Report: Minnesota River water still unhealthy for waterlife

More regulations should address glaring issues

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Minnesota River fishing enthusiasts report that water clarity is improving despite a recent Minnesota Pollution Control Agency report claiming the waterway is unhealthy for aquatic life.

Although trends show several key river pollutant levels are decreasing, there has been virtually no change in the diversity and structure of fish communities at select basins sites, according to the agency.

Ditching, underground drain tile, sediment, nutrients, bacteria and urban and residential development are degrading the basin's rivers and streams, the MPCA said.

The report "Evaluating Progress of Biological Condition in Steams of the Minnesota River" compared sampling data from the early 1990s to similar samples in 2001 and found little or no change in steam biological condition.

Land use changes and implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPs) include conservation practices that reduce soil erosion and runoff from farmland and urban development.

Farm field BMPs include grassed waterways, buffer strips, conservation tillage, drain tile intake protection and proper fertilizer application.

Practices can also be regulated like individual sewage treatment systems, permitted storm water retention ponds in larger cities, feed lot requirements and sediment fences at larger construction sites.

There is reason for optimism due to conservation programs and waste water improvements and other management activities. One study showed a 40 percent sediment reduction over the past 25 years, indicating the river may be gradually recovering from decades of pollution.

As management practices like conservation easements and other management activities become more established, stream biological conditions are expected to improve, the report said.

Data was collected at 31 monitoring sites that were earlier sampled for fish communities for the Minnesota River Assessment Project from 1989 to 1994. Some monitoring locations showed biological health improvements while others showed declines.

The biggest recorded decline happened in a watershed in two fast-developing metro-area suburbs -- Savage and Prior Lake. Nine sites in the Redwood River Watershed showed no biological stream condition improvement since the project began.

Conditions may have improved elsewhere in the basin, but were missed by the report, the MPCA said. Better BMP accounting and evaluation was recommended to track watershed improvements.

Coalition for a Clean Minnesota River Executive Director Scott Sparlin of New Ulm said local, state and federal government agencies, elected officials, universities and citizens have "a ways to go in the river clean up but are on the right track."

Several months ago, a report released at the Minnesota River Research Forum showed long-term pollutant reductions in total suspended solids, phosphorus, biochemical oxygen demand and ammonia.

Sparlin said river water clarity has improved but a glaring problem that remains is urban and rural drainage in upland areas which impact re-suspension of existing sediment.

Cities that have a direct delivery system to the river in storm water runoff are being forced to build holding ponds to pre-treat storm water before it hits the river. A federal mandate requires cities of 10,000 people or more to do so within the new couple years, Sparlin said.

Towns as small as 1,000 inhabitants will be required to hold back storm water that drains directly to lakes and streams within the next 10 years, according to Sparlin.

"What needs to happen is that we must do a better job of dealing with organic materials during critical times of the year when high amounts of phosphorus reach the river," Sparlin said. "This comes in the form of decaying leaves, branches, dirt, etc. We need to realize that everyone in town has a stream running in front of their house."

Too many people continue to mow grass and rake leaves onto the street, hoping the street sweeper will pick them up, he said.

The CCMR will conduct citizen-based grass roots efforts to address the problem in the next few years. The organization hopes local organizations will join them in community-wide events.

Sparlin said new man-made drainage in rural areas is going in with no regulation for the most part. Agricultural and urban impervious surface draining is the biggest challenge to cleaning up pollution and stabilizing rate flow, he said.

Sparlin works with the Minnesota River Data Center at Minnesota State University at Mankato and the Minnesota River Basin Joint Powers Board. He is also the Watershed Initiative Coordinator for the Friends of the Minnesota Valley based at the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge in Bloomington. He is under contract with the MVNWR and CCMR and is on the Data Center board.