Sauk River

Many water bodies — both lake and rivers — in the Sauk River watershed are impaired for excess nutrients and sediment.

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

Intensive watershed monitoring first occurred in 2008-2009, and began again in the field season of 2018.

• Sauk River Watershed Monitoring and Assessment Report
• Sauk River Watershed Stressor Identification Report
• Sauk River Watershed Stressor Identification Report Summary
• Sauk River Watershed HSPF Model Scenario Report

Strategy development for restoration and protection

The initial Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) report was completed in 2015. Five TMDL studies have been approved by U.S. EPA since 2011.

• Our Upper Mississippi River Large River and Basin Restoration and Protection Strategies (wq-ws4-38b)
• Sauk River Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies Report (MPCA approval 4/8/2015)
• Sauk River Bacteria and Nutrients TMDL (wq-iw8-47e) (EPA approval 9/26/2017)
• Sauk River Bacteria and Nutrients TMDL: EPA approval letter (wq-iw8-47g)