Attachment A Project Workplan

Doc Type: Contract

MPCA Use Only Swift #: 130553 CR #: 195017-PRO20170001

Project Title: Brainerd WRAPS Phase II

1. Project Summary: Organization: Aitkin County SWCD Contractor contact name: Janet Smude Title: District Technician Address: 130 Southgate Drive Aitkin, MN 56431 Phone: 218-927-6565 E-mail: [email protected]

Subcontractor: Organization: RESPEC Project manager: Julie Blackburn Address: 1935 County Road B2 W, Suite 230 Roseville, MN 55113 Phone: 651-305-2272 E-mail: [email protected]

Partner(s) Local Partner Team (LPT): Organization: Morrison Soil & Water Conservation District Project manager: Helen McLennan Phone: 320-616-2479 E-mail: [email protected]

Organization: Crow Wing Soil & Water Conservation District Project manager: Melissa Barrick Phone: 218-828-6197 E-mail: [email protected]

Organization: Todd Soil & Water Conservation District Project manager: Shannon Wettstein Phone: 320-732-2644 E-mail: [email protected]

MPCA contact(s):

www.pca.state.mn.us • 651-296-6300 • 800-657-3864 • Use your preferred relay service • Available in alternative formats e-admin9-38 • 3/11/16 Page 1 of 6 MPCA project manager: Bonnie Finnerty Title: Watershed Project Manager Address: 7678 College Road Suite 105 Baxter, MN 56425 Phone: 218-316-3897 E-mail: [email protected]

Project information Latitude/Longitude: N/A *County: Aitkin, Crow Wing, Morrison, Todd Start date: 09/15/2017 End date: 12/31/2020 Total cost: $249,945.12 *Full time equivalents: 1.50

*Major watershed(s):

Statewide Kettle River Miss Rvr – GrandRpds Lower Rainy Rvr So Fork Crow River Big Fork River Lac Qui Parle River Miss Rvr –Headwaters Rainy Lake Lower St. Croix Rvr Upper Big Sioux Rvr Lake of the Woods Miss Rvr –LaCrescent Rapid River Upper St. Croix Rvr Lower Big Sioux Rvr Lake Superior – North Miss Rvr – Reno Red Lake River St. Louis River Blue Earth River Lake Superior – South Miss Rvr – Sartell Upper Red Rvr Red Rvr of the North Tamarac River Bois de Sioux River Le Sueur River Miss Rvr – St. Cloud Redeye River Thief River Buffalo River Leech Lake River Miss Rvr – Twin Cities Redwood River Two Rivers Little Fork River Miss Rvr – Winona Rock River Upper/Lower Red Lk Cedar River Miss Rvr – Lake Pepin Upper River Chippewa River Long Prairie River Mustinka River Roseau River Vermilion River Clearwater River Red Rvr of the North Nemadji River Rum River Upper Wapsipinicon Marsh River River Cloquet River MN Rvr – Yellow No Fork Crow River Red Rvr of the North Watonwan River Medicine River Sandhill River Cottonwood River MN Rvr – Headwaters Otter Tail River Sauk River DesMoines Rvr Hdwtrs Crow Wing River MN Rvr – Mankato Pine River Lower DesMoines Rvr E Fork DesMoines Rvr Lower MN River Pomme de Terre Rvr Snake River Wild Rice River Red Rvr of the North Miss Rvr – Brainerd Rainy Rvr – Hdwtrs Grand Marais Creek

*Organization type: Federal government Local/Regional government For-profit Private college/university Individual Public college/university Non-profit State government Tribal government

*Project type: Analysis/Interpretation Modeling Research Assessment/Evaluation Monitoring Restoration/Enhancement Demo/Pilot project Planning Technical assistance Education/Outreach/Engagement

2. Statement of Problems, Opportunities, and Existing Conditions The Upper Mississippi River - Brainerd Watershed covers 1,079,950 acres (1,687 square miles) in the north central part of the Upper Mississippi River Basin in Central . The Watershed boundary begins in Aitkin County where the river flows through the cities of Aitkin, Brainerd/Baxter, and Little Falls. The Watershed encompasses all or parts of Aitkin, Cass, Crow Wing, Morrison, and Todd Counties. Almost half of the Watershed is forested (42%), while grasslands and shrub wetlands make up 38%, row crops 10%, water 6%, and 4% is urban. The majority of the Watershed is within the North Central Hardwood Forest with small sections in the Northern Lakes and Forests Ecoregion. The Watershed has approximately 2,149 total river miles and contains 212 lakes greater than 10 acres in size.

www.pca.state.mn.us • 651-296-6300 • 800-657-3864 • Use your preferred relay service • Available in alternative formats e-admin9-38 • 3/11/16 Page 2 of 6 Phase I of this project is already underway and involved creating a public outreach plan and gathering additional data. Phase II of the project provides an opportunity to implement the public outreach plan, utilize the data gathered to develop TMDLs and WRAPS reports, as well as build the capacity of the local community to engage in the process of watershed management and to adopt protection and restoration practices. The MPCA is currently monitoring the lakes and streams and will provide a list of water quality results and impairments in February 2018. At this time, the following waterbodies are impaired within the Watershed according to the 2016 303d List: Table 1 – 2016 Impaired Waters List for Mississippi River Brainerd Watershed Water body Water body Year AUID County Affected Pollutant or stressor TMDL TMDL name description added designated target target to List use start year completion year

Big Swan Lake or 2010 77-0023-00 Todd Aquatic Nutrient/eutrophication 2016 2021 Reservoir Recreation biological indicators

Blind Lake or 2010 01-0188-00 Aitkin Aquatic Nutrient/eutrophication 2016 2021 Reservoir Recreation biological indicators

Buffalo Creek Headwaters 2006 07010104-523 Crow Wing Aquatic Life Aquatic 2016 2021 (Little Buffalo to Mississippi macroinvertebrate Creek) R bioassessments

Buffalo Creek Headwaters 2002 07010104-523 Crow Wing Aquatic Life Fishes bioassessments 2016 2021 (Little Buffalo to Mississippi Creek) R

Crow Wing Lake or 2010 18-0155-00 Crow Wing Aquatic Nutrient/eutrophication 2016 2021 Reservoir Recreation biological indicators

Elm Island Lake or 2010 01-0123-00 Aitkin Aquatic Nutrient/eutrophication 2016 2021 Reservoir Recreation biological indicators

Esquagamah Lake or 2010 01-0147-00 Aitkin Aquatic Nutrient/eutrophication 2016 2021 Reservoir Recreation biological indicators

Fleming Lake or 2010 01-0105-00 Aitkin Aquatic Nutrient/eutrophication 2016 2021 Reservoir Recreation biological indicators

Gun Lake or 2010 01-0099-00 Aitkin Aquatic Nutrient/eutrophication 2016 2021 Reservoir Recreation biological indicators

Mississippi Pine R to 2016 07010104-656 Crow Wing Aquatic Life Total suspended solids 2016 2021 River Crow Wing R

Mississippi Willow R to 1998 07010104-655 Aitkin Aquatic Life Turbidity 2016 2021 River Pine R

Rice River Headwaters 2002 07010104-505 Aitkin Aquatic Life Fishes bioassessments 2016 2021 (Porcupine Lk 01-0066-00) to Section 5 Cr

Swan River Headwaters 2010 07010104-502 Morrison Aquatic Life Dissolved oxygen 2016 2021 (Big Swan Lk 77-0023-00) to Mississippi R

Trace Lake or 2008 77-0009-00 Todd Aquatic Nutrient/eutrophication 2016 2021 Reservoir Recreation biological indicators

Waukenabo Lake or 2010 01-0136-00 Aitkin Aquatic Nutrient/eutrophication 2016 2021 Reservoir Recreation biological indicators

The Aitkin County SWCD will be the project sponsor and oversee the financial aspects of the contract, as well as provide all relevant reporting requirements. RESPEC is the subcontractor who will prepare the TMDLs for the impaired waters, develop the WRAPS report, and provide three scenarios for modeling as well as sharing their work with the public and the Watershed Core Team made up of local partners, interested citizens and agency staff. The local partners will participate in meetings, review and provide comments to the documents and assist with the public outreach of the project.

www.pca.state.mn.us • 651-296-6300 • 800-657-3864 • Use your preferred relay service • Available in alternative formats e-admin9-38 • 3/11/16 Page 3 of 6 3. Goals, Objectives, Tasks, and Subtasks Goal: The goal of Phase II of the project is to implement the public civic engagement plan, to utilize the data collected in Phase I, as well as the monitoring and assessment data, to develop the TMDLs and WRAPs documents and develop modeling scenarios to prioritize protection and restoration efforts.

Objective 1: Overall Project Administration

Task A: Fiscal Management and Project Administration Subtask 1: Invoicing and reporting: Prepare and submit monthly or quarterly invoices for payment. Subtask 2: Develop and submit semi-annual reports by February 1st and August 1st of each year of the contract and complete a final report including a final financial report submitted to the MPCA thirty days of the original or amended end date of the contract.

Responsible Party(ies): Aitkin County SWCD, RESPEC

Objective 1 Timeline: September 15, 2017 – December 31, 2020 Objective 1 Cost: $10,956.96 Objective 1 Deliverables: Accurate and timely invoices submitted. Semi-annual and annual reports completed and submitted on time.

Objective 2: Public Participation and Civic Engagement (CE).

Task A: Communicate Project Milestones through the Implementation of the CE Plan. Create specific opportunities for citizen involvement. Emphasis will be on citizen execution of engagement activities and to build upon stronger collaborations and more engaged communities throughout the Watershed. This task includes the development of different sources of media to share our work with the public, (which may include but are not limited to, developing story maps, watershed events, videos, presentations, handouts and surveys). This may also include hosting meetings or attending other meetings to dialogue about the Watershed project. Subtask 1: Hold a minimum of three public meetings by October 2020 that allows stakeholders, the public and targeted audiences to play a more active role in natural resource restoration and protection as well as create an effective communication network for watershed programs and services. Subtask 2: Participate in a minimum of eight core team meetings to discuss project milestones, documents, and provide input to the watershed project. Subtask 3: Create a minimum of two press releases. These will be sent out via radio, newspaper, etc. by October 2020 in order to share the results of assessment data as well as actions to protect and restore waterbodies throughout the watershed. Subtask 4: Attend at least three meetings with lake associations and other groups to share our work in the Watershed, and get feedback on water quality priorities and strategies to accomplish water quality targets by September 2020. Subtask 5: Create a story map that provides an overview of the Watershed, water quality assessments, TMDL work and WRAPS strategies and priorities. Task B: Participate in approximately eight core team meetings to discuss project milestones, documents, and provide input to the Watershed project.

Responsible Party(ies): Aitkin SWCD, Local Partner Team, RESPEC

Objective 2 Timeline: September 15, 2017 – December 31, 2020 Objective 2 Cost: $55,427.20 Objective 2 Deliverables: (a) At least two press releases (b) 3-6 public meetings (c) Meetings with lake associations and other groups (d) Continued implementation of the CE plan developed in the Phase I contract. (a) A story map is developed that provides an overview of the Mississippi River Brainerd Watershed, water quality assessments, TMDL work and summarizes the WRAPS strategies and priorities.

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Objective 3: Develop Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) and WRAPS for the Watershed

Task A: TMDL Development and Approval. Develop the TMDLs for 23 impaired water bodies according to MPCA/EPA template requirements and input from agencies, local partners and the public. The specific 23 waterbodies will be identified upon completion of the Watershed assessment in February 2018 based on input from the Watershed Core Team.

Subtask 1: Evaluate monitoring data and simulated HSPF model output to link the water-quality targets with monitored and simulated data and pollutant sources.

Subtask 2: Identify and complete a source assessment for each impaired water body, which will include numeric estimates of pollutant loads by source. The source categories will include the land classifications built into the HSPF model application and point sources.

Subtask 3: Calculate the loading capacity and TMDL components (load allocations, waste load allocation, margin of safety) for each impaired water body. For stream impairments, simulated HSPF modeling data will be used to calculate the loading capacity. For lake impairments, simulated HSPF watershed nutrient loads will be used as input to a Bathtub lake model, along with estimates of internal loading derived from published internal loading models (e.g., Nürnberg 1988[1]; Nürnberg 1996[2]) and the lake sediment nutrient content. HSPF model predictions, used as input to the Bathtub lake model, will be checked against available tributary data provided to the sub-contractor prior to calibrating the HSPF model at agreed upon locations to ensure that the HSPF predictions are reasonable and provide reasonable input to the Bathtub lake models. The lake models will then be used to calculate the loading capacity of each impaired lake.

Subtask 4: Develop draft TMDL reports which will comply with EPA standards and guidelines. Work with the MPCA Project Manager as well as local partners and Watershed Core Team, to ensure all comments are addressed from either the public or the EPA.

Subtask 5: Submit final TMDLs for submittal to EPA for approval.

Subtask 6: Develop fact sheets, using best available science and data, for at least eight impaired waterbodies that provide a summary of the data, TMDL loads and localized specific implementation strategies to restore the impaired waterbody by June 1, 2019.

Responsible Party: RESPEC

Task B: Develop Watershed scenarios to prioritize restoration and protection efforts Subtask 1: Consult with the Watershed Core Team to develop three scenarios for the Watershed and provide a summary report that details the scenario modeling process and results in plain language. Draft scenario report due March 1, 2018. Responsible Party: RESPEC

Task C: WRAPS Development and Approval. Develop the WRAPS document according to MPCA template requirements and input from agencies, local partners and the public. Subtask 1: Revise the document as required after each of the three review periods. Target dates for draft WRAPS for internal review are by June 1, 2019. Final draft for public notice prepared by December 31, 2019 and Final WRAPS approved by MPCA by October 1, 2020.

Responsible Party: RESPEC

Task D: Review and comment on TMDL, Scenario and WRAPs reports Subtask 1: Attend at least 4 core team meetings. Subtask 2: Attend meetings with the public. Review and provide comments on the TMDL, Scenario and WRAPS documents/reports. Responsible Party: Aitkin County SWCD, LPT

[1] Nürnberg, G. K. 1988. The prediction of phosphorus release rates from total and reductant-soluble phosphorus in anoxic lake sediments. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 45: 453-462. [2] Nürnberg, G.K. 1996. Trophic state of clear and colored, soft- and hard-water lakes with special consideration of nutrients, anoxia, phytoplankton and fish. Lake Reserv. Manage. 12: 432-447.

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Objective 3 Timeline: September 15, 2017 – December 31, 2020 Objective 3 Cost: $183,560.96 Objective 3 Deliverables: (a) TMDL report that meets EPA requirements is prepared and revised if necessary, and approved by MPCA and EPA. (b) Detailed Fact Sheets are developed for at least 8 impaired waterbodies that provide a summary of the data, TMDL loads and localized specific implementation strategies to restore the impaired waterbody. (c) At least three scenarios developed in order to assist in the WRAPS prioritization for restoration and protection efforts and summarized in a report. (d) WRAPS report that meets MPCA requirements is prepared and revised if necessary, and approved by MPCA.

4. Measurable Outcomes A. MPCA staff, local partners and citizen volunteers will be able to integrate the results of the biophysical and community assessment into strategies for the Watershed Restoration and Protection Plan report and implementation plan for improving water bodies on the MN 303D List of Impaired Waters.

B. This project will implement the civic engagement plan developed in phase 1, which will contribute to long-term public participation in surface water protection and restoration activities throughout the Watershed.

C. Local organizations will modify programs (i.e., practices) to account for findings from a community assessment to address better transboundary coordination with clear objectives, roles and responsibilities, which is an essential precursor to achieving the MPCA’s Strategic Objective to restore impaired waters to meet designated uses and protect high quality surface waters within the watershed.

D. The outcome of this project will be watershed restoration and protection strategies that provide quantitative pollutant load reduction estimates and a set of pollutant reduction and watershed management activities to achieve water quality standards for all impairments within the watershed, and that are understood and adoptable by local units of government and other stakeholders.

5. Gantt charts (Attached)

6. Project Budget (Attached)

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