2005 Targeted Watersheds Grants:
Vermillion River
Minnesota
WHY IS THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
The Vermillion River is located near the urban area of Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Minnesota. At 335
square miles, the rural and suburban watershed is the largest in the seven-county metropolitan
area. It is experiencing typical problems posed by growth and development including an increasing
volume of runoff, yet it remains a world-class trout stream. According to Trout Unlimited, the
Vermillion River is the only remaining world-class trout stream in a major metropolitan area in the
United States.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
The Vermillion River faces the same problems as most urban rivers: increased turbidity, thermal
loading, and high fecal coliform concentrations. The EPA Targeted Watersheds Grant will address:
• Increased flow volume resulting from more impervious surfaces, agricultural drainage, and
greater point source discharges.
• Increased thermal loading, as a result of point sources discharges and increasing amounts of
impervious surface.
RESTORATION ACTIVITIES
The Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Organization (VRWJPO) will use the Targeted Watersheds
Grant funds to address the flow volume and thermal loading issues in the watershed. They will
accomplish this by:
• Identifying critical tradable watershed functions and
creating a common currency and regulatory framework in
which to implement the trading system.
• Establishing infiltration and shading requirements to
preserve the cold water in-flows to the Vermillion River to
protect the trout fishery
• Setting uniform regulatory standards and criteria to support
market trading, including recommending changes to
ordinances, rules and zoning to incorporate ecological
functions.
• Augmenting the existing water quality monitoring network
throughout the watershed to gauge improvements,
Scientists routinely gather data and conduct research on establish a baseline, and evaluate the effects of this
the Vermillion River and its tributaries. The grant will project On future Watershed functions.
enhance the already-extensive monitoring network to
help identify the critical functions of the watershed that
exist in different locations.
EPA840-F-07-001L
www.epa.gov/twg
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A STRONG PARTNERSHIP FOR CHANGE
The Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers
Organization brings together government, academia,
and non-profit organizations to help improve
Midwestern trout streams. Partners include:
• Applied Ecological Services
• University of Minnesota, Department of Applied
Economics
• University of Minnesota, Department of Civil
Engineering
• Dakota and Scott Counties
• Soil and Water Conservation Districts
• Cities and Townships of the Vermillion River
Watershed
• Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
• Metropolitan Council
EPA's Targeted Watersheds
Grants
EPA's Targeted Watersheds Grants program is
a competitive grant program designed to
encourage collaborative, community-driven
approaches to meet clean water goals.
Fast-paced growth increases surface water
runoff and the risk of water resource
contamination. It also decreases the amount of
water infiltrating into the ground, thereby
reducing groundwater recharge.
For More Information Contact:
JohnJaschke
Dakota County Water Resources
Manager
john.jaschke@co.dakota. state, mn. us
(952)891-7011
www.co.dakota.mn.us/vermillionjpo
Funding: $675,000
The Vermillion River's temperature is near
the upper limit of the thermal regime
required to sustain the existing healthy
trout population.
2005 Targeted Watersheds Grants - Vermillion River
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