Long Prairie River

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

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.

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

• Long Prairie River Watershed TMDL Implementation Plan (wq-iw8-01c)