Water Quality Monitoring
Water Quality Definition
The federal Clean Water Act requires states to designate beneficial uses for all waters and develop water quality standards to protect each use. The MPCA has set standards in 4 areas:
- Beneficial uses – can people/animals/aquatic life use the water; is the water suitable for drinking, wildlife, navigation, aesthetic enjoyment, and industrial/agricultural uses
- Numeric standards – amount of specific chemicals and/or pollutants allowed in the water and still OK for use; what is acceptable (MN Rules chapter 7050 detail water quality standards); can encompass elemental (mercury for example) and biological (the presence of Eurasian milfoil, zebra mussels, starry stoneworts, curlyleaf pondweed, spiny water flea, and rusty crayfish as examples) analyses SEE ELEMENTAL ANALYSES sheet
- Narrative standards – statements of unacceptable conditions in and on the water such as floating debris, scums, oil films, or algae blooms
- Antidegradation protections – extra protection for high quality or unique waters (waters better than what is necessary to protect aquatic life and recreation) for future generations to enjoy; examples are waters of the BWCA, Voyageurs National Park, parts of Lake Superior, and the St. Croix River designated ORVW’s (outstanding resource value waters)
The EPA, through NARS (National Aquatic Resource Surveys), has also suggested water quality standards by measuring 4 areas:
- Secchi Depth – a measure of water clarity
- Total Phosphorous, TP – a nutrient which can trigger problematic algal blooms
- Total Nitrogen – same as TP
- Chlorophyll-a – a measure of algal population
Water Quality Monitoring – Recent Reports
- Lake Vermilion Water Levels Report
- Lake Vermilion Metal & Anion Analyses Report
- VLA Water Analyses Monitoring – Element Explanations
Water Quality References
- MN Pollution Control Library, a good reference for surface water data on Lake Vermilion as well as other MN lakes.
Protect our Water Quality with “Shoreland Best Management Practices”
If you live at the lake, you can make a significant impact — pro or con — on Lake Vermilion’s water quality. How we each manage the shoreland on our property affects the lake we share. Check out these Shoreland Best Management Practices Fact Sheets assembled by University of Minnesota Extension. They cover a wide range of topics, including landscaping, erosion, septic systems, water wells, construction, lawn & gardens, woodlots, and wetlands.
For More Information on Water Quality Monitoring or to Volunteer
For more information on our overall water quality monitoring program or to volunteer to assist in this ongoing effort, please contact activity coordinator Craig Beveroth.