Agenda - Council Work Session - 02/23/2021

Home

Limited groundwater monitoring data is available within the watershed. The MPCA also implements a groundwater quality monitoring program; the program focuses on quaternary aquifers located throughout the state, including those used by private and municipal wells within the LRRWMO. Groundwater quality monitoring locations within the LRRWMO are presented in Figure 2-10. Groundwater quality monitoring information and data is available online from the MPCA at: tt+ s:// c .st:t n s/ .ter/•r t*r® `trinl The MDNR also coordinates an observation well network and collects static groundwater -level data to assess groundwater resources, determine long term trends, interpret impacts of pumping and climate, plan for water conservation, and evaluate water conflicts. The observation well network includes one well located within the LRRWMO (see Figure 2-10). More information is available from the MDNR at: tt.:// r.st t-® n. / - /•r. Long-term data for analyzing groundwater quality trends in the LRRWMO is limited. MDH tests water quality of several municipal drinking supply wells in Anoka County, but often only after treatment. Water quality testing for residential wells is available through Anoka County. Few studies have been completed, including the 1993 report "Effects of agricultural and residential land use on ground -water quality, Anoka Sand Plain Aquifer, east -central Minnesota" (USGS, 1993). Groundwater quality and data is available online from the MPCA at: tt, : . . .. . . . r . .t r- itori Groundwater contamination has also been confirmed at landfill sites (e.g. the Anoka -Ramsey Landfill in Ramsey and the Waste Disposal Engineering Landfill in Andover) (Anoka County, 2020). Other potential sources of groundwater contamination in the watershed include: commercial and industrial waste disposal, landfills, leaking petroleum tanks, unsealed wells, non -compliant subsurface sewage treatment systems (SSTS), fertilizer/pesticide applications, animal waste, and road salt application (see also Section 2.10). Emerging contaminants include pharmaceuticals, industrial effluents, personal care products, fire retardants, and other items that are washed down drains and not able to be processed by municipal wastewater treatment plants or septic systems. The LRRWMO is located upstream of the confluence of the Rum River and the Mississippi River. The Mississippi River forms much of the south and west boundary of the LRRWMO and is a major regional resource serving power generation, recreation, navigation, and ecological functions. Additionally, the Rum River is a significant regional resource serving recreational and ecological functions. Development within the cities of Andover, Anoka, and Ramsey has resulted in alterations to the natural hydrologic system. To facilitate development, natural drainages have been diverted or piped, wetlands had been drained or filled, and stormwater infrastructure was constructed. Still, many natural hydrologic features remain in the watershed. 2-20