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PROJECT STATUS:
There will be a meeting with Lake County Commissioners as well as Supervisors from Fall Lake, Morse, and Stony River Townships to discuss having Lake County act as the local government sponsor as required by MPCA for a CWP Grant. The Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District has agreed to be the fiscal agent for the project. The meeting will be held on Thursday, November 19th, from 6 to 8 PM at the Kawishiwi Ranger Station.
Kawishiwi Watershed Clean Water Protection Project Proposal
Updated October 23, 2009
Phase I
Goals and Objectives
Goal - Gather watershed data necessary for the development of a comprehensive watershed management plan with parameter-specific thresholds that will maintain or improve water quality for the Kawishiwi Watershed.
Objective 1 - Continue and expand current water quality monitoring program to provide WICOLA a comprehensive overview by:
1.1 Determining current trophic conditions throughout the Kawishiwi Watershed
1.2 Comparing the water quality of BWCAW waters vs. waters in developed areas
1.3 Determining how groundwater affects surface water
1.4 Identifying and assessing climate change impacts
1.5 Identifying and assessing fish and wildlife habitat
1.6 Comparing White Iron Chain of Lakes (WICOL) waters to state drinking water standards
Objective 2 – Integrate and Coordinate monitoring activities within the Kawishiwi Watershed for all agencies, research institutions and organizations (including Minnesota Power’s Federal Energy Regulatory Commission required monitoring, and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources/Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s Sentinel Lake monitoring on White Iron Lake) throughout the Watershed.
Objective 4 – Document and graphically present results from Objectives 1-3. The primary intent will be to ensure that the assessment data are presented in a comprehensive way in a single, publicly available resource using documents and a web site.
Objective 5 – Conduct survey or surveys
5.1 Onsite Subsurface Sewage Treatment System inventory to determine number of existing systems, current operating status, replacement upgrade needs and costs, and sensitive areas where onsite wastewater treatment is not appropriate.
5.2 Identify high priority beneficial uses that are not impaired and in need of protection
5.3 Determine vulnerability of the Kawishiwi Watershed to introduction of aquatic invasive species (AIS), including identification of most vulnerable waters through surveys conducted of people fishing and/or boating, waterfowl hunting, camping, hiking within the watershed.
Objective 6 – Develop and conduct a comprehensive study to determine the effects – cumulative and acute – of individual onsite subsurface sewage treatment systems (SSTS) on surface water resources. Focus on contributions of nitrogen, phosphorus, bacteria, and pharmaceuticals from SSTS.
Objective 7 – Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis of
7.1 Development potential, sensitive areas and potential threats throughout the watershed;
7.2 Sensitive areas in need of soil erosion and sediment control plans for restoration (i.e. wildfire events, shoreline erosion, steep slopes);
7.3 Land use within the Watershed.
Phase II
Goals and Objectives
Goal – Maintain or Improve the Waters of the Kawishiwi Watershed
Objective 1 - Targeted long term monitoring of the Watershed to provide early identification and tracking of deteriorating water quality, including:
1.1 Effects of climate change;
1.2 Changes to trophic status (identifying and measuring trends);
1.3 Other stressors as identified during Phase I.
Objective 2 Develop a comprehensive watershed management plan for the Kawishiwi Watershed. The plan will include education and/or restorative actions for the following:
2.1 Importance of Kawishiwi Watershed as a headwaters of the Rainy River Basin and the United States/Canada transboundary waters;
2.2 Implementation of locally developed parameter-specific thresholds that will maintain or improve water quality for the Kawishiwi Watershed;
2.3 Need for better compliance with and enforcement of existing zoning regulation;
2.4 Replacement and/or upgrade of individual sewage treatment systems if indicated from the Phase I studies;
2.5 Education of residents on proper operation and maintenance of individual sewage treatment systems to ensure proper operation and protection of water resources;
2.6 Education of residents regarding the analysis of WICOL waters to state drinking water standards;
2.7 Protection of areas sensitive to development and address potential threats as identified in Phase I;
2.8 Prevention of erosion.
Objective 3 Address the vulnerability of the Kawishiwi Watershed to introduction of aquatic invasive species (AIS), including, if indicated, strategic protection of most vulnerable waters identified in Phase I and to support state and federal efforts to:
3.1 Prevent new AIS from being introduced into Kawishiwi Watershed
3.2 Conduct rapid response and early detection of AIS
3.3 Manage and control of AIS
3.4 Provide local leadership and coordination on AIS issues
