Dodge County Waters : Programs and Trends. What is the quality of the ground water and surface water in Dodge County ? Is the quality improving or worsening?

Dodge County Waters :

Programs and Trends

What is the quality of the ground water and

surface water in Dodge County ?

Is the quality improving or worsening?

Water monitoring efforts over the last 12 years

have provided some answers and raised

additional questions, as well. Changing

environmental conditions, and high public

interest, provide the impetus to continue to

gather and learn from accurate water quality

data.All activities & projects contained in this presentation are

in support of directives set forth in the Dodge County Comprehensive Water Management Plan.

Ground Water

The Dodge County Comprehensive Water Management Plan

clearly states that groundwater protection takes priority over surface water protection.

In Dodge County,

Ground Water is #1 !!!!

DODGE COUNTY WATER ISSUES

GROUND GROUND WATERWATER Nitrate

Bacteria

Lead

Arsenic

Pesticides

SURFACE SURFACE WATERWATER Nitrate

Sediment

Bacteria

Stream Flow

Phosphorous

M5 11 AM5 15 A

DODGE COUNTYUNDERLYING BEDROCK LAYERS

PRAIRIE DU CHIENAQUIFER

To better understand ground

water, it’s important to visualize the rock

layers, most of which serve as drinking water

aquifers, which exist under Dodge

County, moving from deepest to shallowest.

M5 11 AM5 15 A


ST.PETER AQUIFER

M5 11 AM5 15 A


DECORAH SHALECONFINING LAYER

M5 11 AM5 15 A


GALENAAQUIFER

M5 11 AM5 15 A


MAQUOKETA-DUBUQUEAQUIFER

M5 11 AM5 15 A


SPILLVILLEAQUIFER

M5 11 AM5 15 A


CEDAR VALLEYAQUIFER

RIPLEY

MILTON

VERNON

WASIOJA

ASHLAND

HAYFIELD

CONCORD

CANISTEO

ELLINGTON

WESTFIELD

CLAREMONT MANTORVILLE

Let’s cut through the rock layers and expose them from a side view.

Ellington

Concord

Milton

WEST EAST

900

1000

1100

1200

900

1000

1100

1200

13001300

SOIL, SAND & GRAVEL

GALENA LIMESTONE

DECORAH SHALE

ST. PETER SANDSTONE

PRAIRIE DU CHIEN DOLOMITE/SANDSTONE

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 Miles

Generalized Geographic Formations Underlying

Ellington, Concord and Milton Townships

Subsurface Geologic Cross-Section

ElevationAbove SeaLevel (ft)

In general, the thicker soils in the western portion of the county provide

more protection from surface contaminants reaching the rock layers.




900

1000

1100

1200

900

1000

1100

1200

13001300

SOIL, SAND & GRAVEL

GALENA LIMESTONE

DECORAH SHALE

ST. PETER SANDSTONE

PRAIRIE DU CHIEN DOLOMITE/SANDSTONE

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 Miles


Milton

Concord

Ellington

WEST EAST

~60% of all wells

~15% of all wells

~ 10% of all wells

Shallow Well, < 50 Ft. to Bedrock

Deep river valleys in the eastern portion of the county can erode the protective shale layer, exposing the layers below to contamination.

900

1000

1100

1200

1300

900

1000

1100

1200

1300

Claremont

Wasioja

Mantorville

EAST

SOIL, SAND & GRAVEL

GALENA LIMESTONE

DECORAH SHALE

ST. PETER SANDSTONE PRAIRIE DU CHIEN

DOLOMITE/SANDSTONE

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 Miles




WEST


GALENA LIMESTONE

DECORAH SHALEST. PETER SANDSTONE

PDC

SOIL, SAND & GRAVEL





900

1000

1100

1200

1300

900

1000

1100

1200

1300

WEST Ripley Ashland

Canisteo

EAST

GALENA LIMESTONE

DECORAH SHALEST. PETER SANDSTONE

PDC


WEST Westfield

Hayfield

Vernon

EAST

CEDAR VALLEY-MAQUOKETA LIMESTONE

900

1000

1100

1200

1300

900

1000

1100

1200

1300

SOIL, SAND & GRAVEL




0 1 2 3 4 5 6 Miles

Nitrogen

Fertilizer

Applied Run Off toSurface Water

Nitrate Utilized by Plant in Root

Zone

Nitrate Moves into Field

Tile,

Then to Surface Water

Nitrate Attaches to Water, Then Moves to Ground

Water

Nitrate’s Pathway to Surface and Ground Water

NITRATE CONTAMINATION

Sources: Barnyard or feedlot run-off, excessive fertilizer, septic systems.

Drinking water standard is 10 mg/L. Levels beyond cause health risks to expectant mothers and infants.

Projected County-wide (Private Wells): - 132 households over standard. - 330 households susceptible.

Nitrate Level in Well Samples 1995-2011 (2138 Samples)

79%

7%

14%0 - 1 mg/L

1 - 10 mg/L

10 + mg/L

BACTERIA CONTAMINATION Presence of coliform bacteria in well

water indicates surface contaminants and disease organisms may be present.

E.Coli is a more serious disease-causing type of coliform bacteria.

Disease symptoms commonly include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and fever.

Projected County-wide (Private Wells): - 550 households contaminated.

Bacteria in Well Samples 1995 - 2011 (2536 Tests)

E. Coli Present - 2%

Coliform Present

24% Coliform Not Present

74%

High nitrate wells occur most frequently in the Highly

Sensitive Groundwater Area, where depth-to-bedrock is less

than 50 ft, or where underground

sand lenses exist.

AQUIFER - NITRATE SUMMARY FORWELLS TESTED 1996 - 2011

NITRATELEVEL

AQUIFER 0-1 mg/l 1-10 mg/l 10+ mg/l

GALENA LIMESTONE

75 % 17 % 8 %

ST. PETER 89 % 11 % 0 %PRAIRIE du CHIEN

JORDAN 100 % 0 % 0 %

Nitrate levels > 1 mg/l in the St. Peter Sandstone are a reason for concern.

RIPLEY

MILTON

VERNON

WASIOJA

ASHLAND

HAYFIELD

CONCORD

CANISTEO

ELLINGTON

WESTFIELD

CLAREMONT MANTORVILLE

Areas of

Dodge County

where the St.

Peter

Sandstone is

shallow and

vulnerable to

surface

contamination

.

Dodge County Volunteer Nitrate Monitoring Network

• A grant-funded network operating across SE MN since 2007.

• Approximately 100 private well owners participate in Dodge County, sampling their wells every 6 months.

• The Dodge County network is sub-divided into one baseline, and three targeted, groups. The targeted groups are:

1) Wells monitoring areas near known high-nitrate wells.

2) Wells monitoring areas near existing sinkholes.

3) Wells monitoring the regionalong the Decorah Edge.

Ground Water Projects:

St. Peter Sandstone

Glenwood Shale

Platteville Limestone

Decorah Shale

Galena Limesto

neGround water with high nitrate conc.

Ground waters with lower

nitrate conc.

Plant Uptake

Aquifers are Recharged

Decorah Edge Diagram

Water

Well

Nitrates may enter

well water

Wells near the Decorah Edge can sometimes be

affected by nitrate as it wicks around the

shale and is drawn back toward the

well.

Volunteer Nitrate Monitoring Network Results

Nit

rate

Level

(mg

/l)

MN Dept. of Health

Drinking Water Limit

= 10 mg/l0 – 1 mg/l is considered

back-ground level

The recent upward trend

in nitrate level may be due ,

in part, to recent near-

drought conditions,

which tend to concentrate

nitrate in the drinking water

aquifers.

Future Ground Water Efforts: Continue to locate and map new wells

and those with known depth.

Make inexpensive well test kits

available for untested wells at risk of

high nitrate levels.

Maintain recent groundwater

information on the Dodge County

website.

Continue to develop nitrate trends

through the Volunteer Nitrate Monitoring

Network.

Surface Water

- Deal with pollution prevention

and corrective measures.

- Focus on: - Nutrients

- Sediment

- Stream

Flow

Middle Fo

rk Zumbro

River

Milliken Creek Ha

rkcom

Creek

S.Br.Middle Fork Zumbro River

Lower

Branch

Mid-Fk Zu

mbro

Salem Creek

South Fork Zumbro River

Cedar River

Masten Cree

k

N

EW

S

2010 Dodge County

Impaired Waters

Cities

Protected Waters

Impaired Waters

TRANSPARENCY TUBE

THE PRIMARY TOOL

USED IN THE

VOLUNTEER CITIZEN

STREAM MONITORING

PROGRAM

60 cm Tube(Used for the last 15 yrs)

100 cm Tube (Used Now)

Monitoring Year

Tu

be T

ran

sp

are

ncy (

cm

) &

An

nu

al

Rain

fall (

in)

Tube Transparency & Rainfall Trends

5000 Samples !!!

Gathering Stream Macroinvertebrates (BUGS!)

Trendline

Sample of the Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) results generated by examining and sorting the macroinvertebrates (bugs)

gathered from each stream site. Upward trend lines indicate an improving stream environment for living organisms.

Salem Creek

South Fork Zumbro

Cedar River

Dodge Cente

r Cre

ek

South Branch Middle Fork Zumbro

Masten Creek

Milliken Creek

Har

kcom

Cre

ek

Middle Fork ZumbroNorth Fork Zumbro

Cedar RiverGrade: B-

41

0

10

20

30

40

50

60Average Tube Reading (cm) - 2000-2006 & 2007-2011

2007-2011

Sub-Watershed

Report Cards*

* Based on transparency tube readings, insect populations, and

other factors.

•Factors include sub-watershed size,

land use, historical data, and soil characteristics.

Salem Creek

South Fork Zumbro

Cedar River

Dodge Cente

r Cre

ek


Masten Creek

Milliken CreekH

arkc

om C

reek


South Fork Zumbro

Grade: C-

45

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Average Tube Reading (cm) - 2000-2006 & 2007-2011

2000-2006 2007-2011

Trendline

%U%U

%U

%U

%U

%U

%U

%U%U

%U %U

%U

%U%U%U%U

%U

%U

%U %U %U

%U

%U

%U

%U%U

%U

%U

%U

%U%U

%U

%U

%U

%U

%U%U

%U %U

%U

%U%U%U%U

%U

%U

%U %U %U

%U

%U

%U

%U

Ced a

r R ive r

South Fork Zumbro River

Salem Creek

Lower BranchMiddle Fork Zumbro

Milliken Creek

Cedar River

Middle Fork Zumbro River

Har

kcom

Cre

ek

S.Br.Middle Fork Zumbro River

Masten

Creek

North Fork ZumbroTrendline

4851

0

10

20

30

40

50

60


2000-2006 2007-2011

Salem CreekGrade: B+

Salem Creek

South Fork Zumbro

Cedar River

Dodge Cente

r Cre

ek


Masten Creek

Milliken CreekH

arkc

om C

reek


Dodge Center Creek

Grade: B

4446

0

10

20

30

40

50

60


2000-2006 2007-2011

Salem Creek

South Fork Zumbro

Cedar River

Dodge Cente

r Cre

ek


Masten Creek

Milliken Creek

Har

kcom

Cre

ek


Trendline

4750

0

10

20

30

40

50

60


2000-2006 2007-2011

Masten CreekGrade: B+

Salem Creek

South Fork Zumbro

Cedar River

Dodge Cente

r Cre

ek


Masten Creek

Milliken CreekH

arkc

om C

reek


South Branch Middle Fork

ZumbroGrade: C-

3236

0

10

20

30

40

50

60


2000-2006 2007-2011

Salem Creek

South Fork Zumbro

Cedar River

Dodge Cente

r Cre

ek


Masten Creek

Milliken Creek

Har

kcom

Cre

ek


Milliken Creek

Grade: C+

46 48

0

10

20

30

40

50

60


2000-2006 2007-2011

Salem Creek

South Fork Zumbro

Cedar River

Dodge Cente

r Cre

ek


Masten Creek

Milliken Creek

Har

kcom

Cre

ek


Harkcom Creek

Grade: D+

49

0

10

20

30

40

50

60


2000-2006 2007-2011

Salem Creek

South Fork Zumbro

Cedar River

Dodge Cente

r Cre

ek


Masten Creek

Milliken Creek

Har

kcom

Cre

ek


Middle Fork Zumbro

Grade: A-

4448

0

10

20

30

40

50

60


2000-2006 2007-2011

Trendline

CONTINUOUS

STREAM MONITORING

STATION

Located on the South

Branch Middle Fork

Zumbro near Olmsted

County, this station

continuously monitors:

•Air Temperature

•Rainfall

•Water Temperature

•Water Depth

•Turbidity

Sampling sensors are an essential part of the monitoring station.

Ongoing & Future Surface Water Programs &

Projects:

Before

After

Dodge County 50-Foot Stream Buffer Program

Buffers provide a deterrent to the movement of soil and nutrients into the stream.

Increasing Row Crop Production Increases the Importance of Adequate

Stream Buffers to Protect Water Quality

In Dodge County, 276 failing or inadequate

septic systems have been repaired or replaced in the

last 5 years.

Both the septic Both the septic and feedlot and feedlot programs provide programs provide pollution pollution prevention prevention benefits to both benefits to both surface water and surface water and ground water.ground water.

13 problematic feedlots have been fixed in the last

3 years.

Date

Nit

rate

Level

(mg

/l)

Field tile drainage is diverted through the woodchips, where a high percentage of nitrate is removed.

Using Saturated Buffers for Nitrate Removal

Field tile water runs through a perforated tile parallel to

the buffered ditch or stream, allowing limited drainage

through the buffer, which reduces nitrate levels.

Edge-of-Field Monitoring Stations

Water samples are gathered and analyzed, providing accurate

information to producers on nutrients that leave their fields during snow-melt and runoff events.

Discovery Farms SiteMN Dept. of Ag. Grant Site

SLOW THE FLOW ! SLOW THE FLOW ! Reducing flood potential Reducing flood potential and sediment transfer by and sediment transfer by reducing the quantity and reducing the quantity and

speed at which rainfall speed at which rainfall reaches the stream. reaches the stream.

100 years ago, 10% of rainfall ran off to rivers and streams

due to extensive prairies, woodlands, wetlands.

We’ve now lost 95% of prairies, 90% of wetlands.

Prior to 1942 – one major flood – since then, 11 major floods.

Development of paved surfaces, more lawns, ag. drainage, etc. – all contributed to 41% flow increase between 1910 – 1980.

Stream bank erosion may account for 30+% of stream sediment.

Mantorville – South Branch Middle Fork Zumbro - September 2010

Mantorville - South Branch Middle Fork Zumbro - June 2004

Mantorville - South Branch Middle Fork Zumbro - June 2001

2007 photo – Bridge near Byron Sportsmen’s Club

2011 photo – Bridge near Byron Sportsmen’s Club

Soil loss from 2010 flood event

Urban: Rural:

Rain Gardens

Stormwater Holding Ponds

Rain Barrels

Pervious Paving

Lawn Management

Wetland Restoration

Conservation Drainage

Water & Soil Retention Structures

Perennial Vegetation

What Can We

Do ?

Future Surface Water Efforts

Continue to promote the Stream

Transparency Monitoring & Stream

Macroinvertebrate Programs.

Work with partners and cooperating

agencies to develop new projects and

programs which serve to reduce nutrients,

sediment, and stream flow.

Expand the number of instrument-

equipped sampling stations on Dodge

County streams.

Maintain recent surface water

information on the Dodge County website.

Be Good to Your Streams !

…. and Your Wells, as Well !

Documents

Dodge County Waters : Programs and Trends. What is the quality of the ground water and surface water in Dodge County ? Is the quality improving or worsening?