Agricultural and Urban Runoff Water Quality Treatment Analysis

This project is a model for future drainage projects across the state and represents a fundamental shift in the way rural drainage systems interact with the landscape. This is a community-based water quality and treatment demonstration project in which landowners, local government, and state agencies have developed a watershed approach to improving water quality and replacing outdated drainage systems. The project will improve water quality, improve wildlife habitat, and develop a process for future projects by constructing water quality features within the 6,000 acre watershed. The project focuses on Blue Earth County Ditch 57, part of the Le Sueur River Minor Watershed of the Minnesota River Basin. This watershed includes runoff from agricultural as well as urban sources.

ENRTF funding will provide assistance to construct two surge basins, in-channel treatment, native grass buffer strips, and a rate control weir at the outlet of the ditch. Nine monitoring stations are also proposed that will record flow and water quality data for three years. In addition, this project will provide documentation on how successful water quality treatments can be incorporated into Drainage Law. Once monitoring is completed, public education via site visits, presentations, and information posted to web sites will be provided to describe the effect of project features on water quality and how these features can be incorporated into other drainage projects.