Clean Up Our Great River Red Wing Republican Eagle Editorial Feb. 27, 2010
Area residents again are at the forefront of trying to improve the Mississippi River. That's because they know the importance of this national resource that flows past our front door. Calling themselves the Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance, a group of citizens is championing stricter rules to control erosion and runoff. Sediment threatens to kill off aquatic life and turn Lake Pepin in to a mucky marsh in 300 years. Sound a long way off? Well, some local bays, inlets and backwaters that were clear 20 years ago already are clogged. All the muddy water from the Minnesota River and other tributaries eventually will kill the Mississippi River.
The Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance is committed to preventing that. The first step is enforcing current laws. The second is passing new regulations. The alliance working on both as well as spearheading education efforts, including open houses like Thursday’s in Red Wing. That the alliance’s primary partner Thursday was the Minnesota pollution control Agency is fitting.
More than four decades ago, filth flowed past Goodhue and Pierce counties on its way to the Gulf of Mexico. Petroleum products from refineries, chemicals from commercial plants, manure from stockyards and sewage from municipalities made the water dangerous for people. The fish - those that survived - were laden with toxins. Citizens in Goodhue and Pierce counties rallied. Red Wing built an effective sewage treatment system, and local resident pressured Minnesota, Wisconsin and federal lawmakers to ensure the Twin Cities and communities farther upstream had to do the same. The river got cleaner and out of the fight the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency was born. That brings us to today.
The MPCA proposes a standard of 32 parts per million of total suspended solids - the amount of sediment and particles in the water. The alliance supports the higher standard but isn’t content to wait. Members want local governments in the Mississippi River Watershed to enforce existing laws. Goodhue County requires 50 foot vegetation buffers around bodies of water, for example, that naturally filter rainwater as it flows from field into streams.
The MPCA and Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance’s goal sounds deceptively simple: Make the water from Fort Snelling to Lake Pepin clear enough to grow aquatic vegetation that benefits fish and wildlife.The actual task will be complex, of course, but history has shown that if the great citizens living along the Great River road join the battle, we can save our river.
Area residents again are at the forefront of trying to improve the Mississippi River. That's because they know the importance of this national resource that flows past our front door. Calling themselves the Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance, a group of citizens is championing stricter rules to control erosion and runoff. Sediment threatens to kill off aquatic life and turn Lake Pepin in to a mucky marsh in 300 years. Sound a long way off? Well, some local bays, inlets and backwaters that were clear 20 years ago already are clogged. All the muddy water from the Minnesota River and other tributaries eventually will kill the Mississippi River.
The Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance is committed to preventing that. The first step is enforcing current laws. The second is passing new regulations. The alliance working on both as well as spearheading education efforts, including open houses like Thursday’s in Red Wing. That the alliance’s primary partner Thursday was the Minnesota pollution control Agency is fitting.
More than four decades ago, filth flowed past Goodhue and Pierce counties on its way to the Gulf of Mexico. Petroleum products from refineries, chemicals from commercial plants, manure from stockyards and sewage from municipalities made the water dangerous for people. The fish - those that survived - were laden with toxins. Citizens in Goodhue and Pierce counties rallied. Red Wing built an effective sewage treatment system, and local resident pressured Minnesota, Wisconsin and federal lawmakers to ensure the Twin Cities and communities farther upstream had to do the same. The river got cleaner and out of the fight the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency was born. That brings us to today.
The MPCA proposes a standard of 32 parts per million of total suspended solids - the amount of sediment and particles in the water. The alliance supports the higher standard but isn’t content to wait. Members want local governments in the Mississippi River Watershed to enforce existing laws. Goodhue County requires 50 foot vegetation buffers around bodies of water, for example, that naturally filter rainwater as it flows from field into streams.
The MPCA and Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance’s goal sounds deceptively simple: Make the water from Fort Snelling to Lake Pepin clear enough to grow aquatic vegetation that benefits fish and wildlife.The actual task will be complex, of course, but history has shown that if the great citizens living along the Great River road join the battle, we can save our river.
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'Wet desert' can bloom
by John Weiss, Rochester Post-Bulletin, Feb. 26, 2010
Sediment flowing down the Minnesota, Mississippi, St. Croix and Cannon rivers has turned the Mississippi River between the Twin Cities and the head of Lake Pepin into a "wet desert." Because of that, virtually no water celery and sago pondweed can grow along the river's main channel or river backwaters. But a massive effort could soon begin along hundreds of miles of rivers in a big part of Minnesota, in fields and cities, to slow down rainfall or snowmelt.
That, in turn, will clear water enough for the plants to grow. It's not for the sake of plants alone, however, that the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is studying the cause of the turbidity, said Norman Senjem, who is leading the study on protecting the South Metro river. The plants provide food for ducks and swans and are a nursery and feeding area for fish and are also a biological indicator the the river's health, he said.
If plants begin to grow, it means land use is much better in the watershed that includes about half the state and parts of Wisconsin and South Dakota, he said at a public meeting in Red Wing this week. The meeting was to explain the project ad get public input.
Also, about 100 million metric tons of sediment come down that stretch of river annually and much of it settles out in Pepin, a major recreation lake for fishing, sailing, and boating. A study found that at sedimentation rates before European settlement, it would take 4000 years for the lake to fill in with only a main channel through it. At today's rates, that would be compressed to about 300 years he said.
The biggest culprit is the Minnesota River, the study found. About a third of the sediment in that river comes from farmfields, a third from ravines between fields and the river, and a third from river banks. It relates to the change in the 19th century from prairie to fields. Before farming, about 90 percent of rainfall would stay on the land in wetlands or seep into ground water, Senjem said. Today, nearly all immediately runs off.
The study found the amount of sediment in the river that would still allow plants to grow would have to average 32 parts per million, Today it's as high as 60 parts per million at the Hastings Lock and Dam and 45 at the Red Wing dam, he said. But below the lake at Wabasha, it's about 11. The submersed vegetation does grow there. Because of that, the MPCA is suggesting changing the suspended solid standards from 64 parts per million to 32 parts per million. To reach that, the agency would do a study that would allocate which areas and uses, such as farming along the Minnesota or larger cities, could let how much sediment get into the river .
The first part of reaching that goal on the Minnesota as well as the other rivers, is to enforce regulations that require grasses and vegetation along streams and rivers, filling in or damming ravines and having cities slow their runoff.
"It's all kind of connected - running water is what its all about," he said.
That alone, however, wouldn't be enough to meet that goal. Former wetlands might have to be restored and drainage systems changed in rural and urban areas. Some money could come from the Legacy Amendment passed in November 2008.
by John Weiss, Rochester Post-Bulletin, Feb. 26, 2010
Sediment flowing down the Minnesota, Mississippi, St. Croix and Cannon rivers has turned the Mississippi River between the Twin Cities and the head of Lake Pepin into a "wet desert." Because of that, virtually no water celery and sago pondweed can grow along the river's main channel or river backwaters. But a massive effort could soon begin along hundreds of miles of rivers in a big part of Minnesota, in fields and cities, to slow down rainfall or snowmelt.
That, in turn, will clear water enough for the plants to grow. It's not for the sake of plants alone, however, that the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is studying the cause of the turbidity, said Norman Senjem, who is leading the study on protecting the South Metro river. The plants provide food for ducks and swans and are a nursery and feeding area for fish and are also a biological indicator the the river's health, he said.
If plants begin to grow, it means land use is much better in the watershed that includes about half the state and parts of Wisconsin and South Dakota, he said at a public meeting in Red Wing this week. The meeting was to explain the project ad get public input.
Also, about 100 million metric tons of sediment come down that stretch of river annually and much of it settles out in Pepin, a major recreation lake for fishing, sailing, and boating. A study found that at sedimentation rates before European settlement, it would take 4000 years for the lake to fill in with only a main channel through it. At today's rates, that would be compressed to about 300 years he said.
The biggest culprit is the Minnesota River, the study found. About a third of the sediment in that river comes from farmfields, a third from ravines between fields and the river, and a third from river banks. It relates to the change in the 19th century from prairie to fields. Before farming, about 90 percent of rainfall would stay on the land in wetlands or seep into ground water, Senjem said. Today, nearly all immediately runs off.
The study found the amount of sediment in the river that would still allow plants to grow would have to average 32 parts per million, Today it's as high as 60 parts per million at the Hastings Lock and Dam and 45 at the Red Wing dam, he said. But below the lake at Wabasha, it's about 11. The submersed vegetation does grow there. Because of that, the MPCA is suggesting changing the suspended solid standards from 64 parts per million to 32 parts per million. To reach that, the agency would do a study that would allocate which areas and uses, such as farming along the Minnesota or larger cities, could let how much sediment get into the river .
The first part of reaching that goal on the Minnesota as well as the other rivers, is to enforce regulations that require grasses and vegetation along streams and rivers, filling in or damming ravines and having cities slow their runoff.
"It's all kind of connected - running water is what its all about," he said.
That alone, however, wouldn't be enough to meet that goal. Former wetlands might have to be restored and drainage systems changed in rural and urban areas. Some money could come from the Legacy Amendment passed in November 2008.
Letters lead to owner compliance: 50 feet of grass or trees required along streams
by John Weiss - Rochester Post-Bulletin Feb. 26, 2010
Several hundred letters sent to landowners in Olmsted and Dodge counties have brought strong compliance with state rules about vegetation along streams.
In Olmsted County, the letters were prompted by a complaint by Dr. Terry Klampe, who said too many landowners didn't have the mandated 50 feet of grass or trees along streams. That in turn, leads to more sediment and chemicals getting into the streams, he said. The county planning department sent out about 300 letters, said Phil Wheeler, Rochester-Olmsted Planning Department director.
In Dodge County, the county decided to look at what was happening said Peter Otterson, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources shoreland management manager. If found not all landowners were following the rules and sent out a few hundred letters to those who appeared to not be complying. In both cases, compliance was exceptional, they said.
While the first round in Olmsted involved about 300 letters, a second round now being sent will be about 10 percent of that.
"Things are gong well," he said. "We've had a high level of compliance."
In many cases, the owner was renting out land and didn't know the person working the land wasn't complying, he said. Besides telling owners about the law and a potential violation, letters also suggested they contact the local soil and water conservation district for advice or financial help.
In Dodge, compliance was about 66 percent, said Otterson, who used that county as an example of how the rules can be implemented. "A lot of farmers didn't even know they existed."
The county didn't threaten legal action but suggested ways to come into compliance. In the future it's possible there could be legal action.
The DNR is looking at changing the 1989 regulations as directed by the Minnesota Legislature.
The draft rules maintain the 50-foot rule but are more specific about what is or isn't allowed. For example, it might be possible to cut hay or biofuel trees in the 50 feet long as there is enough vegetation to hold back some water, sediments and chemicals.
It's hard to say how many people living along streams and lakes violate the regulations. But we know we can do a better job. Findng that better way is the whole idea behind the rule updates.
by John Weiss - Rochester Post-Bulletin Feb. 26, 2010
Several hundred letters sent to landowners in Olmsted and Dodge counties have brought strong compliance with state rules about vegetation along streams.
In Olmsted County, the letters were prompted by a complaint by Dr. Terry Klampe, who said too many landowners didn't have the mandated 50 feet of grass or trees along streams. That in turn, leads to more sediment and chemicals getting into the streams, he said. The county planning department sent out about 300 letters, said Phil Wheeler, Rochester-Olmsted Planning Department director.
In Dodge County, the county decided to look at what was happening said Peter Otterson, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources shoreland management manager. If found not all landowners were following the rules and sent out a few hundred letters to those who appeared to not be complying. In both cases, compliance was exceptional, they said.
While the first round in Olmsted involved about 300 letters, a second round now being sent will be about 10 percent of that.
"Things are gong well," he said. "We've had a high level of compliance."
In many cases, the owner was renting out land and didn't know the person working the land wasn't complying, he said. Besides telling owners about the law and a potential violation, letters also suggested they contact the local soil and water conservation district for advice or financial help.
In Dodge, compliance was about 66 percent, said Otterson, who used that county as an example of how the rules can be implemented. "A lot of farmers didn't even know they existed."
The county didn't threaten legal action but suggested ways to come into compliance. In the future it's possible there could be legal action.
The DNR is looking at changing the 1989 regulations as directed by the Minnesota Legislature.
The draft rules maintain the 50-foot rule but are more specific about what is or isn't allowed. For example, it might be possible to cut hay or biofuel trees in the 50 feet long as there is enough vegetation to hold back some water, sediments and chemicals.
It's hard to say how many people living along streams and lakes violate the regulations. But we know we can do a better job. Findng that better way is the whole idea behind the rule updates.
Officials: New Standard Will Help Restore Mississippi River
by Jen Cullen, RW Republican Eagle: Feb.24, 2010
Minnesota and Wisconsin officials hope a new and unique water quality standard will restore the Mississippi river in this area back to its former glory.
Residents got more details on the standard Tuesday during an open house sponsored by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance, a local citizens group.
Officials are developing a site-specific standard for the Mississippi River from Fort Snelling to Lake Pepin so the water becomes clear enough grow aquatic vegetation that benefits fish and wildlife. “We’re looking at a standard that would provide increased protection for the resource,” said Norm Senjem, with the MPCA. “This has implications for a wide area.”
The standard is being developed as part of the MPCA's total daily maximum load study, which will measure pollutants in the water, identify their sources and recommend ways to reduce the pollutant levels so the water can meet quality standards.
The Mississippi River south of the metro area is clogged with sediment threatening its aquatic life as well as Lake Pepin, Senjem said. Officials predict the lake will become a marsh within 300 years if sediment issues upstream are not dealt with. Research shows that sediment from the Minnesota River and other upstream bodies of water is to blame for the Mississippi River’s current predicament.
Officials say implementing a standard of 32 parts per million of total suspended solids - the amount of sediment and other particles in the water - will help the river meet acceptable goals.
“It can be done, “ Senjem said. “The purpose is a healthier community, a healthier ecosystem.”
Goodhue County Planner and Zoning Administrator Mike Wozniak said county officials hope to do their part in restoring the Mississippi River. He said staff have been working on more strict enforcement of the county’s law requiring 50-foot buffers around bodies of water since being pressured last year by members of the Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance.
Enforcing a law most people do not know about is difficult, Wozniak said, but important. “Our hope is we’ll make a difference here,” he said.
Lake Pepin was placed on the 2004 list of impaired waters because of its turbidity and excess nutrients, which cause algae blooms that are particularly severe during lower flow periods. Officials say reducing the lake’s pollutants will not only help aquatic life but will increase the quality of recreational activities.
Public comments on the MPCA’s proposed water quality standard will be accepted until March 26. The MPCA Board will then review the standard.
by Jen Cullen, RW Republican Eagle: Feb.24, 2010
Minnesota and Wisconsin officials hope a new and unique water quality standard will restore the Mississippi river in this area back to its former glory.
Residents got more details on the standard Tuesday during an open house sponsored by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance, a local citizens group.
Officials are developing a site-specific standard for the Mississippi River from Fort Snelling to Lake Pepin so the water becomes clear enough grow aquatic vegetation that benefits fish and wildlife. “We’re looking at a standard that would provide increased protection for the resource,” said Norm Senjem, with the MPCA. “This has implications for a wide area.”
The standard is being developed as part of the MPCA's total daily maximum load study, which will measure pollutants in the water, identify their sources and recommend ways to reduce the pollutant levels so the water can meet quality standards.
The Mississippi River south of the metro area is clogged with sediment threatening its aquatic life as well as Lake Pepin, Senjem said. Officials predict the lake will become a marsh within 300 years if sediment issues upstream are not dealt with. Research shows that sediment from the Minnesota River and other upstream bodies of water is to blame for the Mississippi River’s current predicament.
Officials say implementing a standard of 32 parts per million of total suspended solids - the amount of sediment and other particles in the water - will help the river meet acceptable goals.
“It can be done, “ Senjem said. “The purpose is a healthier community, a healthier ecosystem.”
Goodhue County Planner and Zoning Administrator Mike Wozniak said county officials hope to do their part in restoring the Mississippi River. He said staff have been working on more strict enforcement of the county’s law requiring 50-foot buffers around bodies of water since being pressured last year by members of the Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance.
Enforcing a law most people do not know about is difficult, Wozniak said, but important. “Our hope is we’ll make a difference here,” he said.
Lake Pepin was placed on the 2004 list of impaired waters because of its turbidity and excess nutrients, which cause algae blooms that are particularly severe during lower flow periods. Officials say reducing the lake’s pollutants will not only help aquatic life but will increase the quality of recreational activities.
Public comments on the MPCA’s proposed water quality standard will be accepted until March 26. The MPCA Board will then review the standard.
Money needed for river restoration: Lake Pepin is in danger if Mississippi not restored
by Jen Cullen, Republican Eagle, January 30, 2010
Hastings _ A local citizen advisory group has a plan to restore the Mississippi River south of the Twin Cities and slow the demise of Lake Pepin. Now they need money to make it happen. Citizens behind the Mississippi Makeover plan held a public open house Thursday to gather support for the project, which focuses on managing the river in the Hastings area and downstream by building islands, removing rough fish and temporarily lowering water levels to improve water clarity, stimulate vegetation growth and enhance river habitats.
The project includes Spring Lake near Hastings, the Mississippi River above Lake Pepin and the lower Vermillion River - all bodies of water that suffer from poor water clarity caused by sediment, algae and other materials.
If not addressed, the sediment will fill in Lake Pepin in less than 400 years. Officials say the lake is already on track to shrink by two-thirds in about 80 years.
“If every jurisdiction did only one thing, and that is take care of the natural resources in their community, the Mississippi River would be healthy and the life of Lake Pepin would be extended,” said Katie Himango, former Lake City mayor and part of the Mississippi Makeover group. “The next step of course is to go out and do something.”
The Mississippi Makeover Project is a smaller part of the ongoing Mississippi River and Lake Pepin total maximum daily load study being conducted by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
That study specifies ways to clean up and restore Lake Pepin and the river by determining their pollutant sources.
Official say much of the solution will require changes to watersheds that drain to the Mississippi River. River management also will play a role.
“We can’t just wave a magic want and have everything be rectified,” said Joe Harris, Dakota County commissioner. “But you have to start somewhere.”
Clearing up the water will improve fish and wildlife habitat and foster additional recreational activities, officials say. Rep. Tm Kelly, R-Red Wing, said a healthy river will also bring economic benefits in the form of tourism and jobs. “The river becomes a highway to us economically, “ Kelly said.
The economic importance is not lost on Himanga.
There is no community in Minnesota that is more directly economically impacted b the Mississippi River than Lake City,” Himanga said. “Lake Pepin is extremely important to Lake City.”
With funding from the MPCA, Dakota County is coordinating the Mississippi Makeover plan with assistance from partners including the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Army Corps of Engineers, Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation District and others.
Laura Jester, Dakota County watershed conservationist, said officials will work aggressively to secure funding. “Significant restoration in this area is possible but it’s going to take some money,” Jester said.
by Jen Cullen, Republican Eagle, January 30, 2010
Hastings _ A local citizen advisory group has a plan to restore the Mississippi River south of the Twin Cities and slow the demise of Lake Pepin. Now they need money to make it happen. Citizens behind the Mississippi Makeover plan held a public open house Thursday to gather support for the project, which focuses on managing the river in the Hastings area and downstream by building islands, removing rough fish and temporarily lowering water levels to improve water clarity, stimulate vegetation growth and enhance river habitats.
The project includes Spring Lake near Hastings, the Mississippi River above Lake Pepin and the lower Vermillion River - all bodies of water that suffer from poor water clarity caused by sediment, algae and other materials.
If not addressed, the sediment will fill in Lake Pepin in less than 400 years. Officials say the lake is already on track to shrink by two-thirds in about 80 years.
“If every jurisdiction did only one thing, and that is take care of the natural resources in their community, the Mississippi River would be healthy and the life of Lake Pepin would be extended,” said Katie Himango, former Lake City mayor and part of the Mississippi Makeover group. “The next step of course is to go out and do something.”
The Mississippi Makeover Project is a smaller part of the ongoing Mississippi River and Lake Pepin total maximum daily load study being conducted by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
That study specifies ways to clean up and restore Lake Pepin and the river by determining their pollutant sources.
Official say much of the solution will require changes to watersheds that drain to the Mississippi River. River management also will play a role.
“We can’t just wave a magic want and have everything be rectified,” said Joe Harris, Dakota County commissioner. “But you have to start somewhere.”
Clearing up the water will improve fish and wildlife habitat and foster additional recreational activities, officials say. Rep. Tm Kelly, R-Red Wing, said a healthy river will also bring economic benefits in the form of tourism and jobs. “The river becomes a highway to us economically, “ Kelly said.
The economic importance is not lost on Himanga.
There is no community in Minnesota that is more directly economically impacted b the Mississippi River than Lake City,” Himanga said. “Lake Pepin is extremely important to Lake City.”
With funding from the MPCA, Dakota County is coordinating the Mississippi Makeover plan with assistance from partners including the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Army Corps of Engineers, Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation District and others.
Laura Jester, Dakota County watershed conservationist, said officials will work aggressively to secure funding. “Significant restoration in this area is possible but it’s going to take some money,” Jester said.
Minnesota River's Sediment Load Growing
West Central Tribune, Willmar MN -Tom Cherveny
February 6, 2010
Like a stuck accelerator pedal, we’ve speeded up the delivery of sediment to Lake Pepin so that it will fill up in a mere 300 or so years, instead of the 3,600 years that natural processes would have required.
Read this article.
West Central Tribune, Willmar MN -Tom Cherveny
February 6, 2010
Like a stuck accelerator pedal, we’ve speeded up the delivery of sediment to Lake Pepin so that it will fill up in a mere 300 or so years, instead of the 3,600 years that natural processes would have required.
Read this article.
Commentary: We’re tired of getting dumped on
Red Wing Republcan Eagle, January 27, 2010 -Mike McKay
Lake Pepin is getting dumped on - to the tune of a cubic city block of sediment a year, close to 1 million metric tons. Have you noticed? We have. Up in Wacouta Bay, close to where we live, the lake has gotten so shallow that boaters can no longer zip over to Bay City - the water is too shallow. Hardly any rooted plants grow any more - there’s too much mud in the water to let the sun shine through to the bottom.
Experts say the lake is filling with sediment at 10 times the natural rate. That means that if nothing is done, the upper third of the lake will disappear by the time this century is out, and the entire lake will become a marsh with a navigation ditch down the middle within 300 years. Meanwhile, the Mississippi River, between Lake Pepin and Ft. Snelling, is becoming so chocked with sediment that it’s a virtual desert with respect to healthy plant life, compared to the lush vegetation found in the clear water downstream of the lake.
The good news is the beginning of an action plan to reverse this process is taking shape. The state of Minnesota has sponsored research showing where the sediment is coming from - the fields, ravines and river bluffs of the Minnesota River, Cannon River and Crow River. It’s coming from intensely farmed - and artificially drained - watersheds.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is setting a water quality standard specifically designed to bring the south metro Mississippi River back to life, with respect to aquatic vegetation. (It’s already a pretty good fishery, thanks to wastewater treatment improvements.) The new standard will set a maximum level for total suspended solids in the water. Once this water quality standard is put in place, the MPCA will move to complete a Total Maximum Daily Load report to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This report will specify a maximum allowable load of sediment for the Mississippi River, and allocate this load to the various tributaries upstream of the metro area.
We who live on or near Lake Pepin need to make sure these measures move forward, and that they lead to action. If successful, these measures would clean up the Mississippi and double the expected life of Lake Pepin. The Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance was formed a year and half ago, as an ad hoc citizens group, to provide a way for local residents on both sides of the lake to support needed policies and actions to clean up the Mississippi and save Lake Pepin from premature death.
Please join us Tuesday, Feb. 23rd from 2 to 7 p.m. at the St. James Hotel in Red Wing, where the LPLA and MPCA are co-sponsoring an open house on the proposed new MPCA standards. You also are invited to get on our mailing list to keep abreast of coming opportunities to make a difference.
The task before us is hugely challenging - but the opportunity to chart a course for improvement has never been better. Please don’t miss this chance. Contact us at preserveandrestore@lakepepinlegacyalliance.org
Mike McKay is executive director of the Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance.
Group to county: Enforce law, improve water quality by Jen Cullen, Republican Eagle , October 21, 2009
A group dedicated to restoring Lake Pepin wants Goodhue County officials to do a better job protecting area lakes, streams and rivers.
Members of the Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance approached commissioners earlier this month asking for more strict enforcement of the county's law requiring 50-foot buffers around bodies of water.
"We need to educate people, let them know what the statute is, let them know what the rules are," said Mike McKay, Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance executive director.
The county implemented a voluntary shoreland buffer initiative program several years ago to help protect and maintain water quality.
McKay said that effort - led by one Soil and Water Conservation District employee - needs to be ramped up and that county staff need to make water quality a bigger priority.
In Goodhue County there are 276 acres being cultivated within buffer areas, according to a Cannon River Watershed Partnership study.
"I think if we're reasonable, if we give people time to change their practices, we'll get a pretty reasonable response," Commissioner Dan Rechtzigel said. "Water affects everything. We need to make sure we're not polluting it and I don't think anybody wants to."
Fed up with farmers ignoring the law, an Olmsted County man has filed a complaint with county officials there to help the Zumbro River, which also flows through Goodhue County.
McKay does not want to be forced into similar action. He said he hopes Goodhue County officials begin enforcing the law more strictly on their own. "Let's be proactive, let's get in front of it," McKay said. "We're not here with a hammer."
Mike Wozniak, county planner and zoning administrator, told commissioners this month that ordinance enforcement could be done with existing staff and resources.
"Enforcing these buffer requirements is something I think we can readily do," he said.
Commissioner Jim Bryant praised efforts made over the past few years to improve water quality. He said finding non-compliant acres in such a large agricultural county is difficult.
McKay urged commissioners and staff to use recently published data compiled by the Cannon River Watershed Partnership and the Whitewater River Watershed Project. The Shoreland Mapping Project uses geographic information systems and aerial photos to map different land uses within southeastern Minnesota's public water shoreland.
"Now you can use a rifle instead of a shotgun," McKay said.
A group dedicated to restoring Lake Pepin wants Goodhue County officials to do a better job protecting area lakes, streams and rivers.
Members of the Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance approached commissioners earlier this month asking for more strict enforcement of the county's law requiring 50-foot buffers around bodies of water.
"We need to educate people, let them know what the statute is, let them know what the rules are," said Mike McKay, Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance executive director.
The county implemented a voluntary shoreland buffer initiative program several years ago to help protect and maintain water quality.
McKay said that effort - led by one Soil and Water Conservation District employee - needs to be ramped up and that county staff need to make water quality a bigger priority.
In Goodhue County there are 276 acres being cultivated within buffer areas, according to a Cannon River Watershed Partnership study.
"I think if we're reasonable, if we give people time to change their practices, we'll get a pretty reasonable response," Commissioner Dan Rechtzigel said. "Water affects everything. We need to make sure we're not polluting it and I don't think anybody wants to."
Fed up with farmers ignoring the law, an Olmsted County man has filed a complaint with county officials there to help the Zumbro River, which also flows through Goodhue County.
McKay does not want to be forced into similar action. He said he hopes Goodhue County officials begin enforcing the law more strictly on their own. "Let's be proactive, let's get in front of it," McKay said. "We're not here with a hammer."
Mike Wozniak, county planner and zoning administrator, told commissioners this month that ordinance enforcement could be done with existing staff and resources.
"Enforcing these buffer requirements is something I think we can readily do," he said.
Commissioner Jim Bryant praised efforts made over the past few years to improve water quality. He said finding non-compliant acres in such a large agricultural county is difficult.
McKay urged commissioners and staff to use recently published data compiled by the Cannon River Watershed Partnership and the Whitewater River Watershed Project. The Shoreland Mapping Project uses geographic information systems and aerial photos to map different land uses within southeastern Minnesota's public water shoreland.
"Now you can use a rifle instead of a shotgun," McKay said.
IN THE NEWS - STAR TRIBUNE.com - December 4, 2009
Drainage is good for crops, bad for crappies. Farmers tiling their fields can start planting earlier in the season, but the resulting water runoff can be costly to fish and wildlife.
Read this article.
Drainage is good for crops, bad for crappies. Farmers tiling their fields can start planting earlier in the season, but the resulting water runoff can be costly to fish and wildlife.
Read this article.
Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance
A New Group Aims to Save a Vanishing Lake
Big River Magazine July-August 2009 Read this article.
A New Group Aims to Save a Vanishing Lake
Big River Magazine July-August 2009 Read this article.
In the News - Star Tribune.com September 25, 2009
Feds to fund Mississippi clean up from Minnesota to the Gulf
The river that begins as a trickle in Itasca State Park and ends 2,350 miles later at the Gulf of Mexico will get a $320 million infusion from the federal government to improve water quality. Read the article.
Feds to fund Mississippi clean up from Minnesota to the Gulf
The river that begins as a trickle in Itasca State Park and ends 2,350 miles later at the Gulf of Mexico will get a $320 million infusion from the federal government to improve water quality. Read the article.
In the News - StarTribune.com July 29, 2009
Too many crops are too close to streams in too many counties. A Rochester dentist wants that to stop to help restore the Zumbro River. Terry Klampe has filed a complaint that the Zumbro River, which flows past his back yard, is being polluted by farmers whose fields illegally extend to the edge of the river instead of being set back to maintain a 50 foot buffer zone that helps protect the waterway from run-off from the crops. Read the article.
Too many crops are too close to streams in too many counties. A Rochester dentist wants that to stop to help restore the Zumbro River. Terry Klampe has filed a complaint that the Zumbro River, which flows past his back yard, is being polluted by farmers whose fields illegally extend to the edge of the river instead of being set back to maintain a 50 foot buffer zone that helps protect the waterway from run-off from the crops. Read the article.
A GUIDE TO WHAT'S IN THE NEWS?
Video by Ron Schara on U-Tube.
7/29/09
Star Trib - Rochester dentist works to restore Zumbro River.
July/August/2009
Big River Magazine: features LPLA
9/25/09
Star Trib - Feds to fund Mississippi clean up.
10/21/09
Republican Eagle -Enforcing Laws, Improving Water - Jen Cullen
12/4/09
Star Trib
Drainage good for crops
1/17/10
Republican Eagle Commentary - We're Tired of Getting Dumped On - Mike McKay
1/30/10
Republican Eagle
Mississippi Makeover
Open House
2/6/10
West Central Trib, Willmar
Minnesota River Sediment
2/24/10
Republican Eagle
MPCA & LPLA Open House
2/26/2010
Rochester Post-Bulletin - River Cleanup & Compliance
2/27/2010
Clean Up Our Great River Republican Eagle editorial
Video by Ron Schara on U-Tube.
7/29/09
Star Trib - Rochester dentist works to restore Zumbro River.
July/August/2009
Big River Magazine: features LPLA
9/25/09
Star Trib - Feds to fund Mississippi clean up.
10/21/09
Republican Eagle -Enforcing Laws, Improving Water - Jen Cullen
12/4/09
Star Trib
Drainage good for crops
1/17/10
Republican Eagle Commentary - We're Tired of Getting Dumped On - Mike McKay
1/30/10
Republican Eagle
Mississippi Makeover
Open House
2/6/10
West Central Trib, Willmar
Minnesota River Sediment
2/24/10
Republican Eagle
MPCA & LPLA Open House
2/26/2010
Rochester Post-Bulletin - River Cleanup & Compliance
2/27/2010
Clean Up Our Great River Republican Eagle editorial
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In The News
Officials: New Standard Will Help Restore Mississippi River
Hastings Star Gazette, 2/26/2010. Read Article
Hastings Star Gazette, 2/26/2010. Read Article
VANISHING POINT: Minnesota Monthly July 2010 by Mike Mosedale
We were shocked when we found out all the information that is out there - all that is known - and yet there's no action, said Michael McKay, Area resident and Executive Director of Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance.
READ ARTICLE
We were shocked when we found out all the information that is out there - all that is known - and yet there's no action, said Michael McKay, Area resident and Executive Director of Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance.
READ ARTICLE
GOVERNOR PAWLENTY APPOINTS THREE TO CLEAN WATER COUNCIL
For immediate release: June 23, 2010
Saint Paul - Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced the appointment of Keith Buttleman, Mark R. Knoff, Ph.D., and Michael J. McKay to the Clean Water Council. READ THIS PRESS RELEASE.
MPCA Moves to Clean Water of Lake Pepin, by Eric Ludy. Republican Eagle, June 26, 2010. Read article
New Water Quality Standards Ok'd for Mississippi by John Weiss. Post-Bulletin, June 23, 1010. Read article
Against the current: Cleaning up the Minnesota River Watershed by Doug Smith, Star Tribune, August 1, 2010 Read article.
Working to Makeover the Mississippi by Katrnia Styx, Hastings Star-Gazette, September 3, 2010 Read article.