The Sauk River watershed covers 667,200 acres (1,043 square miles) and extends from the Mississippi River near St. Cloud to within 3 miles of Alexandria. The overall watershed is about 75 miles in length. The Sauk River itself meanders for 120 miles in a northwest-to-southeast direction.
Many water bodies — both lake and rivers — in the Sauk River watershed are impaired for excess nutrients and sediment.
What's being done
What's being done
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
Sauk River Watershed Cycle 2 Stressor Identification report (wq-iw8-38q)- Sauk River Watershed water assessment and trends update (wq-ws3-07010202c)
- Sauk River Watershed Monitoring and Assessment Report (wq-ws3-07010202b)
- Sauk River Watershed Stressor Identification report (wq-iw8-38n)
- Summary of the Sauk River Watershed Stressor Identification report (wq-iw8-38nb)
- Sauk River Watershed HSPF Model Scenario Report (wq-iw8-38p)
Strategies for restoration and protection
- Our Upper Mississippi River Large River and Basin Restoration and Protection Strategies (wq-ws4-38b)
- Sauk River Watershed WRAPS report (wq-ws4-08a)
- Sauk River Watershed Bacteria and Nutrients TMDL (wq-iw8-47e) (EPA approval 9/26/2017)
- Sauk River Watershed Bacteria and Nutrients TMDL: EPA approval letter (wq-iw8-47g)
Additional TMDL projects
- Sauk River Chain of Lakes TMDL report (wq-iw8-38e) (EPA approval 5/17/2021)
- Sauk River Chain of Lakes Watershed TMDL: EPA approval letter (wq-iw8-38g)
- Sauk River Chain of Lakes site-specific standards (wq-iw8-38o) (EPA approval 2/12/2020)
- Mill Creek bacteria and Pearl Lake nutrients TMDL report (wq-iw8-36e) (EPA approval 9/25/2012)
- Mill Creek bacteria and Pearl Lake nutrients TMDL: EPA approval letter (wq-iw8-36g)
- Mill Creek bacteria and Pearl Lake nutrients TMDL implementation plan (wq-iw8-36c) (MPCA approval 6/30/2014)
- Mill Creek and Pearl Lake TMDL implementation plan: MPCA approval letter (wq-iw8-36n)
- Getchell, Unnamed, and Stony creeks turbidity TMDL: Fact sheet (wq-iw8-27a)
- Getchell, Unnamed, Stony creeks turbidity TMDL report (wq-iw8-27e) (EPA approval 2/7/2011)
- Getchell, Unnamed, Stony creeks turbidity TMDL: EPA approval letter (wq-iw8-27g)
- Getchell, Unnamed, Stony creeks turbidity TMDL implementation plan (wq-iw8-27c) (MPCA approval 6/30/2014)
- Getchell, Unnamed, Stony creeks turbidity TMDL implementation plan: MPCA approval letter (wq-iw8-27n)
- Lake Osakis Watershed excess nutrient TMDL report (wq-iw8-39e) (EPA approval 6/5/2013)
- Lake Osakis Watershed excess nutrient TMDL: EPA approval letter (wq-iw8-39g)
- Lake Osakis Watershed excess nutrient TMDL implementation plan (wq-iw8-39c) (MPCA approval 6/30/2014)
- Lake Osakis Watershed excess nutrient TMDL implementation plan: MPCA approval letter (wq-iw8-39n)
- Revised draft Lake Osakis Watershed TMDL (wq-iw8-39b)
- Sauk Lake (North Bay) nutrients TMDL report (wq-iw8-40e) (EPA approval 11/13/2013)
- Sauk Lake (North Bay) nutrients TMDL: EPA approval letter (wq-iw8-40g)
- Sauk Lake (North Bay) nutrients TMDL implementation plan (wq-iw8-40c) (MPCA approval 6/30/2014)
- Sauk Lake (North Bay) nutrients TMDL implementation plan: MPCA approval letter (wq-iw8-40n)
- Sauk Lake (Southwest Bay) nutrients TMDL report (wq-iw8-53e) (EPA approval 6/7/2017)
- Sauk Lake (Southwest Bay) nutrients TMDL: EPA approval letter (wq-iw8-53g)
More information
- Sauk River Watershed District
- Sauk River One Watershed One Plan
- Douglas Soil and Water Conservation District
- Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District
Contact
- Watershed project manager Scott Lucas, 218-316-3915
The MN Department of Agriculture maintains the Minnesota Water Research Digital Library, an inventory of water research relevant to the state with a particular focus on publications since 2000.