Addressing Lakes in Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies

The purpose of this document is to provide process guidance and structure for lakes in the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Watershed Approach. Whereas the technical framework has been developed for streams in fair detail, the framework for lakes has not. This document aims to develop an approach for integrating lakes into major watershed projects. As such, this document serves as a supplement to the 2007 lake protocol document (MPCA, 2007). The guidance document was completed in consultation with the other state agencies that are collaborating in the Water Quality Framework. Knowledgeable watershed experts, project managers, local resource leaders and master contractors should find the information helpful. The document is structured into four major sections: a general discussion about the watershed approach and a discussion of lakes within that approach, a technical discussion to define the various data requirements and lake modeling approaches, brief comments on usefulness in implementation plan and Best Management Practices (BMP) development, and finally, two very extensive appendices that provide more detail on lake data and modeling and a list of tools to benefit BMP implementation.