Wastewater Facilities, Phosphorus and the Minnesota River

Wendy Turri Municipal Wastewater Manager Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Background
Historically we have seen low dissolved oxygen in the lower 22 miles of the MN River during low flow. 1988 - low flow conditions, fish kill at Lake Pepin. 1992 MN River listed as an impaired water for low dissolved oxygen during low flow conditions. 2004 EPA approves MN River Low dissolved oxygen TMDL.

Algae in MN River

River sink to the bottom of the channel, in navigational channel Algae depth increases from ~ 3 ft to 10 ft receive limited/no sunlight, Flow velocity in navigational channel decreases die off Bacteria use oxygen to consume decaying algae

TMDL Study Results

River needs a 5 mg/L Dissolved Oxygen at low flow. We need to reduce phosphorus amounts during low flows. The phosphorus sources during low flow are:
Stormwater 16.3% 14.4% Agriculture 0.2%Other & natural

4.0% Wastewater Facilities

(39 facilities are 91 % of this)

65.1%

Direct discharges (noncompliant ISTS)

Reducing Phosphorus from Wastewater Facilities Issued a Wastewater Permit that required/allowed:
1. 39 largest Wastewater Facilities to reduce by 51 % in 10 years. 2. Trading -Trading is a reallocation of phosphorus from one wastewater plants to
another. -Each trade retires a % of Phosphorus (existing 10 % and new 20 %).

3. Plan for reduction at Smaller Wastewater Facilities. 4. Plan for addressing Unsewered Communities.

Wastewater Permit Results

7 new wastewater facilities in MN Basin, all by trading
phosphorus credits. Average of 19 trades per year. ALL of the 13 unsewered are addressed. All smaller wastewater facilities are doing: -Phosphorus monitoring and Phosphorus Management Plans
-4 have upgraded and have capped phosphorus amounts

39 large wastewater facilities are meeting their phosphorus reduction goals.

River Results
1980
August 12-17

2006
August 31 September 12

2012
August 3 - 24

Mean Flow (cfs) @

Jordan on lowest DO day

741

1,010

1220

Mean Temp C
on lowest DO day

23.4

22.4

27.8

DO (mg/L)
lowest daily mean

4.2

5.3

5.1

TP (ug/L)
Range observed at most downstream station

140 200

145 202

85 110

Chl-a (ug/L)
Range observed at most downstream station

44 98

38.7 81.5

26.1 50.2

Conclusions
No violations of the 5 mg/L oxygen standard. Much lower phosphorus. Wastewater improvements have translated to significant improvements in the water quality. Able to maintain oxygen standard at lower flows than in the past.

Questions?