1. Water
  2. How's the water?
  3. Water types and programs
  4. Watersheds

Buffalo River

The watershed is largely agricultural (row crops and pasture), accounting for more than 70% of the overall watershed acres. Development pressure is moderate to considerable in some areas. Intensive monitoring shows that E. coli and turbidity are the most prevalent factors for rivers and streams. Shallow lakes in the watershed have issues with water clarity, chlorophyll, and nutrients leading to eutrophication.

    What's being done

    The Buffalo River Watershed was one of the first in the state to implement the Watershed Approach beginning in 2008. A WRAPS Report and TMDL Report for the watershed were published in 2016. Since then the watershed has undertaken many water quality projects to correct impairments and protect areas at risk of becoming impaired.
     
    The watershed began Cycle 2 intensive watershed monitoring in 2019. Monitoring will resume in 2020.
     
    In summer 2020 the Becker County SWCD was completing work on the final piece of a large, multifaceted sediment reduction effort -- a 2,000-foot pipe project that addresses one of the top five sources of sediment in the watershed identified in a 2015 report. 

    Healthier watersheds - embed

    Watersheds: Tracking the actions taken

    See actions taken in Minnesota’s watersheds to meet water-quality goals and milestones: WRAPS, TMDLs, best practices, wastewater, and money spent.

    Water quality assessment data for government partners

    Tribal, federal, state and local partners: View and download results of monitoring and assessment decisions for Minnesota waters based on designated uses and watersheds.

    Monitoring and assessment

    Strategy development for restoration and protection

     

    Tree-lined Buffalo River

    Buffalo River WRAPS approved

    MPCA has approved the watershed restoration and protection strategy report on the Buffalo River watershed in northwestern Minnesota.

    RR study teaser

    The Red River of the North: Evaluating its health
    Despite being a popular recreation river, worries about water quality are growing.