Tuesday July 28 th, ANNUAL PROJECT TOUR / PRESENTATION 6:00 7:00 PM Lake Byllesby Picnic Shelter TH Street East Randolph MN 55065

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1 AGENDA Tuesday July 28 th, 2015 ANNUAL PROJECT TOUR / PRESENTATION 6:00 7:00 PM Lake Byllesby Picnic Shelter TH Street East Randolph MN BOARD OF MANAGERS REGULAR MEETING 7:00 9:00 PM Randolph City Hall nd Street East Randolph, MN SEE ATTACHED MAP FOR DIRECTIONS PROJECT TOUR/PRESENTATION: We will meet in the Lake Byllesby Picnic Shelter (just west of the boat launch) at 6 pm for a presentation by Dakota County staff on the completed and ongoing updates to the Byllesby Dam. MEETING AGENDA: 1. CALL TO ORDER Pledge of Allegiance. Introduce any new Board members. 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA 3. AUDIENCE COMMENTS ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA Anyone in the audience wishing to address the Board regarding an item that is not on the agenda may come forward at this time. 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES- April 14 th, 2015 (enclosed) 5. TREASURER S REPORT (available at the meeting) A. Accounts Payable 6. NEW BUSINESS A. Regulatory Correspondence B. Cost Share Projects C. Annual Tour/Presentation Review D. Local Water Management Rule Changes E. Cannon River Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS) 7. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS 8. NEXT MEETING DATE & LOCATION 9. ADJOURN

2 Tuesday July 28 th, 2015 ANNUAL PROJECT TOUR / PRESENTATION 6:00 7:00 PM Lake Byllesby Picnic Shelter TH Street East Randolph MN BOARD OF MANAGERS REGULAR MEETING 7:00 9:00 PM Randolph City Hall nd Street East Randolph, MN Randolph City Hall Lake Byllesby Picnic Shelter

3 MEMORANDUM To: NCRWMO Board of Managers From: Brad Becker, NCRWMO Administrator, Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation District Date: July 22, 2015 Subject: July 28, 2015 Board Meeting Agenda New Business: A. Regulatory Correspondence The following regulatory correspondence has been received since the last Board meeting: An amended DNR Water Appropriation Permit was issued to Eric Ruud for crop irrigation in section 22 of Sciota Township. The permit was amended to allow for more water per year. An Environmental Assessment Worksheet was received from Sciota Township for the proposed expansion of Castle Rock Materials existing mining operation in section 12. A DNR Water Appropriation Permit was issued to North States Power Company Minnesota for construction dewatering for the installation of the CapX2020 transmission line in Dakota County. A DNR Water Appropriation Permit was issued to Randy McCoy for crop irrigation in section 12 of Randolph Township. A DNR Water Appropriation Permit application was received from Emmett and William Duffy for crop irrigation in section 21 of Waterford Township. An amended DNR Water Appropriation Permit was issued to Douglas A. Felton for crop irrigation in section 11 of Randolph Township. The permit was amended to allow for more water per year. A DNR Public Water Work Permit was issued to Dakota County Transportation Department to operate the Lake Byllesby Dam in accordance with the most recent DNR-approved operation plan. A DNR Water Appropriation Permit was transferred to Boudreau Farm Inc. for crop irrigation in section 6 of Waterford Township. A DNR Water Appropriation Permit application was received from Garland Dubbels for crop irrigation in section 23 of Hampton Township. The information will be available at the meeting for Board member review. Information Item. B. Cost-Share Projects Seven projects located within the watershed have been completed or approved for financial assistance by the SWCD Board since the last NCRWMO Board meeting. Fact sheets for these projects will be available for review at the Board meeting: Mike Serres Grassed waterway repair Douglas Township, Section 7 George Feidt Grassed waterway repair Douglas Township, Section 30 Marlys Weber Grade stabilization, Pond repair Douglas Township, Section 27 Randall McCoy Grassed waterway repair, Basins Douglas Township, Section 35 Nicholas Stein, Jr. Water & sediment control basin repair Hampton Township, Section 22 Maureen Fasbender Water & sediment control basin repair Douglas Township, Section 16 Robert McCoy Grassed waterways repair Douglas Township, Section 21 The SWCD has also developed an interactive online map that provides a detailed location for all projects and displays all project fact sheets. The website is available at Information Item.

4 C. Annual Tour/Presentation Review The NCRWMO Annual Tour/Presentation will be held before the Board meeting. We will meet in the Lake Byllesby Picnic Shelter at 6pm for a presentation by Dakota County staff on the completed and ongoing updates to the Byllesby Dam. After the presentation we will return to the city hall and begin the Board meeting. Information Item. D. Local Water Management Rule Changes On July 13, 2015, amendments to Minnesota Rules Chapter 8410 became effective. These rules relate to water management in the 7-county metro area, including the North Cannon River WMO. The rule amendments primarily affect Watershed Management Plans (completed by WMOs and Watershed Districts) and Local Water Plans (completed by cities). Plans approved by the BWSR Board before June 22, 2016 may operate under either the existing rules or the amended rules. The current NCRWMO Plan was approved by the BWSR Board on August 29, I ve highlighted the items most relevant to the NCRWMO s current Plan. Please review and let me know if you have any questions or thoughts on how the amendments might affect the NCRWMO. We can contact our BWSR Board Conservationist, Mary Peterson, with any questions. There will also be an informational session on the amendments on August 27 from 1:30-3pm at the Barr Engineering offices in Edina. Information Item Attachment 1. E. Cannon River Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is implementing a Watershed-approach to restoring and protecting waters throughout the state; the process is called Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS). There are 81 of these watersheds in Minnesota, and the Cannon River Watershed Partnership (CRWP) is coordinating the effort for the Cannon River Watershed. Over a 10- year cycle the WRAPS approach connects concerned citizens, stakeholder groups and local/state governments to establish priorities and goals for improvement, monitor water quality, model and implement solutions and measure results. As part of the project, the Cannon River Watershed has been split into 4 separate lobes : The Upper, Middle, Lower, and Strait River. Each of these lobes has relatively unique characteristics and water resource concerns. The NCRWMO has subwatersheds within 2 different lobes: the Chub Creek and Lake Byllesby/Darden Creek subwatersheds fall within the Middle Lobe. The Pine Creek and Trout Brook subwatersheds fall within the Lower Lobe. A watershed-wide WRAPS kickoff meeting was held on June 9 th in Faribault. Individual lobe meetings were held on July 14 and 15. The next round of lobe meetings will be held the week of September 28 (exact dates and locations TBD). All NCRMWO Board members, or any other concerned citizens, are welcome to participate in the process. The website for the project is Informational Item Attachment 2. Next Meeting Date & Location: The next meeting is usually held during the last week of November. We try to rotate the meetings to different township and city halls throughout the watershed. Board members are welcome to volunteer their hall for the next meeting.

5 MINUTES BOARD OF MANAGERS REGULAR MEETING Wednesday, April 15, :00 p.m. Eureka Township Hall NCRWMO Managers Present: Castle Rock Twp Sandy Weber Douglas Twp Peg Varien Greenvale Twp Greg Langer Hampton Twp Doug Willie Randolph Twp Dan Boykin Sciota Twp Duane Ness, Mitch Penny Eureka Twp Carrie Jennings City of Miesville Gene Stoffel, Jerry McCarthy City of New Trier Not Assigned City of Randolph Harlan Lichty Waterford Twp Absent Others Present: Brad Becker, Dakota County SWCD Staff 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Langer called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. A quorum was present. Chair Langer led the Mangers in the Pledge of Allegiance. 2. ELECTION OF OFFICERS Motion by Willie, second by Jennings to re-elect Greg Langer as Chair. All members voting yes. Motion carried. Motion by Ness, second by Jennings to elect Doug Willie as Vice-Chair. All members voting yes. Motion carried. Motion by Langer, second by Jennings to elect Peg Varien as Treasurer. All members voting yes. Motion carried. Motion by Willie, second by Langer to re-elect Harlan Lichty as Secretary. All members voting yes. Motion carried. 3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Motion by Willie, second by Jennings to approve the agenda. Motion carried.

6 04/15/2015 Meeting Minutes 3. AUDIENCE COMMENTS ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA Sandy Weber inquired about landowners that are in need of help with prairie burns and asked if anyone knows appropriate contacts. Brad Becker stated to forward those inquiries to himself at the Dakota County SWCD Office. 4. APROVAL OF MINUTES Motion by Willie, second by Langer to approve the January 28, 2015 Meeting minutes with the correction of the meeting date in the page headers. Motion carried. 5. TREASURER S REPORT A. Treasurer s Report The Treasurer s Report was distributed and reviewed by Gene Stoffel. Motion by Jennings, second by Langer to approve the Treasurer s Report. Motion Carried. 6. NEW BUSINESS A. Regulatory Correspondence Becker stated that one DNR Water Appropriation Permit was issued and four applications for Water Appropriation Permits were received. He further stated that an application for a DNR License to Cross Public Lands and Waters was received from Xcel Energy, as well as an application to amend existing DNR Public Waters Permit was received from Dakota County for working below the Ordinary High Water Level within Lake Byllesby dam area. B. Cost-Share Projects Becker stated that the SWCD has completed or encumbered funding for the following projects in the Cannon River Watershed: Elmegca Farms Grassed Waterway Douglas Township Donovan Lucius Grassed Waterway Douglas Township Rebecca Susag Grassed Waterway Douglas Township It was also noted that the SWCD website has details of the completed projects at C Independent Accountant s Report Becker stated that Lewis, Kisch & Associates, Ltd. completed their review of the NCRWMO s financial Statements for Based on their review, they found no modifications that should be made to the financial statements. Motion by Varien, second by Jennings to accept the 2014 Independent Accountant s Report. Motion carried. D Annual Report Becker stated all Watershed Management Organizations must submit an Annual Report to BWSR, post the report on their website, and make the report available for review by their constituents. He proceeded to review the draft 2014 Annual Report. Motion by Langer, second by Jennings to approve the2014 Annual Report as presented. Motion carried. 2

7 04/15/2015 Meeting Minutes E Member Dues Summary Stoffel reported that not all members are current with their dues and second invoices have been sent accordingly. 7. BOARD MEMBER REPORT A Board Member questioned why any portion of the City of Northfield is not part of the North Cannon River WMO. Becker explained that State law exempts some municipalities from the Metro Surface Water Act. 8. NEXT MEETING DATE AND LOCATION The next meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, July 28, 2015 at the Randolph City Hall at 7:00 p.m. Becker is inquiring on having a presentation about the Byllesby Dam improvements at 6:00 just prior to the meeting. 9. Adjourn Motion by Langer, second by Jennings to adjourn. Motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m. Submitted by Harlan Lichty 3

8 Attachment 1 Highlights of Changes to Minnesota Rules, Chapter 8410 Metropolitan Local Water Management July 13, 2015 An amendment of Minnesota Rules, Chapter 8410 became effective on July 13, The original rules went into effect on August 1, It is the first time the original rules have been amended. The rules relate to water management in the seven-county metropolitan area. The rules affect watershed management organizations (organizations), including watershed districts, and their watershed management plans (plan or plans). Also, the rules affect local water plans for all cities and towns in the seven-county metropolitan area. Highlights of changes resulting from the rule amendment follow. Not all changes are included. *** Asterisks indicate significant items that will likely require action in the near future Scope. Ten-year plan amendments that will be approved on or before the June 22, 2016 BWSR Board meeting may proceed under either the existing rule or the amended rule. Ten-year plan amendments that are approved by the BWSR Board after the June 22, 2016 meeting must adhere to the procedures and requirements in the amended rule , subp. 19a. Definitions. Ten-year plan amendment has been defined and is what has commonly been referred to as a plan revision, revised plan or plan update. Ten-year plan amendments may be done more than once every ten years, although most organizations do them about every ten years. Bemidji Brainerd Detroit Lakes Duluth Mankato Marshall New Ulm Rochester 403 Fourth Street NW 1601 Minnesota Drive N. Tower Road 394 S. Lake Avenue 12 Civic Center Plaza 1400 East Lyon Street State Hwy th Street NW Suite 200 Brainerd, MN Detroit Lakes, MN Suite 403 Suite 3000B Marshall, MN New Ulm, MN Suite 350 Bemidji, MN (218) (218) Duluth, MN Mankato, MN (507) (507) Rochester, MN (218) (218) (507) (507) Central Office / Metro Office 520 Lafayette Road North Saint Paul, MN Phone: (651) Fax: (651) TTY: (800) An equal opportunity employer

9 Page 2 of Joint Powers Agreements. Requirements for joint powers agreements for watershed management organizations have been modified to allow a map based on parcels instead of a legal description to define the area of the organization. Note that no changes to existing joint powers agreements that are compliant with the original rules are required as a result of the rule amendment. Watershed Management Organization Watershed Management Plans Issue Identification and Assessment. Development of ten-year plan amendments must follow procedures that many organizations have already been following. The procedures include the following: 1. Request input at the beginning of the plan development process from state agencies, counties, cities, townships, soil and water conservation districts, and stakeholders. 2. Hold an initial planning meeting after providing widespread notification. 3. Coordinate planning activities with contiguous watershed management organizations, and with counties and cities having area within an organization. 4. Assess all issues. 5. Consider success of implementing the previous plan. 6. Identify priority issues to be the focus of the ten-year plan amendment Land and Water Resources. The land and water resources section of a plan can incorporate information by reference into the plan. This should reduce the size or volume of a plan and the cost of developing a plan. Establishment of Goals , subp. 1. Requirements. Plans must contain a procedure to evaluate progress on attaining goals. Results of the evaluation must be in an organization s annual report at a minimum of every two years. Minnesota Board of Water & Soil Resources

10 Page 3 of , subp. 7. Groundwater. New requirements for groundwater goals include addressing issues identified in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area Master Water Supply Plan and source water protection plans for areas within an organization s boundaries. Implementation Actions , subp. 1. Requirements. Plans must contain a procedure to evaluate progress on implementation of the plan. Results of the evaluation must be in an organization s annual report at a minimum of every two years. Tables summarizing the implementation actions are required. Most plans have contained the tables during the past 10 to 15 years. A plan must clearly define who the responsible entity is for the implementation actions. *** , subp. 5. Data collection programs. Organizations must annually submit their quality-controlled and quality- assured monitoring data to the appropriate state agency , subp. 6. Regulatory program. An organization s regulatory program described in a plan must be coordinated with local official controls and address any deficiencies or redundancies related to attaining the goals in the plan. The plan must clearly distinguish between the responsibilities of the organization and the affected local government units. The enforcement process for violations of controls of an organization must be defined in the plan , subp. 7. Incentive programs. Plans may contain incentive programs, such as cost share or grant programs , subp. 8. Waters restoration and protection programs. Plans may implement restoration and protection programs for waters that are impaired or need to be protected. Organizations may take the lead on developing a total maximum daily load (TMDL) or a TMDL implementation program if approved by the PCA. Minnesota Board of Water & Soil Resources

11 Page 4 of 6 Organizations may take the lead on developing a watershed restoration and protection strategy (WRAPS) under an agreement with the PCA. *** , subp. 9 and , subp. 6. Local Water Plans. There is a significant change in the timing of local water plan revisions. Local water plans must be prepared by metropolitan cities and towns (municipalities) and a local water plan must become part of the local comprehensive plan for a municipality. Under the amended rule, local water plans must be revised essentially once every ten years in alignment with the local comprehensive plan schedule. A municipality has two years before their local comprehensive plan is due to adopt their local water plan. Prior to adoption, a municipality must prepare their local water plan, distribute it for comment, and have it approved by the organization with jurisdiction in the municipality. The next local comprehensive plans are due December 31, 2018, thus all cities and towns in the seven-county metropolitan area must complete and adopt their local water plan between January 1, 2017 and December 31, Thereafter add ten years to each of the previous dates. Local water plans may be updated more frequently by a municipality at its discretion. Plan Amendments Plan Amendments. The amended rule specifies several changes to a plan that do not require an amendment of the plan. The minor amendment procedure has been broadened so regular amendments will be needed less frequently. Electronic distribution of plan documents is allowed. Annual Reporting and Evaluation Requirements *** , subp. 1. Requirement for annual activity and audit reports. The annual report due date is aligned with the end of the calendar year instead of the fiscal year. Minnesota Board of Water & Soil Resources

12 Page 5 of 6 Annual reports are due April 30 th each year. The change affects two organizations with fiscal years ending January 31. The annual audit due date is extended to 180 days after the end of the fiscal year. Audits of qualifying low budget organizations are now required only once every five years instead of every year. See Minn. Stat and , subd. 3 for threshold total annual revenue amounts. For 2014 the threshold amount is $166, *** , subp. 3.E. Evaluation every two years. At least once every two years an evaluation of the progress on attaining the goals and carrying out implementation actions, and a determination if a plan amendment is necessary, must be included in the annual report. Procedures established under , subp. 1 and , subp. 1 must be used for the evaluation once an organization has a plan that includes the procedures. In the interim until an organization has a plan that includes the evaluation procedures, an organization must use a process suitable to complete the evaluation. Organizations have more than six months to develop their interim process. Unless done sooner, the first evaluation must be in the annual report for 2017, due by April 30, 2018, for the evaluation of a minimum of years 2016 and , subp. 3.F. Monitoring data. Annual reports must include a summary for the trends of monitoring data instead of the raw data. *** , subp. 3a. Watershed management organization Web sites. Web sites are required for each organization. There are items required to be on the web site that many web sites currently lack. Web sites must be kept current on a monthly basis or more frequently. Web sites must be compliant with the amended rules by March 1, Organizations have time to budget funds for next year to meet this requirement. Local Water Plans Plan structure. The local water plan that all metropolitan cities and towns are required to have must be part of the local comprehensive plan. Minnesota Board of Water & Soil Resources

13 Page 6 of 6 Data may be incorporated by reference instead of including it in the local water plan. No longer required in a local water plan is an outline of the purposes of all the water management programs contained in the Metropolitan Surface Water Management Act, an analysis of the financial impact to implement the local water plan, goals and policies, however they may be included. *** , subp. 6. Adoption and implementation. Reference , subp. 9 on page 4. For further information, contact the Board Conservationist serving your area, found at reas.pdf or Jim Haertel at , jim.haertel@state.mn.us. Minnesota Board of Water & Soil Resources

14 Attachment 2 Cannon River Watershed Developing Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS) Minnesota has adopted a watershed approach to gauge the health of lakes and streams in the state s 81 major watersheds. This approach looks at a drainage area as a whole instead of focusing on lakes and stream sections one at a time. This watershed approach incorporates the following into a 10-year cycle: 1. Monitoring water bodies and collecting data on water chemistry and biology. This monitoring started in the Cannon River Watershed in Assessing the data to determine which waters are impaired, which conditions are stressing water quality, and which factors are fostering healthy waters. This assessment started in the Cannon in Developing strategies to restore and protect the watershed s water bodies, and report them in a document called Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS). This will occur in the Cannon in Implementing restoration and protection projects in the watershed. The MPCA leads the technical work and coordinates and supports strategy development with local partners. The main purpose of the WRAPS report is to summarize all the technical information so that local partners like Soil and Water Conservation Districts can use it for planning and implement the best strategies in prioritized locations. Watershed characteristics Size: 1,460 square miles or 946,440 acres. Counties: Steele, Rice, Goodhue, Le Sueur, Dakota and Waseca. Major cities: Waseca, Owatonna, Faribault, Northfield and Red Wing. After merging with the Straight River at Faribault, the Cannon River flows through Byllesby Reservoir and empties into the Mississippi north of Red Wing. For planning, the watershed is divided into four geographic lobes : the Upper Cannon is dominated by lakes; the Straight River is highly agricultural; the Middle Cannon is the transition between the Upper and Straight; and the Lower Cannon has trout streams and more forested land. The 8-digit hydrologic unit code or HUC for the Cannon is wq-ws c Paddling and other recreation are popular in the Cannon River Watershed. (photo by Jeff Jarvis) 1

15 Streams meeting and failing standards in Cannon River Watershed Impairments determined from intensive water monitoring in Additional lakes and streams are impaired as determined by previous studies. Goals for improving water quality in the Cannon watershed and downstream After intensive water monitoring and assessing whether lakes and streams meet water quality standards, the MPCA and local partners have determined the following: Five of 45 lakes studied fully meet the standards for fishable and swimmable: Beaver, Dudley, Fish, Kelly, and Roemhildts. 36 of the 45 lakes fail to meet the standards all the time because of high nutrient levels that cause algal blooms. Four of the 45 lakes lack enough information for assessment and will be studied further. In the future, chloride toxic to fish and other aquatic life may be a water quality problem in some lakes. 11 of 70 stream sections studied fully meet the standards for fishable and swimmable. 59 of the 70 stream sections fail to meet standards because of high soil and sediment levels; elevated mercury and PCBs levels in fish; low levels of dissolved oxygen needed to sustain fish and other aquatic life; bacteria levels that indicate sewage or manure; and/or fewer fish and macroinvertebrates (bugs) expected for numbers and species. Four coldwater trout streams also fail to meet standards because of nitrate levels. Restoration and protection goals in the Cannon River watershed are set according to both local (within the watershed) and downstream considerations. For nutrients in the Cannon River, Minnesota s Nutrient Reduction Strategy provides stakeholder-supported numeric targets: 12% reduction in phosphorus levels and 20% in nitrogen levels from current conditions by Studies for the Mississippi River and Lake Pepin incorporate reductions of 50% for both sediment and phosphorous levels in the Cannon River. Local goals for waterbodies include specific phosphorus reductions for the individual lakes of the upper Cannon and the Byllesby Reservoir, habitat improvement for various streams, and nitrate reductions in drinking water wells and trout streams. These goals nest well in that attainment of local goals will generally result in attainment of the next goal downstream. 2

16 Information and tools to support targeting work The MPCA, local partners and citizens will use various tools and data to shape the strategies and geographic priorities for restoration and protection in the Cannon River Watershed, including the following. Intensive Watershed Monitoring: The comprehensive nature of this monitoring allows for basic identification of waters that are likely targets for restoration or protection. For details, see the monitoring report on the MPCA website (go to and search for Cannon watershed ). Stressor Identification: A team of experts examines impairments to fish and bug populations to identify conditions stressing or fostering healthy aquatic life, paving the way for restoration and protection strategies. Watershed modeling: Water quality and quantity data are paired with mapping information such as land use and the best available scientific literature to create a computer tool called a model. The Cannon watershed has custom-built models for stakeholders to use to estimate the changes in water quality from different changes on the landscape. Nitrogen and phosphorus Best Management Practice (BMP) spreadsheets: These tools allow for examination of BMP combinations and the resulting reductions in nutrient levels. Terrain analysis: Rice County contracted with Houston Engineering to execute Geographic Information System work in the upper Cannon that identifies priority locations for sediment and phosphorus reduction work. Some local partners have done similar work at other scales. Zonation: By combining technical information and stakeholder input, agencies and landowners can develop strategies into specific plans for restoring and protecting waters. Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs): This is the total amount of a pollutant that a water body can accept and still meet water quality standards. The MPCA uses TMDLs when calculating permit limits for storm- and wastewater discharges, such as a sewage treatment plant discharging to a river. Many other reports, data and documents will be useful in developing strategies for the Cannon watershed. Much of this information is available on the Cannon River Watershed Partnership website at (click on library tab). Timeline and context There is a long history of technical and planning work in the Cannon watershed. The WRAPS represents a gathering and distillation of all this work and an infusion of some new and useful information and engagement components. The goals remain the same: restore and protect waters. The strength of the WRAPS is in the time and money dedicated to identifying priorities and developing the best strategies. In 2015 the MPCA and Cannon River Watershed Partnership will hold a series of meetings to gather input from stakeholders on geographic priorities and strategies to restore and protect waters: June 9: July 13-17: Sept. 28-Oct. 2: Dec. 7-14: Feb. 8-12: Kickoff meeting for strategy development Meetings held at different locations in watershed Meetings held at different locations in watershed Meetings held at different locations in watershed Final meeting for strategy development This is an example of a data layer from the Cannon watershed, showing the amount of nitrogen entering streams. Local stakeholders and agencies can use these data layers to set priorities for reducing pollutants. Local partners will then use the WRAPS report to plan and secure funding for implementation projects. 3

17 Conditions stressing water quality Excessive levels of nutrients in the Cannon s water resources are the major issue that needs to be addressed, according to monitoring, assessment and stressor identification work done in the watershed. High levels of phosphorus and nitrogen cause a cycle that hurts aquatic life and recreation: Algae grows, leading to high ph and low dissolved oxygen levels in the water as the algae decay. The high ph and low oxygen make it hard for fish and other aquatic life to survive. The stress on fish and bugs leads to less diversity of species. Algal blooms also degrade aesthetics and recreational use of lakes and streams. High nutrient levels may also impact drinking water in karst areas where the bedrock is porous, meaning pollutants can easily reach groundwater used for drinking. Nitrate levels are present in some trout streams and private wells in the Cannon watershed. Other concerns include: Sediment levels soil and other particles that cloud the water that can fill holes and riffles in streambeds used by fish for habitat. Bacteria levels in streams indicate sewage or manure in the water, and may make the water unsafe for swimming. Expectations and measuring success A long-term commitment is needed to restore and protect the waters of the Cannon. Implementing strategies will take 20, 30 years or more with 10-year interim milestones to measure and motivate progress. The WRAPS will include identification of milestones and discussion of expectations regarding water quality changes. The MPCA and partners have a statewide network that monitors pollutant levels in major rivers, including the Cannon. This long-term effort will help detect any trends in pollutant levels, measuring the impact of changes on the landscape to water quality. Also, the MPCA and partners will conduct intensive watershed monitoring in the Cannon watershed every 10 years, providing another measurement of whether strategies implemented are working to restore and protect waters. Residents in the Cannon watershed have taken several steps to improve their lakes and streams. (CRWP photo) Contacts and resources Minnesota Pollution Control Agency: search for Cannon Watershed Project Manager Justin Watkins: justin.watkins@state.mn.us; Cannon River Watershed Partnership: Beth Kallestad Paul Wotzka or beth@crwp.net or paul@crwp.net The Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment is funding a large part of the MPCA s watershed approach. June

18 Summary Water monitoring and assessment report Cannon River Watershed Why is it important? Key issues The Cannon River Watershed in southeastern Minnesota is home to several cities and many species of wildlife and fish. The watershed s wealth of lakes and streams is a valuable resource environmentally and economically. The water s health is essential to human quality of life and to sustaining aquatic life. As a tributary to the Mississippi River, the Cannon also affects downstream water quality. The Cannon River Watershed drains 946,440 acres (1,460 square miles) and consists of two river systems: the Cannon River and the Straight River. From west to east, the Cannon River travels 112 miles from Shields Lake, through Northfield, to the Mississippi River north of Red Wing. From south to north, the Straight River flows 56 miles through the cities of Owatonna and Medford before connecting with the Cannon River downstream of the dam in Faribault. The Cannon River Watershed spans nine counties: Steele, Rice, Goodhue, Dakota, Le Sueur, and Waseca with small portions of Scott, Blue Earth, and Freeborn counties. The vast majority of land is used for agriculture. The MPCA and local partners examined fish populations, water chemistry, and other parameters to determine if lakes and streams are meeting water quality standards designed to ensure that waters are fishable and swimmable. Waters are impaired if they fail to meet standards. Few of water bodies studied in the Cannon watershed fully meet the swimmable and fishable standards. The vast majority fail to meet standards all the time. High levels of nutrients that cause algal blooms are hurting aquatic life and recreation in many lakes in the Cannon watershed. For streams, common impairments include: Lowers numbers and/or fewer species of fish and macroinvertebrates (bugs) than expected Low levels of dissolved oxygen needed to sustain fish and other aquatic life High levels of turbidity, meaning soil and other particles are clouding the water High levels of bacteria, indicating wastewater or manure in the water that may make the water unsafe for swimming Of the 45 lakes assessed: Five (11%) are fully supportive of water quality standards for aquatic life such as fish and aquatic recreation such as swimming. The five lakes are Beaver, Dudley, Fish, Kelly, and Roemhildts. These lakes need protection strategies to maintain their high quality. 36 (80%) are impaired for one or more uses, meaning they fail to meet standards all the time. These lakes need restoration strategies to improve their water quality. Four lakes (almost 9%) lack enough information for assessment and will be studied further. wq-ws b

19 Key issues continued About this study Watershed Approach Phase 1: Monitor and assess health of waters Phase 2: Identify conditions stressing biological life Phase 3: Determine Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies Phase 4: Implement strategies Start process over every 10 years Full report Contact person Of the 70 stream sections assessed: 11 (16%) are fully supportive of water quality standards for aquatic life such as fish and aquatic recreation such as swimming. 59 (84%) are impaired for one or more uses, meaning they fail to meet standards all the time. Nitrate levels in four coldwater trout streams are high enough to violate the standard for coldwater streams (the same standard is used for drinking water). Nitrates are a concern because of karst areas in the watershed -- where the bedrock is porous and pollutants can easily reach groundwater. Fish in the Cannon River between Faribault and Byllesby Reservoir have elevated mercury levels, as do several lakes in the watershed. Fish in the river below the Byllesby Reservoir have elevated levels of PCBs (a class of industrial chemicals now banned in the United States). See the Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources website for fish consumption advisories ( and click on lake finder. ) Historic flooding occurred in the watershed in 2010 and is partly responsible for the high nutrient and sediment levels that year in the Cannon and Straight rivers. Climate change and increased drainage may lead to more floods of this severity. While flooding played a role in the high pollutant levels for 2010, data from long-term monitoring also indicate that land management practices, such as intensive cropping, are causing water quality problems. People have extensively changed the land in the watershed with farming, drainage, building towns and applying fertilizers, which have all taken a toll on lakes and streams. While much has already been done in the Cannon watershed, additional work is needed to restores its lakes and streams. As part of its watershed approach to examine all major river systems in Minnesota, the MPCA and local partners conducted intensive water monitoring in the Cannon watershed from 2011 to They sampled more than 100 sites for fish and macroinvertebrates (bugs) along with monitoring for nutrients, sediment and other measures of water quality. The agency then convened a group of experts, including local partners, to assess whether 45 lakes and 70 stream sections are meeting water quality standards. To view the full report, go to or search for Cannon watershed on the MPCA website at Justin Watkins Minnesota Pollution Control Agency justin.watkins@state.mn.us Minnesota Pollution Control Agency June 2015