Team Update - Water & Wetlands - August 2023

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) intends to reissue National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System and State Disposal System permits to the City of Minneapolis and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board municipal separate storm sewer system. The team is wondering how this affects Lake Hiawatha and other sites.

The White Earth Band of Ojibwe is implementing pollution and conservation approaches to protect their water and wild rice resources. Their proactive approaches include a moratorium on the development of large livestock and dairy operations within reservation boundaries and a review and permitting process for high-capacity well projects that would pump more than 10,000 gallons per day.

The MPCA is extending its review period for a sulfate site-specific framework until Monday, Sept. 4. This framework will clarify the protection of wild rice resources in the following ways:

  • Defining protection of wild rice beneficial use.
  • Establishing expectations for site-specific applications.
  • Identifying consistent data collection and informational needs for site-specific sulfate standard applications.

The team sent a letter to the DNR regarding the Elko New Market water bottling plant in July. We are concerned about the effects of water extraction on the Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer and the people who rely on it for their drinking water.