Schmidt, Pomerleau and Bass Lakes Nutrient TMDL Five Year Review

This report is a review of progress toward meeting the load reductions identified in the Schmidt, Pomerleau and Bass Lakes Nutrient TMDL (Wenck 2009a). It includes an assessment of recent data and information that have been collected on these lakes as well as actions that have been implemented to reduce nutrient loads since the TMDL was completed in 2009. Finally, this report describes the actions planned for the next 5 years of the implementation plan and sets forth how progress toward the TMDL will be measured. Three basins in the Bass Chain of Lakes – Pomerleau, Schmidt, and Bass – were formally designated Impaired Waters for excess nutrients in 2002. A TMDL and Implementation Plan were approved in 2009. The TMDL determined that phosphorus load reductions of 67% (Pomerleau), 9% (Schmidt), and 34% (Bass) would be necessary to ensure the lakes met or exceeded state water quality standards for nutrients. The Implementation Plan (Wenck 2009b) identified priority actions and strategies for the first five years of implementation. Some of these were discrete actions or projects, and for the most part those have been completed or are in planning. Other actions such as implementing internal load reduction projects have not yet been completed.