The western part of the watershed is rural and the middle and eastern portions are urban. Most of the population in the Minnesota River Basin lives in this watershed, including the Twin Cities metropolitan area. The watershed includes Sibley and Scott counties, and portions of Le Sueur, Carver, Hennepin, Dakota, Rice, Nicollet, Renville and McLeod counties.
Water quality concerns include levels of sediment, bacteria, nutrients and chloride, and their impacts to fish and other aquatic life.
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.
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.
Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS) and TMDL reports
Summary: Lower Minnesota River Watershed WRAPS (wq-ws4-55b)- Lower Minnesota River Watershed Approach Civic Engagement Project (wq-ws4-55c)
- Lower Minnesota River Watershed WRAPS Report (wq-ws4-58a) (MPCA approval 2/10/2020)
- Lower Minnesota River Watershed TMDL Report Part I (wq-iw7-49e) [EPA approval of TMDL (Parts I, II, III) 3/13/2020]
- Lower Minnesota River Watershed TMDL Report Part II (wq-iw7-50e)
- Lower Minnesota River Watershed TMDL Report Part III (wq-iw7-51e)
The TMDL reports were open for public comment from July 22 to Sept. 20, 2019. The MPCA thanks everyone who submitted comments. Each comment was fully considered and in many cases resulted in edits to the report. Comments and MPCA’s responses have been posted.
Monitoring and assessment and stressor identification
Intensive water monitoring was completed in 2015.
- Lower Minnesota River Watershed Monitoring and Assessment Report (wq-ws3-07020012b)
- Summary: Lower Minnesota River Watershed monitoring and assessment report (wq-ws3-07020012c)
- Lower Minnesota River Watershed Streams Stressor Identification Report (wq-ws5-07020012c)
- Lower Minnesota River Watershed Lakes Stressor Identification Report (wq-ws5-07020012d)
Previous implementation plans
- Minnesota River bacteria TMDL and strategies report
- Kohlman Lake Total Maximum Daily Load Implementation Plan - Draft
- Carver Creek Lakes TMDL Implementation Plan
- Fecal Coliform TMDL Implementation Plan for the High Island Creek and Rush River
- Burandt Lake TMDL Implementation Plan
- Reitz Lake TMDL Implementation Plan
- Lower Minnesota River Dissolved Oxygen TMDL Implementation Plan
- Carver, Bevens, and Silver Creeks Bacterial TMDL Implementation Plan
Targeted local efforts restore water quality in metro-area lakes
When lakes and rivers are polluted with phosphorus, sediment, and other contaminants, it can take years of effort and expense to restore water quality. But this restoration work is having an impact.
Lower Minnesota River Watershed: Urban, rural, and polluted
Water quality in the Lower Minnesota River Watershed has persistent problems with excess phosphorus, sediment, bacteria, and other contaminants, according to a new MPCA report.
Lake Pepin Watershed Full Cost Accounting ProjectThis new report attempts to answer the question, "What would it take to achieve the water quality goals for Lake Pepin?" (July 2012)
Retired farmer among Minnesota River's many helpersJohn Hogan has an 800-acre farm between Redwood Falls and Morton along the Minnesota River. He has worked hard on his 1.5 miles of riverfront to protect and restore water quality. (Tri-State Neighbor)