ITASCA WATER LEGACY PROJECT
by Margaret A. Haapoja
With its “Team Up for Clean Waters 2009” slogan, the Itasca Water Legacy Project (IWLP) has been working for two years on a comprehensive water analysis and stewardship program in Itasca County. “Water is the most valuable resource worldwide, a golden goose that should be given the highest priority to conserve and maintain,” says David Lick, president of IWLP. “Itasca County is graced with ample amounts of it, and as population increases we should do whatever we can to sustain the quality of our water.”
The group’s mission statement is to explore and enact strategies to maintain and improve water quality in Itasca County, to protect watersheds and to highlight the importance of the area’s impressively clean water. The IWLP is a community coalition comprised of lakeshore owners, business people, State and County lakes and river experts, foundations, university faculty and citizens-at-large. Organized in 2006, IWLP has received guidance and support from the Blandin Foundation.
Local water quality advocates realize that the clean waters of Itasca County--950 lakes over 10 acres in size, 1850 miles of rivers including the Mississippi--are closely tied to the area’s economy. Developers have identified the Itasca County region as the area for the next major phase of lakeshore development in Minnesota, so the landscape and water quality will be under increasing pressure over the next few decades.
To date IWLP has raised nearly $1/2 million for water quality sampling and equipment and a test laboratory at ICC. The water quality on only about 150 of Itasca County’s lakes had been assessed prior to this project. The Minnesota DNR divides the state’s lakes into three classes: General Development, Recreational Development and Natural Environment. According to DNR Lakes Planner Erika Rivers, 179 of the county’s lakes have been designated as recreational development lakes, but only 31 of these have been assessed adequately enough to meet Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) standards.
IWLP combines scientific volunteers and citizens’ groups with a technical training program at ICC to collect ten sets of samples over two years from all 147 remaining lakes most likely to be developed. John A. Downing of Iowa State University and Jack Jones of University of Missouri, two well-known limnologists who have accomplished similar programs in their own states, are guiding the project.
Last summer was the first field season of a 2-year water quality assessment project funded by MPCA and Itasca County’s Environmental Trust Fund. Nine ICC students and several volunteers spent the summer of 2008 sampling and assessing water quality on 151 Recreational Development lakes in the county as part of the new partnership between IWLP and the college, and twelve ICC students are sampling lakes this summer. These lakes include all of those that may eventually be subject to recreational development and have not yet been monitored by the MPCA. The new water quality lab at the college was inspected and certified to carry out all the tests required in the monitoring program.
The MPCA has set 10 as the minimum number of samples required to assess the health of a lake. By the end of this year, each lake will be assessed ten times using MPCA-approved field methods for transparency, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, total phosphorus and nitrogen, alkalinity, suspended solids and several other important measurements. The 2008 data shows remarkable variety and quality in Itasca County’s lakes. Each lake was sampled an average of four times, and the clearest of these lakes were Ranier, Napoleon, Larson, South Sugar and Big Ole—all with an average water clarity greater than 18 feet.
Generally about ¾ of the lakes had average phosphorus concentrations which is very good because phosphorus is the most important pollutant degrading water quality. “Water color is often caused by brown bog stains that result from natural breakdown of plants found in wetlands and streams draining into lakes. This dark water limits light penetration and therefore decreases water clarity but should not be correlated with poor water quality,” explains Noel Griese, Lakes Specialist with the Itasca County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD.) Some of these data for individual lakes will be viewable at the following link: http://limnoweb.eeob.iastate.edu/itascalakes.
Mary Blickenderfer, Shoreland Educator with the University of Minnesota Extension, is conducting shoreland buffer research on four Itasca County lakes this summer—Turtle, Johnson, Mike and Horseshoe. ICC students and citizens assisted in a survey, marketing, buffer demonstration sites buffer research and a citizen lake assessment. Survey results will be used to determine what can be done to encourage shoreland best management practices on all county lakes. IWLP members are seeking funds for a 3-year program of water science education in the elementary schools countywide
Personal practices the IWLP is encouraging among lakeshore landowners are voluntary septic maintenance, shoreline buffers and proper setbacks. “Itasca County is working on minimizing septic impacts to lakes through increased setbacks, education on proper septic maintenance, and by providing low interest septic loans to help upgrade failing and noncompliant systems,” says Griese. “We’re always working closely with shoreland owners to help them understand the importance of vegetated shoreland buffers and the use of pervious materials and rain gardens to promote infiltration and reduce overland runoff to our lakes.”
A revolving loan fund managed by Itasca County Environmental Services is available for upgrades of failing individual septic treatment systems. This program was created for property owners who were on notice to upgrade their systems but were not able to obtain financing. For more information, contact Rita J. Quesnell at Itasca County Environmental Services 327-2857 or Noel Griese at Itasca County SWDC 326-0017.
“We are looking toward a future when our great waters are assessed locally using local skills and facilities and local decision makers have the quality water data needed to determine how best to conserve this important resource, a resource that can be an economic engine if protected and (as well I know from my Iowa experience) a huge liability if abused,” says Itasca County property owner and Professor John Downing, Iowa State University.“
“In the years ahead as population and the demand for water increases, the waters of Itasca County will become more valuable,” says Lick. “The southern part of the state is now paying large amounts of money to reclaim the water resource that once resembled our county’s waters. We as residents of Itasca County and the neighboring counties need to be steadfast in maintaining what we have so this area will always remain the ‘Land of Sky Blue Waters.’” If you would like to sponsor the Itasca Water Legacy Partnership (IWLP,) contact David Lick at 218-326-8518.
SOURCES:
David Lick, President
President of IWLP
1121 East US Hwy. 169
Grand Rapids, MN 55744
218-326-8518
davidl@itascareliableinsurance.com
Harold Dzuik
IWLP Board of Directors
Beha1@bigfork.net
Noel Griese, Lakes Specialist
Itasca County SWDC
Grand Rapids, MN
Noel.Griese@mn.nacdnet.net
Erika Rivers
Lakes Planner
DNR
Grand Rapids, MN
Erika.rivers@dnr.state.mn.us
Derek Fox, Instructor
ICC
Grand Rapids, MN
Derek.fox@itascacc.edu
Dr. Barbara McDonald, Dean of Students and Academics
ICC
Grand Rapids, MN
bmcdonald@itascacc.edu
Josh McGinnis, Lab Manager
ICC Water Quality Lab
Grand Rapids, Mn 55744
(218) 322-2304
Gmcginnis22@gmail.com
With its “Team Up for Clean Waters 2009” slogan, the Itasca Water Legacy Project (IWLP) has been working for two years on a comprehensive water analysis and stewardship program in Itasca County. “Water is the most valuable resource worldwide, a golden goose that should be given the highest priority to conserve and maintain,” says David Lick, president of IWLP. “Itasca County is graced with ample amounts of it, and as population increases we should do whatever we can to sustain the quality of our water.”
The group’s mission statement is to explore and enact strategies to maintain and improve water quality in Itasca County, to protect watersheds and to highlight the importance of the area’s impressively clean water. The IWLP is a community coalition comprised of lakeshore owners, business people, State and County lakes and river experts, foundations, university faculty and citizens-at-large. Organized in 2006, IWLP has received guidance and support from the Blandin Foundation.
Local water quality advocates realize that the clean waters of Itasca County--950 lakes over 10 acres in size, 1850 miles of rivers including the Mississippi--are closely tied to the area’s economy. Developers have identified the Itasca County region as the area for the next major phase of lakeshore development in Minnesota, so the landscape and water quality will be under increasing pressure over the next few decades.
To date IWLP has raised nearly $1/2 million for water quality sampling and equipment and a test laboratory at ICC. The water quality on only about 150 of Itasca County’s lakes had been assessed prior to this project. The Minnesota DNR divides the state’s lakes into three classes: General Development, Recreational Development and Natural Environment. According to DNR Lakes Planner Erika Rivers, 179 of the county’s lakes have been designated as recreational development lakes, but only 31 of these have been assessed adequately enough to meet Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) standards.
IWLP combines scientific volunteers and citizens’ groups with a technical training program at ICC to collect ten sets of samples over two years from all 147 remaining lakes most likely to be developed. John A. Downing of Iowa State University and Jack Jones of University of Missouri, two well-known limnologists who have accomplished similar programs in their own states, are guiding the project.
Last summer was the first field season of a 2-year water quality assessment project funded by MPCA and Itasca County’s Environmental Trust Fund. Nine ICC students and several volunteers spent the summer of 2008 sampling and assessing water quality on 151 Recreational Development lakes in the county as part of the new partnership between IWLP and the college, and twelve ICC students are sampling lakes this summer. These lakes include all of those that may eventually be subject to recreational development and have not yet been monitored by the MPCA. The new water quality lab at the college was inspected and certified to carry out all the tests required in the monitoring program.The MPCA has set 10 as the minimum number of samples required to assess the health of a lake. By the end of this year, each lake will be assessed ten times using MPCA-approved field methods for transparency, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, total phosphorus and nitrogen, alkalinity, suspended solids and several other important measurements. The 2008 data shows remarkable variety and quality in Itasca County’s lakes. Each lake was sampled an average of four times, and the clearest of these lakes were Ranier, Napoleon, Larson, South Sugar and Big Ole—all with an average water clarity greater than 18 feet.
Generally about ¾ of the lakes had average phosphorus concentrations which is very good because phosphorus is the most important pollutant degrading water quality. “Water color is often caused by brown bog stains that result from natural breakdown of plants found in wetlands and streams draining into lakes. This dark water limits light penetration and therefore decreases water clarity but should not be correlated with poor water quality,” explains Noel Griese, Lakes Specialist with the Itasca County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD.) Some of these data for individual lakes will be viewable at the following link: http://limnoweb.eeob.iastate.edu/itascalakes.
Mary Blickenderfer, Shoreland Educator with the University of Minnesota Extension, is conducting shoreland buffer research on four Itasca County lakes this summer—Turtle, Johnson, Mike and Horseshoe. ICC students and citizens assisted in a survey, marketing, buffer demonstration sites buffer research and a citizen lake assessment. Survey results will be used to determine what can be done to encourage shoreland best management practices on all county lakes. IWLP members are seeking funds for a 3-year program of water science education in the elementary schools countywide
Personal practices the IWLP is encouraging among lakeshore landowners are voluntary septic maintenance, shoreline buffers and proper setbacks. “Itasca County is working on minimizing septic impacts to lakes through increased setbacks, education on proper septic maintenance, and by providing low interest septic loans to help upgrade failing and noncompliant systems,” says Griese. “We’re always working closely with shoreland owners to help them understand the importance of vegetated shoreland buffers and the use of pervious materials and rain gardens to promote infiltration and reduce overland runoff to our lakes.”
A revolving loan fund managed by Itasca County Environmental Services is available for upgrades of failing individual septic treatment systems. This program was created for property owners who were on notice to upgrade their systems but were not able to obtain financing. For more information, contact Rita J. Quesnell at Itasca County Environmental Services 327-2857 or Noel Griese at Itasca County SWDC 326-0017.“We are looking toward a future when our great waters are assessed locally using local skills and facilities and local decision makers have the quality water data needed to determine how best to conserve this important resource, a resource that can be an economic engine if protected and (as well I know from my Iowa experience) a huge liability if abused,” says Itasca County property owner and Professor John Downing, Iowa State University.“
“In the years ahead as population and the demand for water increases, the waters of Itasca County will become more valuable,” says Lick. “The southern part of the state is now paying large amounts of money to reclaim the water resource that once resembled our county’s waters. We as residents of Itasca County and the neighboring counties need to be steadfast in maintaining what we have so this area will always remain the ‘Land of Sky Blue Waters.’” If you would like to sponsor the Itasca Water Legacy Partnership (IWLP,) contact David Lick at 218-326-8518.SOURCES:
David Lick, President
President of IWLP
1121 East US Hwy. 169
Grand Rapids, MN 55744
218-326-8518
davidl@itascareliableinsurance.com
Harold Dzuik
IWLP Board of Directors
Beha1@bigfork.net
Noel Griese, Lakes Specialist
Itasca County SWDC
Grand Rapids, MN
Noel.Griese@mn.nacdnet.net
Erika Rivers
Lakes Planner
DNR
Grand Rapids, MN
Erika.rivers@dnr.state.mn.us
Derek Fox, Instructor
ICC
Grand Rapids, MN
Derek.fox@itascacc.edu
Dr. Barbara McDonald, Dean of Students and Academics
ICC
Grand Rapids, MN
bmcdonald@itascacc.edu
Josh McGinnis, Lab Manager
ICC Water Quality Lab
Grand Rapids, Mn 55744
(218) 322-2304
Gmcginnis22@gmail.com
posted by Katie Carter at
11:15 AM
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