The Root River starts as a drainage ditch in Mower County, then winds 81 miles from intensely farmed areas through more wooded, rolling terrain, and finally empties into the Mississippi River south of La Crosse, Wisconsin. Near Forestville State Park, the river literally disappears underground and resurfaces at the Mystery Cave near Preston.
Pollution from indirect sources such as runoff is the main water quality problem in the Root River watershed. Soil and nutrients enter the watershed’s many rivers and streams from urban and rural areas. Reducing these pollutants across a diverse landscape is the top challenge for water quality. The karst topography of the Root River watershed raises concerns about surface and groundwater mixing.
What's being done
Healthier watersheds
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
Intensive water monitoring found 30 sections of streams to be impaired waters, meaning the stream sections fail to meet water quality standards.
Root River Watershed Monitoring and Assessment Report- Root River Watershed Stressor Identification Report
- Summary — Root River Watershed Stressor Identification Report
- Root River Watershed Assessment and Trends Update (wq-ws3-07040008c)
Strategy development for restoration and protection
Local partners like the Fillmore Soil and Water Conservation District continue to implement strategies to reduce sediment, nitrate and bacteria in the Root River and its tributaries. These strategies, found in the Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS) below, were developed by local partners and citizens. The MPCA approved the WRAPS document after accepting comments on it in 2016. The strategies are based on water monitoring and assessment results of streams in the Root River watershed, as well as identification of conditions that stress and foster healthy water for fish and other aquatic life (see reports below).
The MPCA and local partners conducted a study called a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), which determines the maximum amount of a pollutant that a stream can receive and still meet standards. See the full report below. Friends of the Root River (FORR), a citizen group formed in 2011, also plays an important role. FORR’s mission is to protect, restore and value the water resources in the Root River watershed.
- Root River Watershed WRAPS (wq-ws4-18a) (MPCA approval 11/16/16)
- Summary of Root River WRAPS (wq-ws4-18b)
- Root River Watershed TMDL (wq-iw9-17e) (EPA approval 2/16/2017)
- Root River Watershed: EPA approval letter
Report: Root River unique and needs extra consideration
The Root River’s unique topography, geology and location make it an outstanding example of a river in need of extra consideration.
Citizen science in action: Joan Redig on Paradise Valley Creek
Joan Redig's interest in conservation is reflected on her rural Houston County property. Now she monitors Paradise Valley Stream as a volunteer for MPCA's citizen monitoring program.