 |
|
||
 |
 |
||
 |
Cedar, Albion, Swartout, Henshaw Improvement Project Documents |
|
Clearwater River Chain of Lakes Restoration Project The Clearwater River Chain of Lakes Restoration Project is a series of eight lakes and watershed restoration measures undertaken to improve the water quality of the Clearwater River Chain of Lakes. The lakes, which will benefit from the Project, include Clearwater River, Grass Lake, Lake Augusta, Lake Caroline, Mill Pond, Lake Marie, Lake Louisa, Scott Lake, and Lake Betsy. The eight projects are described briefly below. Wetland Treatment Systems Wetlands are natural traps for phosphorus and other nutrients, which promote over-abundant algae in lakes. Forcing the inflowing water to spread over the whole wetland (rather than following a channel) when flows are moderate or low can increase the nutrient entrapment. This is the principle of the three wetland treatment systems that form from the backbone of the lake restoration project. County Ditch 20 Wetland Treatment System The County Ditch 20 Wetland Treatment System contains approximately 40 acres of wetlands, which are served by a diversion structure and two channels. A total of approximately 7,000 feet of diversion channels distributes the contaminated runoff over the wetland. The approximately expense of this project was $200,000 and it was completed in late 1984. This wetland system removed approximately 1,000 pounds of phosphorus annually. Kingston Wetland Treatment System The Kingston Wetland Treatment System is the major facility of the project and contains nearly 300 acres of wetland. Over 19,000 feet of diversion channels are being constructed, with more than 150 distribution pipes installed along the length of the channel. The construction cost of this project was approximately $394,000 and it was completed in 1985. The system removes some 5,600 pounds of phosphorus annually. Annandale Wetland Treatment System The Annandale Wetland Treatment System consists of approximately 40 acres of wetland in two locations, with 4,600 feet of diversion ditches. The approximate construction expense of this project was $120,000 and it was completed in late 1984, with an approximate phosphorus removal capacity of 750 pounds per year. Upper Lakes Aeration and Mechanical Fish Removal Project The Upper Lakes Aeration and Mechanical Fish Removal Project includes the hypolimnetic aeration of Lakes Louisa and Marie. These aerators were installed in 1985-1986. In addition, mechanical removal of rough fish (carp, bullhead, etc.) was performed on Lake Betsy, Scott Lake, Union Lake, Lake Louisa, Mill Pond, and Lake Marie during the fall of 1984 and the spring and fall of 1985-1988. Being bottom feeders, rough fish mix large amounts of nutrients into the water from the sediments. The estimated cost of this project is $285,000, and it removes an estimated 1,800 pounds of phosphorus annually. Monitoring Program From 1981 through 1992, a monitoring program including lake and stream water quality, stream flows, and precipitation (beginning in 1983) was a part of the lake restoration project. The monitoring program helped bring about important modifications, including the addition of the Upper Watkins Wetland isolation and the Nonpoint Source Pollution Abatement Projects. Upper Watkins Wetland Isolation Project The Upper Watkins Wetland Isolation Project was added to the project in 1983. Formerly, untreated wastewater from a cheese plant discharged into the Upper Watkins Wetland. This transformed the wetland from a nutrient trap (its natural state) into a nutrient source – in fact, the largest nutrient source in the entire watershed. The project diverts runoff and channel flow around the edge of the wetland and includes more than 11,000 feet of isolation dikes and channels plus overflow structures and ditch crossings. The estimated expense of this project was $460,000 and it was completed in late 1984. It has resulted in a phosphorus load reduction of approximately 30,000 pounds annually. Nonpoint Source Pollution Abatement Project The Nonpoint Source Pollution Abatement Project was added to the Restoration in 1985 and was later extended to 1993. This project aimed to institute farming practices that will protect the public from water quality degradation while at the same time reducing soil loss, lowering farm operating costs, and increasing profits. The infrastructure developed to implement this was the Tri-County Conservation Project (TCCP), composed of the Stearns, Meeker, and Wright Soil and Water Conservation Districts, along with CRWD. To demonstrate conservation tillage practices, a no-till drill was purchased. Also, tillage demonstration plots have been used. A local farmer group was formed to provide grass roots input on implementing conservation practices through the project. Critical erosion and nutrient export areas were identified using a computer model. Runoff and groundwater monitoring, including pesticide impacts, was conducted. The project, with a budget of some $1.5 million, worked through cooperation among individual farms, the agri-business community, the TCCP member districts, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Board of Water and Soil Resources, Agricultural Extension Service, U.S. Soil Conservation Service, Environmental Protection Agency, and others. Other District Projects Pleasant Lake Outlet The outlet from Pleasant Lake was reconstructed to increase the outflow capacity in order to alleviate excessively high lake levels there. The project, initiated by local petition, was completed in early 1985 at an approximate cost of $48,000. School Section Lake Outlet To alleviate flooding of homes and farmland, an outlet was constructed from School Section Lake in late 1984. The lake has no natural outlet, and it rose seven feet during 1983-1984, mainly as a result of a rising water table. The cost of the outlet was approximately $155,000. Augusta-Clearwater-Grass Lake Bog Control Project After two years of very high water that caused severe floating bog problems in these lakes, necessitating several emergency bog removal projects, a bog control project was set up with the cooperation of the lake property owners involved. That project includes acquisition and improvement of access areas for bog removal, and the funding and process for removal of floating bogs deemed harmful. Estimated cost for the project is $17,000. It was initiated in the summer of 1985. Clear Lake Restoration Project Accelerated reduction of water quality in Clear Lake during the past several years prompted the property owners around Clear Lake to file a petition in 1987 with the District to correct the problem. A diagnostic and feasibility study was needed to investigate causes of the lake’s problems and to determine appropriate remedial action. Toward this end the District applied for a Clean Water Partnership state grant in 1988, but no grant was offered. Nevertheless, the property owners with volunteer labor and limited financial support from the District and Meeker County undertook a scaled-down study. Eurasian Water Milfoil Control Project Eurasian Water Milfoil (EWM) was discovered in Clearwater Lake in 1989. For several years the Clearwater Lake Property Owners chemically treated (under state permit) the identified EWM areas of the lake. In 1993 the CRWD initiated this project to help the EWM control effort through funding for chemical (2,4-D) purchase and incidental costs, with the property owners continuing to provide volunteer labor for the application. The estimated project cost was $148,000 for the years 1994-1998. |
| This page is maintained by the CRWD Board of Managers © Copyright 2007 |
Clearwater River Watershed District Box 481, Annandale, MN 55302 Office: (320) 274-3935 Fax: (320) 274-3975 Board Meetings Second Wednesday of the Month 7 p.m., at the Annandale Middle School Fourth Wednesday of the Month 6:30 p.m., at Kimball City Hall |
|