Washington Conservation District: Land, Wetlands, Water
 

Monitoring Program

Water Monitoring Standard Operating Procedures «

Stream Monitoring Program «

Lake Water Quality Monitoring Program «

Observation Well Program «

Rain Gauge Program «

Lake Gauge Program «

Volunteer Stream Monitoring Program «

Zooplankton Monitoring «

Macrophyte (Aquatic Plant) Surveys «

Sediment
Surveys «

Infiltration Monitoring «

Accessing Data «

Water Monitoring Reports «

LAKE WATER QUALITY MONITORING PROGRAM

Lake water quality monitoring is conducted on many lakes in Washington County as a part of the Metropolitan Council's Citizen Assisted Lake Monitoring Program (CAMP). The Met Council also produces an annual Lakes Water Quality Summary. WCD staff monitors the water clarity, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and nutrients on a monthly or bi-monthly basis in each.

The data gathered is provided to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to determine if water resources are not meeting water quality standards and criteria. If these resources are not meeting these standards and criteria, they are classified as "impaired." Once an impairment is determined, a study known as a TMDL or Total Maximum Daily Load must be performed to determine the stressor or pollutant causing the impairment. Once the problem is identified, a plan is developed to determine how much less of the stressor(s) or pollutant(s) need to prevented from reaching the water resource to meet water quality standards and criteria. Download a map of impaired waters in Washington County.

Lake

Lake
Grade / Year

Watershed

Big Carnelian

A (2008)

Carnelian Marine-St. Croix

Big Marine

A (2008)

Carnelian Marine-St. Croix

Clear

A (2009)

Carnelian Marine-St. Croix

East Boot A (2009) Carnelian Marine-St. Croix

Lake Elmo

A (2009)

Valley Branch

Lake Jane

A (2009)

Valley Branch

Little Carnelian

A (2008)

Carnelian Marine-St. Croix

Olson

A (2009)

Valley Branch

Square

A (2008)

Carnelian Marine-St. Croix

Sylvan (Halfbreed)

A (2009)

Comfort Lake - Forest Lake

West Boot

A (2008)

Carnelian Marine-St. Croix

Bass

B (2008)

Carnelian Marine-St. Croix

Cloverdale

B (2009)

Valley Branch

DeMontreville B (2009) Valley Branch

Edith

B (2009)

Valley Branch

Forest

B (2009)

Comfort Lake - Forest Lake

Jellum's B (2009) Carnelian Marine-St. Croix
Lily B (2009) Middle St. Croix
McKusick B (2009) Middle St. Croix

Powers

B (2009)

South Washington

Sand B (2009) Carnelian Marine-St. Croix
Silver B (2009) Carnelian Marine-St. Croix

Bone

C (2009)

Comfort Lake - Forest Lake

Fish

C (2009)

Carnelian Marine-St. Croix

Long

C (2009)

Brown's Creek

Masterman

C (2009)

Brown's Creek

McDonald

C (2009)

Valley Branch

North & South Twin C (2009) Carnelian Marine-St. Croix

Turtle

C (2008)

Carnelian Marine-St. Croix

Wilmes

C (2009)

South Washington

Benz
D (2009) Brown's Creek

Carol

D (2008)

Carnelian Marine-St. Croix

Louise

D (2009)

Carnelian Marine-St. Croix

Colby

F (2008)

South Washington

Loon

F (2009)

Carnelian Marine-St. Croix

Markgrafs F (2009) South Washington


 


 


Links

Metropolitan Council's CAMP Program

www.metrocouncil.org/environment/
RiversLakes/Lakes/index.htm

Metropolitan Council's EIMS (Environmental Information Management System)

http://es.metc.state.mn.us/eims/

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

www.pca.state.mn.us/index.cfm

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's Environmental Data Access

www.pca.state.mn.us/data/eda/index.cfm

Environmental Protection Agency's STORET Environmental Database

www.epa.gov/STORET/