The state list of impaired waters grew in the latest report and that highlights the need to keep attention and resources focused on the problem.

Forty percent of state waters are impaired or are not fishable or swimmable.

Federal law requires the state to measure water quality in all its watersheds and then come up with a plan to improve them or face federal EPA sanctions. The latest report, out Wednesday, added several Mankato area waters to the list.

The Blue Earth River below the Rapidan Dam was shown to have excessive levels of phosphorous. Minneopa Creek between Lake Crystal and Mankato was shown to have excessive levels of E. coli. Phosphorous comes mostly from fertilizers that are applied to crop land as well as in-city lawns. E. coli can stem from septic systems that are failing as well as livestock manure runoff.

So it’s clear, farmers and city dwellers and other landowners have a role and responsibility to play in improving the waters. The good news is: we know the causes and we can do something about it.

The problem is growing even though we’ve actually been attacking it for more than a decade. The last report of testing showed an additional 318 lakes, streams and parts of rivers were added to the impaired list. That brings the total in Minnesota to about 4,600 impaired waters — not a good percentage in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

But progress is being made. We’re actually about two-thirds of the way through a 10-year process to evaluate all watersheds and their water quality. In the Mankato area, the Le Sueur River watershed plan has been put in place and landowners are working with soil and water conservation officials and the PCA to come up with solutions like conservation land practices and erosion control strategies.

And officials point out that the state has recently released its buffer strip maps, showing what waterways will be subject to the new buffer strip law. While critics say that law doesn’t go far enough, it’s a good start to improving water quality.

Without our constant attention to water quality and the federal requirements that call on us to measure and improve water quality, the list of impaired waters would likely be worse. It’s important to keep attention on this issue.

Clean water shouldn’t be a political issue, but without attention our improvement efforts might fall by the wayside.

 

— Mankato Free Press, July 14