Groundhouse River: Fecal Coliform and Impaired Biota2009-03-12St. Croix River
Hardwood Creek: Impaired Biota, Dissolved Oxygen (Metro)2009-06-18Upper Mississippi River
Lower Wild Rice River TMDL: Turbidity2009-07-17Red River
Schmidt, Pomerleau, and Bass Lakes: Excess Nutrients2009-09-25Upper Mississippi River
Vermillion River TMDL: Turbidity2009-09-29Lower Mississippi River
Golden Lake: Excess Nutrients (Metro)2009-09-30Upper Mississippi River
Clearwater River and 6 Lakes: Bacteria and Nutrients2010-01-26Upper Mississippi River
Kohlman Lakes: Excess Nutrients (Metro)2010-03-23Upper Mississippi River
Meadow Lake: Excess Nutrients (Metro)2010-03-23Upper Mississippi River
Cedar Island, Pike and Eagle Lakes: Excess Nutrients2010-04-14Upper Mississippi River
Comfort Lake - Forest Lake TMDL: Excess Nutrients2010-06-07St. Croix River
Mustinka River: Turbidity2010-06-08Red River of the North
Knife River: Turbidity2010-07-02Lake Superior
Silver Lake TMDL: Excessive Nutrients2010-07-29Upper Mississippi River
Fish and Schwanz Lakes: Excess Nutrients (Metro)2010-09-09Minnesota River
Reitz Lake: Excess Nutrients (Metro)2010-09-20Minnesota River
Clearwater River - Five Lakes Nutrients TMDL (Albion, Augusta, Caroline, Henshaw and Swartout Lakes)2010-09-28Upper Mississippi River
Benton Lake TMDL: Excess nutrients (Metro)2013-05-17Minnesota River
South Fork Crow River Lakes: Excess nutrients (Metro)2010-09-28Upper Mississippi River
Magda Lake: Excess nutrients (Metro)2010-09-30Upper Mississippi River
Wirth Lake: Excess nutrients (Metro)2010-10-25Upper Mississippi River
Lake Margaret: Excess nutrients2010-10-26Upper Mississippi River
Clearwater River (UM Basin) CD #44 to Lake Betsy: Dissolved oxygen2010-11-08Upper Mississippi River
Nemadji River Watershed2017-08-16Lake Superior
Nine Mile Creek: Impaired Biota, Turbidity & Chloride2010-11-29Minnesota River
Browns Creek: Lack of a coldwater assemblage and Impaired Biota2010-12-21St. Croix River
Como Lake: Excess Nutrients2010-12-23Upper Mississippi River
Getchell, Unnamed, Stony (GUS): Turbidity2011-02-07Upper Mississippi River
Medicine Lake: Excessive nutrients (Metro)2011-02-08Upper Mississippi River
Minnehaha Creek Watershed Lakes: Excess nutrients (Metro)2011-04-25Upper Mississippi River
Lake Sarah: Excess nutrients (Metro)2011-04-25Upper Mississippi River
Jessie Lake: Excess nutrients2011-05-04Rainy River
Rabbit River: Turbidity2011-06-14Red River
Big Sandy Area Lakes: Excess nutrients2011-06-14Upper Mississippi River
Long and Ringo Lakes TMDL: Excess nutrients2011-07-20Minnesota River
Sweeney Lake: Phosphorus2011-08-10Upper Mississippi River
Spring Lake-Upper Prior Lake: Excess nutrients (Metro)2011-09-14Minnesota River
Diamond Lake: Excess nutrients2011-09-21Upper Mississippi River
Pomme de Terre River Watershed: Turbidity2011-09-21Minnesota River
Crystal, Keller, Lee, and Earley Lakes: Excess nutrients2011-09-30Minnesota River
Shingle and Bass Creeks: Impaired Biota & Dissolved Oxygen (Metro)2011-11-04Upper Mississippi River
Little Rock Creek TMDL2017-01-09Upper Mississippi River
Little Rock Lake: Excess nutrients2012-02-02Upper Mississippi River
Cedar and McMahon Lakes: Excess nutrients2012-02-23Minnesota River
North Fork Crow River, Rice Lake: Excess nutrients2012-05-07Upper Mississippi River
Ann and Emma Lakes: Excess Nutrients2012-05-22Upper Mississippi River
Zumbro River Watershed: Turbidity2012-05-25Lower Mississippi River
Bald Eagle Lake: Excess Nutrients (Metro)2012-06-11Upper Mississippi River
Elk River Watershed: Multiple Impairments2012-06-14Upper Mississippi River
Martin and Typo Lakes: Excess nutrients2012-06-20St. Croix River
Lake St. Croix: Excess nutrients2012-08-08St. Croix River
Carnelian Marine St. Croix 10 Lake TMDL: Excess nutrients2012-09-18St. Croix River
Lake Shaokatan: Excess nutrients2012-09-20Minnesota River
Bevens Creek turbidity TMDL2012-09-20Minnesota River
Mill Creek bacteria and Pearl Lake nutrients2012-09-25Upper Mississippi River
Carver Creek turbidity TMDL2012-09-26Minnesota River
Chisago Lakes: Nutrient/Eutrophication Biological Indicators2013-02-20St. Croix River
Lac qui Parle River-Yellow Bank: Bacteria, Turbidity, and Low Dissolved Oxygen2013-05-08Minnesota River
Goose, Hydes, Miller, and Winkler lakes TMDL: Excess nutrients (Metro)2010-09-28Minnesota River
Ann River Watershed: Excess nutrients and impaired biota2013-06-03St. Croix River
Lake Osakis Watershed: Excess Nutrients2013-06-05Upper Mississippi River
Bluff Creek: Turbidity and Impaired Fish Biota (Metro)2013-06-28Minnesota River
Deer Creek: Turbidity2013-08-12Lake Superior
North Fork Lower Crow River: multiple impairments2013-08-20Upper Mississippi River
Lino Lakes Chain of Lakes: Excess Nutrients (Metro)2013-09-27Upper Mississippi River
Sauk Lake (North Bay): Excess Nutrients2013-11-13Upper Mississippi River
Sauk Lake (Southwest Bay) TMDL2017-06-07Upper Mississippi River
Peltier and Centerville Lakes: Excess Nutrients (Metro)2013-11-25Upper Mississippi River
Buffalo Creek - South Fork Crow River: Bacteria2013-12-03Upper Mississippi River
Buffalo River Watershed2017-02-16Red River of the North
Poplar River: Turbidity2013-12-11Lake Superior
Cottonwood River: Fecal Coliform2014-01-08Minnesota River
Redwood River: Fecal Coliform2014-01-21Minnesota River
Lura Lake: Excess Nutrients2014-02-19Minnesota River
Minnehaha Creek Bacteria and Lake Hiawatha Excess Nutrients (Metro)2014-02-24Upper Mississippi River
Snake River Watershed2014-03-31St. Croix River
Vadnais Lake Area WMO: TMDL and Protection Study2014-04-03Upper Mississippi River
Sunrise Watershed TMDL: Multiple Impairments2014-04-28St. Croix River
Upper Minnehaha Creek Watershed Lakes and Bacteria (Metro)2014-06-26Upper Mississippi River
Upper Cannon Lakes: Excess Nutrients (Lake Volney)2014-09-02Lower Mississippi River
Upper Cannon Lakes: Excess Nutrients (Jefferson-German Lake Chain)2014-09-02Lower Mississippi River
Chippewa River: Turbidity2014-09-29Minnesota River
Crow Wing Watershed TMDLs: Multiple Impairments2014-11-19Upper Mississippi River
Upper Mississippi River: Bacteria2014-11-20Upper Mississippi River
Lower Mississippi River WMO Watershed WRAPS/TMDL2014-11-24Upper Mississippi River
Rice Creek Watershed District SW Urban Lakes2015-02-26Upper Mississippi River
North Fork Crow River Watershed WRAPS/TMDL2015-05-08Upper Mississippi River
Mississippi River - St. Cloud Watershed WRAPS/TMDL2015-05-14Upper Mississippi River
Mississippi River - Lake Pepin Watershed WRAPS/TMDL2015-08-18Lower Mississippi River
Pomme de Terre River Watershed TMDL2015-08-26Minnesota River
Vermillion River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2015-12-21Lower Mississippi River
Goose Creek Watershed2016-02-05St. Croix River
Le Sueur River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2016-03-15Minnesota River
Eagan Lakes TMDL2015-12-21Minnesota River
South Metro Mississippi River TMDL (Metro)2016-04-26Upper Mississippi River
Twin Cities Metro Area Chloride TMDL2016-06-09Multiple basins
Valley Branch Watershed District2016-07-07St. Croix River
Mississippi River - Winona Watershed2016-07-15Lower Mississippi River
St. Clair Lake - Otter Tail River Watershed2016-08-04Red River
Cannon River Watershed2017-02-16Lower Mississippi River
Root River Watershed2017-02-16Lower Mississippi River
Mustinka River Watershed2017-03-15Red River of the North
Redeye River Watershed2017-03-14Upper Mississippi River
Yellow Medicine River Watershed2017-03-28Minnesota River
Elm Creek Watershed2017-06-26Upper Mississippi River
Rum River Watershed2017-09-26Upper Mississippi River
Pioneer Sarah Creek Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2017-09-29Upper Mississippi River
Miller Creek TMDL2018-01-09Lake Superior
Ramsey-Washington Metro WD2017-09-29Upper Mississippi River
Sauk River Bacteria & Nutrient TMDL2017-09-26Upper Mississippi River
Upper Red River of the North Watershed2018-01-25Red River
Zumbro River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2018-02-22Lower Mississippi River
Missouri River Basin WRAPS and TMDL2018-02-15Missouri River
Little Fork River Watershed WRAPS and TMDL2018-05-09Rainy River