Restoring the South Metro Mississippi River [Minnesota Pollution Control Agency]

Water clear enough to grow aquatic vegetation that benefits fish and wildlife is the goal of a water quality standard proposed for the Mississippi River in the south metropolitan area of the Twin Cities. Scientists from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) developed the standard after extensive research and with input from a range of interested parties. The standard is specific to the Mississippi River, from Fort Snelling at St. Paul to upper Lake Pepin at Red Wing. The proposed standard is part of a study of the south metro Mississippi and Lake Pepin portion of the river, called a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). This study measures the level of pollutants in water, identifies their sources, and recommends how to reduce the pollutant levels so the water can meet state water quality standards.