Buffalo River Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy Report

The Buffalo River Watershed (BRW) is located in northwestern Minnesota and covers approximately 1,100 square miles within Clay, Becker, Wilkin, and Otter Tail counties. It is located in the Red River of the North Basin (i.e., Red River Basin) and spans three ecoregions: the Lake Agassiz Plain, the North Central Hardwood Forests, and the Northern Lakes and Forests. Land use within the BRW is predominantly agricultural, occurring in the west and central portions; the eastern portion of the watershed is mostly forested. Municipalities located within the BRW include Glyndon, Hawley, Lake Park, Audubon, Callaway, Georgetown, and Barnesville. In general, water quality conditions in the BRW are poor and reflect the intensely cultivated land uses, altered watercourses, altered hydrology, intensive drainage, and a consistent lack of riparian cover (buffers) found around many of the lakes and streams in the watershed. Total suspended solids (TSS) and turbidity are elevated in most tributaries and main-stem river reaches. The sources of sediment and turbidity, in addition to the naturally occurring fine silts and clays, are overland runoff, field erosion, wind erosion, and stream bank scouring from hydrologic modifications in the watershed. Elevated bacteria levels were found in nearly all of the monitored streams. Aquatic use impairments were found in all areas except the Upper Buffalo River Subwatershed.