Minnesota Water Resources Conference - Water Resources Center ...

Poster Session 4:45–5:45
BOOK OF ABSTRACTS
Tuesday, Monday, October 27 23
Reducing Uncertainty and Bounding Variability of Stream Ecosystem Indicators
Christine Dolph, University of Minnesota, dolph008@umn.edu; Bruce Vondracek, USGS, Minnesota Cooperative Research Unit,
University of Minnesota
Increasingly, biological indices such as the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) are used to help make policy and
management decisions regarding impaired waters. Minnesota Rules Chapter 7050, for example, requires that
the biological quality of any surface water body be assessed and compared to the biological integrity of reference
conditions. However, the degree and sources of variability associated with IBI values are not well understood.
This uncertainty leads to concerns about the confidence with which such values should be used to list a
water body as impaired. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (PCA) has assembled a dataset of fish and
macroinvertebrate information for approximately 1500 stream sites across the state, and has developed regional
IBIs for several major river basins. Here use information from the PCA database to examine the variability of
stream ecosystem indicators, and to develop improved methods for assessing and monitoring stream integrity.
The Mound Transit Station Parking Facility – Multifaceted Stormwater Management along Lake
Minnetoka
Troy Erickson, SRF Consulting Group, Inc., terickson@srfconsulting.com; Carlton Moore, City of Mound
As part of the Mound Harbor Renaissance Project, the City of Mound created additional parking with a ramp
to serve park-and-ride customers, office/restaurant space, adjacent redevelopment, a farmer’s market and
the future LRT corridor. Because of the project’s proximity to Lake Minnetonka and watershed regulatory
requirements, SRF developed innovative stormwater treatment methods to reduce the quantity and improve the
quality of runoff from the site. A study of available technology resulted in a site that is environmentally friendly,
economically feasible, and aesthetically pleasing, allowing the City to maximize a Minnehaha Creek Watershed
District grant. These methods include permeable pavers, an underground sand filter, and a rain garden as well
as a stormwater pond with a re-circulating pump and boulder stream that enhances the area’s aesthetics while
maintains water, clarity and reduces algae production. The presentation outlines the design and construction of
the treatment train of BMPs and expected system performance.
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s Environmental Data Access System
Jason Ewert, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, jason.ewert@state.mn.us; David Fawcett, Minnesota Pollution Control
Agency
Easily and readily accessible monitoring data helps Minnesotans play an active role in protecting and improving
their environment. Although the MPCA and other organizations collect large quantities of environmental data,
much of it has been difficult to access.
Citizens and environmental professionals now have access to surface water, ground water and air quality
data through the MPCA’s Environmental Data Access system. In addition to data collected by the MPCA, the
system also links to information collected by other organizations such as the Minnesota Department of Health,
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Geological Survey.
The Web-based EDA system allows users to find environmental data and information using text-based searches
or an interactive, GIS-based mapping tool.
Attendees will learn how to find and download environmental data using the EDA system.
Minnesota Water Resources Conference, October 27–28, 20078 38