What were things like in 2002?
The following idicator summary is from the 2002 Minnesota Milestones and does not neccessarily reflect the current data trends.Indicator : Water quality in lakes and rivers
Rationale: The suitability of Minnesota's lakes, rivers and streams for swimming and aquatic life is a good indicator of water quality.
About this indicator: Of the sampling of lakes and rivers that are monitored, more lake acres became unswimmable, fewer river miles supported aquatic life, but more river miles became suitable for swimming between 1994 and 2000. Defining a body of water as swimmable is based largely on the presence of fecal coliform and E-coli bacteria, while suitability for aquatic life is based on the presence of toxins (such as ammonia, chlorine and heavy metals), water clarity and the availability of oxygen in the water.
The percentage of monitored lake acres suitable for swimming slipped from 79 percent in 1994 to 64 percent in 2000. The percentage of monitored river miles supporting aquatic life dropped from 73 percent to 65 percent during the same six years. However, the percentage of monitored river miles suitable for swimming rose from a low of 39 percent in 1994 to 62 percent in 2000.
Things to think about: The 1972 federal Water Pollution Control Act set a goal of ensuring that U.S. waters are "swimmable" and "fishable." Minnesota has made progress in controlling end-of-pipe discharges from wastewater treatment plants and industrial plants. However, the challenges posed by sources of pollution such as water runoff from cities and agricultural areas are increasing.
Technical notes: In 2000, the most recent year for which data is available, the figures are based on monitoring 53 percent of lake acres and 1.12 percent of river miles for their swimmability, and not quite five percent of river miles for their ability to support aquatic life. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency reports its findings on about one-third of Minnesota's 10 watersheds every two years.
Sources:Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, www.pca.state.mn.us
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, www.epa.gov
Related 2002 Milestones indicator:
- Growth in gross state product
- Energy efficiency of the economy
- Net gain in businesses
- Freeway congestion
- Energy use per person
- Renewable energy sources
- Vehicle miles
- Air pollutants
- Water use
- Timber harvest
- Solid waste and recycling
- Toxic chemicals
- Urban air pollution
- Erosion of cropland
- Wildlife habitat
- Changes in land use
- Parkland and open space
Other related indicators:
- Amount of groundwater and surface water used, by type of use (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Division of Waters, water appropriation permits, www.dnr.state.mn.us/waters)
- Levels of atrazine, a common agricultural pesticide, in ground water in southwest Minnesota and the central sand plain (Minnesota Department of Agriculture, www.mda.state.mn.us).
- Water quality in three watershed basins: Minnesota River, Lake Superior, Red River of the North (Minnesota Pollution Control Agency: www.pca.state.mn.us).
Local data:
Milestones is a product of the Minnesota State Demographic Center, a division of the Department of Administration