View, contribute to the river clean-up plan! — South Metro Mississippi River Clean-up Plan open house, comment period

The Metro Mississippi River is essential to the high quality of life in the Twin Cities area and beyond. It serves as a drinking water source, transportation corridor and critical habitat for fish, birds and other wildlife. Unfortunately, from its confluence with the Minnesota River in St. Paul to Red Wing, the river currently fails to meet basic water quality standards. The water is so turbid (full of muddy sediment) that the rivers plant and animal life suffers. This sediment is also filling in Lake Pepin — a large natural lake on the Mississippi River near the Red Wing / Lake City area, as the Star Tribune recently reported.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has released a clean-up plan (or Total Maximum Daily Load, TMDL) to address this problem. On May 4th, Open House attendees will learn more about this plan and what it means for Minnesota, and have the opportunity to contribute their thoughts and feedback on achieving a clean and healthy Mississippi River.

This is the first step toward restoring the Mississippi River for generations to come — an opportunity Minnesotans cant afford to lose.

What you can do

• Learn more about the South Metro Mississippi Turbidity TMDL
  The Minnesota Pollution Control Agencys website on the TMDL is a great place to start. For a quick but solid overview, download the MPCAs four-page PDF Fact Sheet.
• Attend the open house
  FMR, along with our partners at the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) will be hosting an open house where you can learn more about this project and provide input:

  Mississippi River TMDL Clean Up Plan Open House
  Wednesday, May 4th, 2011, 3:30pm – 7:30pm
  
  Merriam Park Library
  1831 Marshall Avenue
  St. Paul, MN 55104

• Let your voice be heard!
  Comments on the proposed draft TMDL can be submitted by mail or e-mail. While a deadline is yet to be set, we expect the comment period to conclude in May 2011. Comments should be sent to:

  Norman Senjem
  Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
  18 Wood Lake Drive
  Rochester, MN 55904
  norman.senjem@state.mn.us

Contact FMRs Watershed Program Director Trevor Russell at (651) 222-2193 x18 or via our contact form to learn more about FMRs role in the south metro turbidity standard and how you can further be involved.