Water Quality Data Summary

2003 Water Quality/Quantity Monitoring Overview

* Sampleshed 5RP, representing 16% of the watershed area, contributed 74% of the TSS load and 46% of the TP load in 2003.

* The majority of TSS and TP loading from the outlet area is occurring from streambank and gully erosion, and erosion from cultivated and non-cultivated highly erodible land.

* 72% of the TSS loading occurred during a two week period in May 2003 (during the two largest storm events). This period represented 36% of the total flow. The majority of TSS and TP loading occurs during the peak flow of high intensity storm events.

* Reducing peak flows would reduce TSS and TP loads in the Rush River Watershed.

* A hydrology study by Bonestroo & Associates consulting firm, suggests the peak flow during a 100 year storm has doubled since pre-settlement due to artificial drainage.

* A total of 2,561 acres of wetlands remain in the watershed, with 34,405 acres having been drained. Currently, about 7% of pre-settlement wetlands remain.

* Of the upland monitoring sites, sampleshed 2RP had the highest TSS and TP levels. The source appears to be Lake Titloe. Further monitoring of the lake outlet is needed in 2004.

* Nitrate levels were elevated across the entire watershed. The drinking water standard for nitrate is 10 mg/L. The outlet of the Rush River Watershed had an average nitrate concentration of 17 mg/L. The only areas with low nitrate levels were the outlets of lakes and wetlands. Nitrate levels of water passing through Lake Titloe were reduced by about 50%.

* The Gaylord, Winthrop, Gibbon, Lafayette and Waldbaum treatment plants accounted for 4% of the TP load at the outlet of the watershed. The majority of TP load is occurring from non-point sources.

* The surface water standard (200 cfu/100 ml) for fecal coliform bacteria was exceeded at all of the monitoring sites. The FC bacteria geometric mean at the outlet of Rush River was 655 cfu/100 ml in 2003.


Additional water quality data from Minnesota Pollution Control Agency -
http://www.pca.state.mn.us/data/eda/index.cfm