The Littlefork River is the focus of a watershed monitoring and assessment report recently released by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

Conditions in the Littlefork watershed were found to be better than expected, according to the MPCA.

“What we’re seeing is a remarkable resiliency in all aspects — physically, chemically and biologically,” said Nolan Baratono, MPCA staff stationed in International Falls.

The concern about the river involves sediment and its impact on the fisheries and macroinvertebrate communities in the river.

The results of the chemical data show that the aquatic system has not yet collapsed, “and if we can reduce the sediment load, we may be able to keep that from happening,” said Baratono.

Sediment is basically floating dirt which remains suspended in the water for a period. In places where the velocity of the water slows, the sediment can drop and cover spawning beds and rocks, having a detrimental impact on the creatures living in the river.

MPCA Project Manager Joel Peterson is expected to establish a local advisory committee, which will review the report and determine what issues need to be addressed, said Baratono.

Funded by the Clean Water Fund, derived from the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, the MPCA conducts and oversees a variety of surface-water-monitoring activities that support its mission of helping Minnesotans protect the environment.

To be successful in preventing and addressing problems, good information is needed about the status of Minnesota’s waters, potential and actual threats, options for addressing the threats, and data on how effective management actions have been, according to the MPCA. The MPCA’s monitoring efforts are focused on providing that critical information.

The Littlefork watershed was among three reports released in late October. These three reports are the first of about 80 that will be produced during the next decade for all of Minnesota’s major watersheds.

In 2006, the MPCA published “Effects of Historical Logging on Geomorphology, Hydrology, and Water Quality in the Littlefork River Watershed.” In 2008, the MPCA began an intensive watershed monitoring 10-year cycle effort of the Littlefork River watershed’s surface waters.

According to the recently released report, the Littlefork River watershed is 1,179,520 acres, the main stem flowing 160 miles through north central St. Louis County and heading northwest into Koochiching County. It flows more northerly until it reaches its confluence with the Rainy River about 11 miles west of International Falls. There are no large cities in this remote watershed. Cook’s population is 667 and Littlefork, 874.

Four river segments have been identified as impaired for biological integrity. Stressor identification is ongoing on these segments. A Total Maximum Daily Load process will be forthcoming. TMDL is a regulatory term in the U.S. Clean Water Act describing a value of the maximum amount of a pollutant that a body of water can receive while still meeting water quality standards

The TMDL process will determine how to bring the waters into compliance with the CWA, said Baratono.

“We have a lot of data on the Littlefork, and it’s almost done, but we need all the data in place before the TMDL starts so the committee can look at it,” he said.

The MPCA is in the process of developing a watershed model and stressor ID report, which will help the committee understand the risk of impairment in places that are not now considered impaired.

The report can be viewed online at http://www.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/water/water-types-and-programs/watersheds/little-fork-river.html.