Blue Lake Priority Action Plan
Recent monitoring has detected a declining trend in the water quality of Blue Lake which was only recently identified as a protection lake in the Rum River WRAPS. Furthermore, 2016 monitoring indicates that water now fails to meet the state standard by 2 ug/L for phosphorus and 4 ug/L for chlorophyll-a. The SWCD completed a Subwatershed Assessment (SWA) for the lake in 2016 primarily because the lake water quality was so close to exceeding standards. The assessment uses the standardized Metro Conservation District SWA protocol which targets and prioritizes projects based on cost effectiveness and pollutant removal. The assessment was broken into two components, one raking 12 projects in the direct watershed and the other ranking 97 projects in the rural watershed.
This proposal will install six of the top projects identified for the direct watershed. These projects are two bioretention basins and a sump to treat runoff from right-of-ways in Spencer Brook Township, a gully and shoreline repair to treat erosion and runoff from a public access in Stanford Township, a sand filter to capture suspended particulate phosphorus released from a channelized wetland in the southeast (SE) inlet on private campground property, and approximately 10,500 square feet of near-shore stormwater reduction practices to treat runoff and erosion from high priority parcels. In addition to these projects, our staff plans to engage residents, officials and rural landowners in order to promote a sustainable culture of lake stewardship. A significant amount of work to prepare for this proposal has been completed; projects have been prioritized, a feasibility study for the SE inlet was completed, preliminary plans have been developed, and the partners are ready to rock! The in-lake phosphorus goal set for the lake in the Rum WRAPS is 31 ug/L. This reflects a 321 pound reduction in watershed phosphorus loading. The proposed projects reduce phosphorus by 95 lbs. annually.
Annie Felix-Gerth
$6,882,000 the first year and $12,618,000 the second year are for grants to protect and restore surface water and drinking water; to keep water on the land; to protect, enhance, and restore water quality in lakes, rivers, and streams; and to protect groundwater and drinking water, including feedlot water quality and subsurface sewage treatment system projects and stream bank, stream channel, shoreline restoration, and ravine stabilization projects. The projects must use practices demonstrated to be effective, be of long lasting public benefit, include a match, and be consistent with total maximum daily load (TMDL) implementation plans, watershed restoration and protection strategies (WRAPS), or local water management plans or their equivalents. A portion of these funds may be used to seek administrative efficiencies through shared resources by multiple local governmental units.
The most recognizable measurable outcome of this project is a 95 lb annual reduction of TP. The outcome results in a 10% TP reduction. Additional reduction: 29,044 lbs. of suspended solids.
This project has resulted in an estimated annual reduction of 40.68 lbs of Phosphorus, 30.3 tons of Sediment, .115 tons of Soil Loss, 10937 acre-feet of Volume Reduced
LOCAL LEVERAGED FUNDS