Section 319
              NDNPDINT SOURCE PROGRAM SOGGESS STORY
 Phosphorus Reductions Achieved in Sauk River Chain of Lakes
Waterbody Improved
                            The Sauk River Chain of Lakes is an interconnected system of
                            14 bay-like lakes fed by the Sauk River in Central Minnesota.
The Sauk River Chain of Lakes is impaired by phosphorus and total suspended solids due to
row cropping and livestock operations, as well as discharges from on-site septic systems.
Agricultural best management practices (BMPs) and upgrades to septic systems and munici-
pal wastewater treatment facilities throughout the Sauk River Chain of Lakes watershed
have reduced total phosphorus  concentrations to 176 fjg/L—nearly achieving the regional
goal of 100-150/^g/L—representing a 48  percent decrease in total  phosphorus loading.


Problem
Much of the watershed is intensely farmed
with row crops and livestock operations as
the main components of the economy. Over
the past 25 years, the area has experienced
continued growth as a popular recreation area.
The transformation of homes around the lakes
from smaller, seasonable cabins to larger,
year-round residences has prompted concern
over the impact on-site septic systems have on
area water quality. In 2002 the state added the
Sauk River Chain of Lakes to the 303(d) list for
impairments from phosphorus.
 Project Highlights
 The Sauk River Chain of Lakes Watershed
 Management Project was initiated in 1997 to
 maintain and improve water quality by reduc-
 ing the impacts of nonpoint source pollution.
 To reduce erosion and phosphorus runoff from
 agricultural areas, the project partners installed
 and improved 50  agricultural waste storage
 facilities, generated more than 40 Manure
 Management Plans, installed feedlot filter
 strips and retention basins, and enrolled more
 than 5,000 acres  into the U.S. Department of
 Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA)
 Conservation Reserve Program. Vegetative
 buffer strips were planted and shoreline areas
 were restored to prevent erosion along riparian
                                            Vegetative
                                            filter strips,
                                         installed along
                                        shorelines (lower
                                          picture), help
                                         reduce nutrient
                                         transport to the
                                               lakes.

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areas. To address failing septic systems, proj-
ect partners conducted an extensive outreach
and education program to raise awareness
about proper septic system maintenance. Low-
interest loans from the State Revolving Fund
were used to upgrade septic systems for 32
lakeshore residents and 2 resorts.

In addition to efforts to reduce phosphorus
from nonpoint sources, in the early 1990s
the Sauk  River watershed was the first
major watershed in the state to implement a
watershed-wide phosphorus discharge limit of
1.0 mg/L for wastewater treatment facilities.
Implementation of this standard contributed
substantially to improvements in the Sauk
River and allowed water quality improvements
from projects made possible by the 319
program to become more evident.
Results
Total phosphorus concentrations have been
reduced in the Sauk River Chain of Lakes from
300 to 1,200 jug/L in 1985 to 176 ji/g/L in 2002
and 2003, representing a 48 percent decrease
in total phosphorus loading. A total maximum
daily load has not yet been  developed, but
progress is  being made toward the ecore-
gion average goal of 100-150 fig/L for total
phosphorus. This progress  has been made in
spite of two decades of wet weather that has
increased average annual flows by 30 percent,
a factor that generally impedes measurement
of improvements in water quality.

Partners and Funding
The Sauk River Watershed District (SRWD)
was the official project sponsor and coor-
dinating agency for the project. The SRWD
worked with the USDA Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS), Stearns
                                               Waste storage facilities at livestock operations help
                                               reduce nutrient runoff to the lakes. Project partners
                                               installed and improved 50 storage facilities.
                                               County Soil and Water Conservation District,
                                               Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA),
                                               Minnesota Board of Soil and Water Resources,
                                               Minnesota Department of Natural Resources,
                                               U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Stearns County
                                               Environmental Services, Sauk River Chain of
                                               Lakes Association, Joint Powers Association,
                                               Pheasants Forever Inc., Farm Service Agency,
                                               Sauk River Chain  of Lakes Citizen Steering
                                               Committee (with  representatives from the
                                               agricultural community, lakeshore property
                                               owners, and township board members), and
                                               local landowners.

                                               Project costs since 1999 are estimated at
                                               $3.1 million. Section 319 provided $750,000 in
                                               funding to assist  farmers with the installation
                                               of agricultural BMPs and the septic system
                                               maintenance education program. Other
                                               funding sources included $201,748 from the
                                               USDA NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives
                                               Program, $258,206 from the Minnesota
                                               state cost-share program, $465,221  from
                                               MPCA Clean Water Partnership funds, and
                                               $1.4 million in loans from the Clean Water Act
                                               State Revolving Fund.
'.    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
 \   Office of Water
 a   Washington, DC

     EPA841-F-05-004L
     August 2005
                                               For additional information contact:
                                               Julie Klocker
                                               Sauk River Watershed District
                                               320-352-6455 • julie@srwdmn.org
                                               Dennis Fuchs
                                               Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District
                                               320-251-7800 (ext. 3) • dennis.fuchs@mn.nacdnet.net
                                               Jeff Hrubes
                                               Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
                                               218-828-2227 • jeff.hrubes@state.mn.us

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