Watershed at a Glance
The Long Prairie River watershed covers approximately 565,078 acres (883 square miles) and is located in the central part of the Upper Mississippi River Basin in central Minnesota. The watershed encompasses parts of Douglas, Otter Tail, Todd, Morrison and Wadena counties.
| Hydrologic Unit Code: | 07010108 |
|---|---|
| Intensive monitoring start year: | 2011 |
| Major lakes | Major rivers and streams |
|---|---|
Lobster, Le Homme Dieu, Carlos, Miltona, Mary, Ida, Alexander, Shamineau, Fish Trap | Long Prairie, Spruce Creek, Stormy Creek |
The Long Prairie River watershed includes more than 220 lakes greater than 10 acres in size and 965 miles of rivers and streams. The Long Prairie River begins in Douglas County and flows through Todd and Morrison counties before entering the Crow Wing River south of Motley. The dominant land use within the watershed is agricultural (47%), while grasslands and forests make up 8% and 20% respectively, water and wetlands 18%, and 7% is urban. The watershed is within the North Central Hardwood Forest as well as the Northern Lakes and Forests ecoregions.
What's being done
Monitoring and assessment
Biological, chemistry, and flow monitoring occurred in 2011 on several key stream reaches throughout the watershed. Volunteers and local government units, in addition to MPCA staff, conducted monitoring on several key waterbodies throughout the watershed. As a result, 13 impaired stream reaches and 10 impaired lakes have been identified.
HSPF Watershed Modeling Report: Crow Wing, Redeye, and Long Prairie River watersheds (wq-ws1-14)- Long Prairie River Watershed Stressor Identification Report Summary
- Long Prairie River Watershed Stressor Identification Report
- Long Prairie River Watershed Monitoring and Assessment Report
Strategy development for restoration and protection
The WRAPS report contains strategies to address the impaired reaches and to protect the unimpaired waterbodies throughout the watershed. The Long Prairie River TMDL study was completed to address low dissolved oxygen in 2005. Efforts are underway to implement strategies to address the dissolved oxygen impairment. A TMDL study was approved in 2017, which addresses the nutrient impairments for seven lakes and bacteria impairments for three of the streams identified during the monitoring process.
- Our Upper Mississippi River Large River and Basin Restoration and Protection Strategies (wq-ws4-38b)
- Summary: Long Prairie River WRAPS report (wq-ws4-19b)
- Long Prairie River Watershed WRAPS (wq-ws4-19a) (MPCA approval 4/21/2017)
- Long Prairie River Watershed TMDL Study (wq-iw8-49e)
- Long Prairie River Watershed TMDL: EPA approval letter (wq-iw8-49g) (January 12, 2017)
- Revised EPA Decision Document (wq-iw8-49n)
Implementation plans
Morrison County Soil & Water Conservation District
Otter Tail County Soil & Water Conservation District
Todd County Soil & Water Conservation District
http://www.co.todd.mn.us/departments/soil_water/soil_water_frontpage_panel