Lake Assessment Program - Elbow Lake, St Louis County

Since the summer of 1985, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has received numerous citizen complaints concerning to the water quality of Elbow Creek (Snowden Creek) and Elbow Lake. As a result of this concern, there have been a lengthy series of meetings and interactions between local citizens (Elbow Lake Restoration Committee), Clinton Township, the City of Eveleth and the MPCA. Due to the lack of recent lake water quality information, it was proposed that the lake group work with MPCA staff in a cooperative program called the Lake Assessment Program (LAP) to obtain lake water quality data. The LAP program was designed to assist local lake management groups in the collection of baseline lake water quality data for the purpose of assessing the current trophic status of their lake. The general work plan for LAP includes cooperative lake sampling by MPCA and the lake association; participation in the Citizen Lake-Monitoring Program (CLMP); examination of land use and drainage patterns in the watershed; and an assessment of the data collected. The City of Eveleth's wastewater treatment facility (WWTF) empties into Snowden Creek. Additionally, the City has a history of bypassing from its collection and treatment system. As a result, this report has included extensive data pertaining to the City's WWTF and its bypasses in order to more accurately estimate its impacts to the downstream receiving waters.