Pioneer-Sarah Creek Subwatershed Total Maximum Daily Load

This Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) study addresses 10 impairments in the Pioneer-Sarah Creek Subwatershed of the North Fork Crow River (Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) 07010204) and South Fork Crow River Watersheds (HUC 07010205), located in the Upper Mississippi River Basin. These include nutrient impairments in Lake Ardmore, Peter Lake, Spurzem Lake, Half Moon Lake, North Whaletail Lake, and South Whaletail Lake, and Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria impairments in Sarah Creek, Pioneer Creek, Unnamed Creek, and Deer Creek. All impaired water bodies addressed in this study, with the exception of Unnamed Creek, lie within the jurisdictional boundaries of the Pioneer-Sarah Creek Watershed Management Commission (PSCWMC). The area within the jurisdictional boundaries of the PSCWMC is about 45,000 acres and is located in western Hennepin County, Minnesota. The PSCWMC was formed in 1984 through a joint powers agreement among six municipalities (Greenfield, Independence, Loretto, Maple Plain, Medina, and Minnetrista), whose primary purpose is to protect and improve surface water quality and aquatic habitat. The goal of this TMDL study is to quantify the pollutant reductions needed to meet state water quality standards for nutrients in lakes and E. coli for the four impaired stream reaches. This TMDL was established in accordance with Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act and provides wasteload allocations (WLAs) for point sources (permitted sources), load allocations (LAs) for nonpoint sources (non-permitted sources), natural background assessment, and a margin of safety (MOS) aimed to restore aquatic recreation designated uses for the water bodies included.