Characterizing Groundwater and Surface Water Interaction in Northeast Metro Area Lakes, MN
A cooperative study was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Metropolitan Council, and the Minnesota Department of Health to assess groundwater and surface-water interactions in lakes in the northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area (TCMA), including White Bear Lake. An important product of the study was the creation of a groundwater-flow model focused on the northeast TCMA. The groundwater flow model is available for future use to assess the effects of groundwater withdrawals on lake levels as well as to describe other groundwater and surface-water interactions. The study work generally included (1) statistical analysis of existing hydrologic information about lakes and surrounding groundwater systems, (2) stable isotope and age-dating analysis of groundwater, (3) lake-water outflow measurements at several locations in deep parts of White Bear Lake, (4) targeted groundwater-level monitoring, and (5) development of a groundwater flow model. This effort builds on work published by the USGS in 2013 (http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2013/5044/), which indicated that some water from White Bear Lake was flowing to the underlying Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer and reaching wells that were open to the aquifer downgradient from the lake. That work also highlighted how little is known about the groundwater and surface-water interactions at many of the other northeast TCMA lakes that have low water levels and an unquantified amount of lake water flowing to underlying aquifers. The current study filled the knowledge gap by characterizing groundwater and surface-water interactions in northeast TCMA lakes, including White Bear Lake. The work was supported by a combination of Minnesota’s Clean Water Fund appropriations and USGS Cooperative Matching Funds.
(b) $537,000 the first year is for an agreement with the United States Geological Survey to investigate groundwater and surface water interaction in and around White Bear Lake and surrounding northeast metropolitan lakes, including seepage rate determinations, water quality of groundwater and surface water, isotope analyses, lake level analyses, water balance determination, and creation of a calibrated groundwater flow model, including a comparison of water levels with lakes bordering the study area. The council shall use the results to prepare guidance for other areas to use in addressing groundwater and surface water interaction issues. This is a onetime appropriation and is available until June 30, 2016.
- Groundwater and surface water interaction in and around White Bear Lake and surrounding lakes is characterized
- Guidance provided to address groundwater and surface water interaction issues
- Land use and watershed planners will gain information to better manage activities that may impact aquifers, assisting with the protection of critical water supplies
Two U.S. Geological Survey publications document the work done. Both can be downloaded from https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/sir20165139
This project received an additional $150,000 in USGS Cooperative Matching Funds and the MN Department of Health is providing laboratory analysis of some water samples (approximately $25,000).
$537,000 the first year is for an agreement with the United States Geological Survey to investigate groundwater and surface water
interaction in and around White Bear Lake and surrounding northeast metropolitan lakes, including seepage rate determinations,
water quality of groundwater and surface water, isotope analyses, lake level analyses, water balance determination, and creation
of a calibrated groundwater flow model, including a comparison of water levels with lakes bordering the study area. The council
shall use the results to prepare guidance for other areas to use in addressing groundwater and surface water interaction issues. This is
a onetime appropriation and is available until June 30, 2016.
See 2015 Fiscal Year Proposed Measureable Outcomes.
Final outcomes will be reported at project completion.
Gary L. Cunningham, Cara Letofsky, Edward Reynoso, Marie McCarthy, Sandy Rummel, Harry Melander,
Richard Kramer, Jon Commers, Steven T. Chávez and Wendy Wulff
$537,000 the first year is for an agreement with the United States Geological Survey to investigate groundwater and surface water interaction in and around White Bear Lake and surrounding northeast metropolitan lakes, including seepage rate determinations, water quality of groundwater and surface water, isotope analyses, lake level analyses, water balance determination, and creation of a calibrated groundwater flow model, including a comparison of water levels with lakes bordering the study area. The council shall use the results to prepare guidance for other areas to use in addressing groundwater and surface water interaction issues. This is a onetime appropriation and is available until June 30, 2016.
See Fiscal Year 2015 Proposed Measurable Outcomes.
See Fiscal Year 2015 Measurable Outcomes.
This project received an additional $150,000 in USGS Cooperative Matching Funds and the MN Department of Health is providing laboratory analysis of some water samples (approximately $25,000).