Upper/Lower Red Lake Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy Report
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Watershed May 2021 Upper/Lower Red Lake Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy Report Authors Kayla Bowe (Red Lake DNR) Shane Bowe (Red Lake DNR) Denise Oakes (MPCA) Meghan Funke (Emmons & Olivier Resources) Jimmy Marty (Emmons & Olivier Resources) Etoile Jensen (Emmons & Olivier Resources) Joe Pallardy (Emmons & Olivier Resources) Contributors/acknowledgements Zach Gutknecht (Beltrami SWCD, Beltrami County) Brent Rud (Beltrami SWCD, Beltrami County) Chad Severts (BWSR) Jeff Hrubes (BWSR) Cari Roepke (Clearwater NRCS) Chester Powell (Clearwater SWCD) Jolen Simon (Koochiching SWCD) Sam Soderman (Koochiching SWCD) Brent Mason (DNR) Scott Schroeder (MPCA) Kevin Stroom (MPCA) Corey Hanson (Red Lake Watershed District) Editing and graphic design Communications staff Graphic design staff Administrative Staff Cover photo – Mud River near Redby, MN, September 18, 2017 (Kayla Bowe, Red Lake DNR) The MPCA is reducing printing and mailing costs by using the Internet to distribute reports and information to wider audience. 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Document number: wq-ws4-81a Contents Contents ............................................................................................................................................. iii List of tables ....................................................................................................................................... iv List of figures ....................................................................................................................................... v Key terms and abbreviations .............................................................................................................. vii Executive summary ........................................................................................................................... viii What is the WRAPS Report? ......................................................................................................................... ix 1. Watershed background and description ......................................................................................... 1 2. Watershed conditions .................................................................................................................... 3 2.1 Condition status ...................................................................................................................................... 5 2.1.1 Streams .................................................................................................................................. 5 2.1.2 Lakes ....................................................................................................................................... 6 2.2 Water quality trends ............................................................................................................................... 8 2.3 Stressors and sources .............................................................................................................................. 9 2.3.1 Stressors of biologically-impaired stream reaches .............................................................. 10 2.3.2 Pollutant sources .................................................................................................................. 12 2.3.2.1 Point sources ........................................................................................................... 13 2.3.2.2 Nonpoint sources .................................................................................................... 16 2.4 TMDL summary ..................................................................................................................................... 18 2.5 Protection considerations ..................................................................................................................... 20 2.5.1 Rivers and streams ............................................................................................................... 20 2.5.1.1 Battle River- South Branch ...................................................................................... 23 2.5.1.2 Blackduck River ....................................................................................................... 23 2.5.1.3 Hay Creek ................................................................................................................ 23 2.5.1.4 Little Tamarac River ................................................................................................ 23 2.5.1.5 Lost River ................................................................................................................. 24 2.5.1.6 Meadow Creek ........................................................................................................ 24 2.5.1.7 Mud River ................................................................................................................ 24 2.5.1.8 O’Brien Creek .......................................................................................................... 25 2.5.1.9 Sandy River .............................................................................................................. 25 2.5.1.10 Spring Creek ............................................................................................................ 25 2.5.1.11 South Cormorant River ........................................................................................... 25 2.5.2 Lakes ..................................................................................................................................... 27 3. Prioritizing and implementing restoration and protection ............................................................ 35 3.1 Targeting of geographic areas ............................................................................................................... 35 Upper/Lower Red Lake WRAPS Report Minnesota Pollution Control Agency iii 3.1.1 Categorization and prioritization for restoration and protection ........................................ 35 3.1.2 Watershed management framework for Minnesota lakes .................................................. 51 3.1.3 Fish habitat conservation framework for Minnesota lakes ................................................. 53 3.1.4 HSPF runoff, sediment, and phosphorus yields ................................................................... 56 3.2 Public Participation ............................................................................................................................... 60 3.2.1 Accomplishments and future plans ..................................................................................... 60 3.2.2 Public notice for comments ................................................................................................. 61 3.3 Restoration and protection strategies .................................................................................................. 61 3.3.1 Watershed-wide strategies .................................................................................................. 61 3.3.1.1 Shoreland protection .............................................................................................. 61 3.3.1.2 Forest protection programs .................................................................................... 62 3.3.2 Subwatershed strategies ...................................................................................................... 66 3.3.2.1 Rice paddy management ........................................................................................ 66 3.3.2.2 Wetland restoration ................................................................................................ 67 3.3.2.3 Water quality monitoring........................................................................................ 67 3.3.2.4 In-stream management .......................................................................................... 67 3.3.2.5 In-lake management ............................................................................................... 67 3.3.2.6 Wildlife education ................................................................................................... 68 3.3.2.7 Stormwater management ....................................................................................... 68 3.3.2.8 Nutrient management ............................................................................................ 68 3.3.2.9 Pasture/manure management ................................................................................ 69 3.3.3 Proposed strategies and actions by subwatershed ............................................................. 70 4. Monitoring plan ........................................................................................................................... 73 5. References and further information ............................................................................................. 83 List of tables Table 1. Assessment summary for stream water quality in the Upper/Lower Red Lake Watershed. ......... 6 Table 2. Assessment summary for lakes water quality in the Upper/Lower Red Lake Watershed. ............. 7 Table 3. Water clarity trends at citizen monitoring sites. ............................................................................. 8 Table 4. Water quality trends (2008-2018). .................................................................................................