Water Quality Plan
- Water quality goals for lakes;
- Water quality goals for streams;
- Identification of high priority wetlands for conducting functions and values assessments;
- Standard protocols for monitoring; and
- An implementation plan, including monitoring, education, management planning and a CIP.
Activities outlined in the Second Generation Management Plan include developing individual management plans for major water resources. In addition, the Commissions are required to:
- Complete and implement Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for impaired waterbodies.
- Establish numerical water quality goals for lakes; and
- Identify priority wetlands for preservation or restoration.
The Water Quality Implementation Plan charts the course the Commissions will take to meet their Second Generation Management Plan goals as well as Commission and State water quality standards. It includes:
- A monitoring plan to track water quality changes over time;
- Detailed management plans for meeting water quality goals for each resource;
- A capital improvement plan; and
- An education and public outreach plan.
The Water Quality Plan assumes that, as TMDLs are completed, the TMDL Implementation Plans will refine water quality goals and management activities by water resource and the Capital Improvement Plan will be revised to incorporate additional projects identified in the TMDLs.
2009 Water Quality Report
The Shingle Creek and West Mississippi Watershed Management Commissions annually monitor water quality in the lakes and streams of the watersheds. The Commissions’ technical staff obtains most stream water quality data while volunteers collect most lake water quality and stream and wetland macroinvertebrate and vegetation data.
Water quality in a given year is influenced by the amount of precipitation and the type of precipitation events. Overall, 2009 was a dry, below average precipitation year. The timing of events and rainfall intensity also play a part in determining water quality. This annual variability is why ongoing, long-term monitoring is necessary to determine what is an actual trend and what is just natural variation.
Water quality in Shingle Creek is typical of an urban stream in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, and is dominated by watershed runoff. Continued monitoring of stream water quality will allow us to evaluate the effectiveness of BMPs and provide a baseline for reasonable water quality goals.
The lakes in Shingle Creek are typical of urban lakes. Thirteen of the 16 lakes are listed as Impaired Waters due to excess nutrients, and TMDLs and Implementation Plans have been approved for 12 of the lakes, with the last lake pending approval from the EPA. Of the five lakes monitored in 2009, only one met its water quality goals – Eagle Lake.
The lake TMDLs and the Shingle and Bass Creeks chloride, biotic, and dissolved oxygen TMDLs have or will set forth action plans for improving water quality and biotic integrity in the lakes, streams, and wetlands in the two watersheds.
The Shingle Creek/West Mississippi monitoring sites are shown on the map provided.
Stream Monitoring
Water quality is related to the volume of water flowing to and through the streams draining the watersheds. Stream monitoring is comprised of two parts: flow monitoring and sampling.
The Shingle Creek Commission’s 2009 primary stream monitoring program was conducted in two locations. The outlet monitoring site was located on Shingle Creek at 45th Avenue. This site is designated as SC-0 and collects drainage from about 41 square miles, or 92% of the watershed. The upper watershed site is designated Site SC-3 and collects drainage from about 17 square miles, or 39% of the watershed. It is located on Shingle Creek at Brooklyn Boulevard.
Site SC-1 is located on Shingle Creek at Queen Avenue near the border between Minneapolis and Brooklyn Center. Site SC-1 collects drainage from about 31 square miles, or 70% of the watershed. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) maintains this site as part of the USGS National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. The Commission and the USGS collected storm event samples at this location up until 1999 when water quality monitoring was discontinued. The USGS continues to monitor flow at this site and monitored for chloride and conductivity in 2009. Instantaneous flow, temperature, and conductivity can be monitored real-time at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/mn/nwis/uv?05288705.
Precipitation and Flow Monitoring
Precipitation data is collected at the National Weather Service in New Hope. Precipitation was below average in 2009 for seven of twelve months of the year. August, October and December were the only months where precipitation was more than an inch above long-term average conditions. Overall, precipitation was 6.09 inches below normal making it a very dry, below normal year.
Routine Water Quality Monitoring
Routine samples were collected bi-weekly from April through October with six storm sampling events targeted during this time period. However, only four storm events were sampled from April-October due in large part to below average rainfall during this time. The routine and stormwater quality samples at both sites were analyzed for total phosphorus (TP), ortho phosphorus (OP), total suspended solids (TSS), volatile suspended solids (VSS), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), nitrate-nitrite (NO2-NO3), and chloride (Cl). E. coli and fecal coliform samples were also collected at the outlet monitoring station. Sampling results are described in the 2009 Water Quality Report.
Water quality in Shingle Creek is typical of an urban stream in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. Currently there are only narrative standards for nutrients in streams in the State of Minnesota. However, it is widely understood that increased nutrients in streams leads to increased algal production, increased biological oxygen demand (BOD), and a generally limited aquatic environment (lower Index of Biotic Integrity scores). Continued monitoring of stream water quality will allow us to evaluate the effectiveness of BMPs and provide a baseline for reasonable water quality goals.
Although Shingle Creek is not on the State of Minnesota’s 303(d) list impaired waters for fecal coliform, recently collected data meets the listing criteria for recreational waters. Fecal coliform concentrations have been extremely high during both runoff events and summer base-flow. Similarly, in 2009, E. Coli bacteria concentrations were high during runoff events. Continued monitoring is needed to develop an understanding of the relationship between E. Coli and fecal coliform bacteria, and to identify the extent of the problem including wet versus dry conditions and seasonality.
Lake Monitoring
There are sixteen lakes in the Shingle Creek watershed, and none in West Mississippi. Twin Lake is comprised of three basins and is considered as three separate lakes even though it is one chain of lakes.
The Shingle Creek Watershed Management Commission has participated in the Metropolitan Council’s Citizen Assisted Lake Monitoring Program (CAMP) since 1996. The program results in the bulk of lake water quality data collected by the Commission. This program is also an NPDES Phase II Education and Public Outreach BMP.
CAMP was initiated by the Met Council to supplement the water quality monitoring performed by Met Council staff and to increase our knowledge of water quality of area lakes. Volunteers in the program monitor the lakes every other week from mid April to mid October, approximately 14 sampling events. They measure surface water temperature and Secchi depth, and collect surface water samples that are analyzed by the Met Council for total phosphorous, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, and chlorophyll-a. The volunteers also judged the appearance of the lake, its odor, and its suitability for recreation. Five lakes were monitored through CAMP in 2009.
Some additional data is available on the lakes as a result of special studies, including TMDLs, management plans, and monitoring by other agencies such as Three Rivers Park District. The Commission has also performed some special monitoring such as bottom sediment core analysis and aquatic vegetation surveys.
Thirteen of the 16 lakes in Shingle Creek do not meet State of Minnesota water quality standards, and have been listed by the State and the EPA as Impaired Waters.
Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) have been completed for those 13 lakes, and phosphorus load reductions necessary to achieve state water quality standards have been identified. TMDL Implementation Plans set forth various activities that will be undertaken by stakeholders. The Commission’s role will be to provide ongoing and special monitoring; coordinate education and outreach; maintain development and redevelopment rules and standards; and sponsor demonstration project opportunities. Cities, Hennepin County, Mn/DOT, and property owners will undertake projects and implement programs to reduce phosphorus and sediment load to the lakes.
2009 CAMP Monitoring
Five lakes were monitored by volunteers in 2009, in accordance with the Shingle Creek Commission’s schedule. Most of the deep lakes are monitored every other year, with the smaller and shallower lakes monitored every 3 years. The only deep lake monitored in 2009 was Eagle Lake. The shallow lakes included Bass, Cedar Island, Pike, and Magda.
All of the shallow lakes except Bass exceeded the water quality standards throughout the year. Bass typically has good water quality until the later summer and then experiences significant algae blooms, likely from aquatic vegetation senescence.
The volunteer was unable to obtain a full season’s sampling on Eagle Lake. Eagle too shows a late summer spike, which is consistent with lake association observations of an increased amount of aquatic vegetation in the lake. A more complete description of the 2009 CAMP finding is available here.
Biological Monitoring
The Commission obtains biological data by sponsoring volunteer monitoring through Hennepin County Environmental Services. High school students and their teachers monitor macroinvertebrates in streams through the River Watch program, and adult volunteers led by trained leaders monitor macroinvertebrates and vegetation in wetlands through the Wetland Health Evaluation Program (WHEP)Stream Macroinvertebrate Monitoring
Routine stream macroinvertebrate monitoring in both watersheds is conducted by volunteers through Hennepin County’s River Watch program. This program was initiated in 1995 to provide hands-on environmental education for high school and college students, promote river stewardship, and obtain water quality information on the streams in Hennepin County.Hennepin County coordinates student and adult volunteers who use the River Watch protocols to collect physical, chemical, and biological data to help determine the health of streams in the watershed.
One of the Commissions’ goals is to track changes in streams. Examining the macroinvertebrate community provides a picture of the health of the stream. The results are qualitative and should be interpreted as one indicator of the rivers’ health, not scientifically precise data. Another goal is to promote an understanding of the watershed and how water quality is related to land use. The water quality found in one short stretch of stream does not just reflect what is happening in one area. It reflects the water quality of all upstream areas draining into it.
The program began on Shingle Creek in spring 1996 and on Mattson Brook in West Mississippi in spring 1998.
The Commissions sponsored monitoring at four sites in Shingle Creek and one site in West Mississippi in 2009, including two new sites.
Park Center High School
| Year | Grade | Year | Grade |
| 2009 | C- | 2002 | C |
| 2008 | C- | 2001 | D |
| 2007 | C+ | 2000 | D+ |
| 2006 | C | 1999 | D+ |
| 2005 | C | 1998 | D+ |
| 2004 | D | 1997 | C+ |
| 2003 | D+ | 1996 | B- |
| Year | Grade | Year | Grade |
| 2009 | C+ | 2003 | C- |
| 2008 | C | 2002 | C+ |
| 2004 | C | 2001 | C |
| Year | Grade | Year | Grade |
| 2009 | C+ |
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|
| Year | Grade | Year | Grade |
| 2009 | C+ |
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| Year | Grade | Year | Grade |
| 2009 | C | 2001 | C |
| 2008 | C- | 2000 | C |
| 2007 | C- | 1999 | B |
| 2004 | C | 1998 | B |
| 2003 | C |
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Based on the limited River Watch sampling, organisms found indicate comparatively poor water quality in Shingle Creek, although it is difficult to say whether that is the result of the inadequate samples, the type of habitat, or the actual water quality. The results at the site where Edinbrook Channel turns into Mattson Brook in the West Mississippi watershed are better than at other sites, and may indicate good water quality or just better habitat. The 2009 CAMP Report is available here.
Wetland Monitoring
Two sites in the Shingle Creek watershed and two sites in the West Mississippi watershed were monitored through the Hennepin County Environmental Services’ Wetland Health Evaluation Program (WHEP). The WHEP program uses trained adult volunteers to monitor and assess wetland plant and animal communities in order to score monitored wetlands on an Index of Biological Integrity for macroinvertebrates and for vegetation.
In West Mississippi two wetlands were surveyed: one in the City of Brooklyn Park’s Environmental Preserve (BP-1) and one in Jewel Park in Brooklyn Park (BP-3) (see figures). The Preserve wetland was also monitored in 2006-2007. Frequent monitoring of this site is necessary because this high-quality wetland receives stormwater from a large area to the west that has been pretreated by a number of detention ponds prior to being discharged into this wetland..
Wetland monitoring site BP-1
| Year | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
| Invertebrate | 28 (excellent) | 22 (moderate) | 21 (moderate | 20 (moderate |
| Vegetation | 13 (poor) | 19 (moderate) | 22 (moderate) | 19 (moderate) |
The Jewel Park site is dominated by cattails, and this monoculture greatly reduces both invertebrate and plant diversity.
Wetland monitoring site BP-3
| Year | 2008 | 2009 |
| Invertebrate | 10 (poor) | 20 (moderate) |
| Vegetation | 7 (poor) | 10 (poor) |
Another wetland in Brooklyn Park in the Shingle Creek watershed just north of Palmer Lake was monitored in 2007-2009. The results illustrate how variable biotic health can be based on precipitation.
| Year | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
| Invertebrate | 16 ( moderate) | 20 (moderate) | 13 (poor) |
| Vegetation | 15 (poor) | 7 (poor) | 10 (poor) |
The final site monitored was in Plymouth in Timber Shores Park in the wetland complex at the outlet of Bass Lake. This site was monitored in 2005, 2006, and 2008. Over the four years the site has been in the program there has been a slight improvement in biotic integrity. This is encouraging as Bass Creek downstream of the wetland complex is impaired for biotic integrity and, as improvements are made there, recolonization will occur from better-quality sites such as this.
Wetland monitoring site PL-6
| Year | 2005 | 2006 | 2008 | 2009 |
| Invertebrate | 10 (poor) | 16 (moderate) | 22 ( moderate) | 24 (excellent) |
| Vegetation | 15 (poor) | 15 (poor) | 17 (moderate) | 15 (poor) |
The 2009 Water Quality Report also provides a history of water quality monitoring in Shingle Creek/West Mississippi since 1990. The history can be found here.
The vision recommended by the Corridor Study is the long-term ecological restoration of the creek channel to return some of the historic structure and cological function and address water quality impairments. more proactive management of the riparian zone, including restoration of native plants and management of invasive species, was also recommended.
The study did not include a prescriptive Capital Improvement Program but rather identified areas that would most benefit from improvement, and established design and management standards to be used as projects and redevelopment provide opportunity for implementation.
- Channel Condition - Water Appearance - Instream Fish cover
- Hydrologic alteration - Nutrient enrichment - Barriers to fish movement
- Riparian zone width - Manure presence - Riffle quality
- Bank stability - Salinity - Invertebrate habitat
- Canopy Cover - Pools
TMDLs
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) is a regularty term in the U.S. Clean Water Act (CWA), describing a value of the maximum amount of a pollutant that a body of water can receive while still meeting water quality standards. To learn more about TMDLs in the Shingle Creek and West Mississippi Watersheds click here.