"Where Olmsted County News Comes First"

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Clean water is a high priority item that we all care about, but sometimes take for granted. Fortunately we have a dedicated team of people in Olmsted County and the surrounding counties that focus a significant amount of time and effort to make sure we have access to high quality water. Because Southeast Minnesota has a unique landscape makeup called karst, the approach to water management is a team effort.

There are seven counties that have teamed up to form the Southeast Minnesota Water Resources Board. In areas with karst landscape, ground water is easily polluted. Karst landscapes are very permeable, which reduces the usual filtering capabilities as water passes through the ground to underground channels or pools. Wells could be unsafe because water in karst landscapes may run directly into ground water without the normal filtering process.

There are many pollutants that affect the quality of water. Turbidity is a form of pollutant that is caused by soil particles, algae and suspended particles in the water that can cause water to look cloudy. Chemicals, bad septic systems, agriculture runoff and old dump sites may be sources of the pollution. “The latest data from state monitoring suggests about 26 percent of nitrogen fertilizer application in Southeast Minnesota reaches streams,” said Terry Lee, Water Resources Coordinator for the Environmental Resources Department for Olmsted County. Nitrates in water reduce the amount of oxygen which is necessary for aquatic life. The collaboration of counties in Southeast Minnesota has been very beneficial for sharing resources to monitor and develop strategies to maintain and improve water quality. Because water concerns do not stop at the county line, experts are taking a watershed approach. The monitoring systems are set up to analyze what enters Olmsted County and what leaves Olmsted County through the three county watersheds; the Zumbro, Whitewater and Root.

Equipment available now allows for detailed monitoring and recording of information. As part of the collaboration approach with other counties, seven counties share resources at the Olmsted County Public Health Services-Environmental Laboratory. “It’s more effective to use staff and resources in a regional way,” said Lee. The Environmental Laboratory provides testing services for public and private wells and public swimming pools and communication of health risks. One of the challenges for people monitoring and testing water quality is it may take many, many years to see if a plan is effective in helping to improve water quality.

Because of the concern for quality water for all uses, two projects that are getting a lot of attention relate to Lake Shady and Lake Zumbro. The flood of 2010 damaged the dam associated with Lake Shady in Oronoco. The county has developed a plan to remove the dam and incorporate a significant restoration plan for the Middle Fork and the South Fork of the Zumbro River, the two rivers that come together at the site. The land surrounding the rivers is in the plan for a significant facelift. The restoration includes removing the dam and creating gradual rapids back to the junction of the two rivers, walking paths, ponds, and fishery restoration. “We still have to keep in mind that the area is susceptible to flooding,” Lee said. To complete the project, the county in collaboration with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has developed a plan and sent it into the state to ask for grant money from the Clean Water Legacy Act Fund. “The DNR is the biggest supporter of us going for the state funding,” said Lee. “The Clean Water Legacy Act makes it possible for this type of project.” The Clean Water Legacy Act program is set up to ensure all Minnesota lakes, streams and wetlands have water quality conditions that are acceptable for the various ways we use the waters. The program was set up in 2006 and receives money from a general sales and use tax of three- eighths of one percent. The Legislature makes the final decision on funding based on merits of proposed projects. A dredging project is required on Lake Zumbro to restore navigable waters and access to shorelines because it has lost half of its volume to sediment. Lake Zumbro does provide a significant local economic impact through fishing, boating and other recreational usage. Total cost of the projects is $8 million. Lee said they should hear by December if the Grant is approved then it will go to the County Board for approval.