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Home > Lakes Streams and Monitoring > Lakes Streams and Monitoring
Lakes, Streams, and Monitoring
Stearns County is fortunate to have numerous lakes and miles of streams. The Stearns County SWCD is dedicated to work with residents to protect these valuable resources that we all enjoy. By conducting water quality monitoring, installing shoreline erosion best management practices, and hosting educational workshops, we are on our way to improving water quality.
Impaired Waters
Stearns County has a number of water resources that have been listed by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) as impaired, which means that the water resource does not meet its designated use. The majority of the water resources in the County have not been monitored to MPCA standards to determine whether impairments exist. The goal is to determine the water quality status of the highest priority water resources in the County, protect those water resources that currently support their designated uses, and where needed, improve those that do not.
The Stearns County SWCD works to accomplish the goals set forth in the Stearns County Water Plan 2008-2017. Those goals include:
- Annually review the sampling data and determine continuing monitoring needs.
- Coordinate and implement monitoring and analysis.
- Provide assistance to County landowners implementing agricultural Best Management Practices on working lands to reduce soil erosion, protect stream banks and improve water resources.
- Inform landowners about proper land application of nutrients and pesticides.
- Develop/support workshops for volunteer monitors.
- Establish and maintain vegetative buffers in the shore and bluff impact zones.