Mustinka River Turbidity Total Maximum Daily Load Report

The subject of this TMDL report is the impairment of aquatic life because of excessive turbidity in two separate reaches of the Mustinka River in the Mustinka River Watershed of the Red River Basin of the North. The Mustinka River flows into Lake Traverse which is considered the Headwaters of the Red River of the North. The impaired reaches of the Mustinka River are both located entirely within Traverse County, Minnesota the first being a 4.7 mile reach (AUID 09020102-518) from the Grant/Traverse County line to Fiver Mile Creek (also known as Judicial Ditch 12), and the second being a 8.28 mile reach (AUID 09020102-503) running from an unnamed creek to Lake Traverse. The Mustinka River watershed encompasses approximately 825 square miles and is located in the Minnesota counties of Traverse, Ottertail, Stevens, Grant and Big Stone. The watershed lies within three ecoregions; the North Central hardwood Forests, the Red River Valley, and the Northern Glaciated Plains. The largest portion of the watershed lies within the Red River Valley eco-region and the two impaired reaches of the Mustinka River fall totally within the footprint of that eco-region.