Crystal, Keller, and Lee Lakes Nutrient Impairment Total Maximum Daily Load Report and Earley Lake Water Quality Assessment

The federal Clean Water Act requires states to adopt water quality standards to protect waters from pollution. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has developed water quality standards, and these standards are outlined in Minnesota Rules, Chapter 7050 (Standards for the Protection of Waters of the State). When water bodies fail to meet the standards established by the MPCA, they become listed on the 303(d) Impaired Waters List, requiring the completion of a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) study that establishes the pollutant reduction goal needed to restore waters. The MPCA's projected schedule for TMDL report completions, as indicated on Minnesota's 2008 303(d) Impaired Waters List, implicitly reflects Minnesota's priority ranking of this TMDL. The TMDL for Crystal and Lee Lakes was scheduled to begin in 2006 and be completed in 2011. The TMDL for Keller Lake was scheduled to begin in 2004 and be completed in 2008. And the TMDL for Earley Lake was scheduled to begin in 2007 and be completed in 2011.