VLAWMO Annual Financial Report 2018 (2)

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WATER MONITORING HIGHLIGHTS Gem Lake: Gem Lake's chemistry has improved, coinciding with a 2014 Highway 61 swale reconstruction. The improved swale may be capturing nutrients and sediment that drained into the lake from a large parking lot. After 10 years on the State Impaired List and continued monitoring, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) officially de -listed Gem Lake in 2018. This success story demonstrates that lake improvements are possible! Gilfillan Lake: One of VLAWMO's lakes on the State Impaired List, Gilfillan data show a nutrient increase over 5 years. An augmentation system was installed in 2012 to raise the water level, and also provided dilution that improved the water quality. Gilfillan and its subwatershed is now maintaining its water level on its own, as no augmentation has occurred since the installation. Goose Lake (East & West): Goose Lake has had high nutrient levels since VLAWMO began monitoring in 1997 (East) and 2006 (West). A 2015 bullhead removal (pictured right) made minor impacts to lake health, serving to reduce internal loading, which is one of several factors contributing to the lake's impairment. A 2017 fish survey indicated that the bullhead population is under control. Wood Lake/Oak Knoll Pond is a neighborhood pond that feeds into Goose Lake, is the focus of a spent lime treatment study in 2019. Follow the study and connect to public engagement meetings at vlawmo.org. Wilkinson Lake: Wilkinson's phosphorus levels are above State standards but its Chlorophyll A level is below. Studies have detected high nutrient levels draining into Wilkinson from both North and South inlets. Because Wilkinson functions more like a wetland than a lake, it continually cycles nutrients through the water column. Its water quality may be especially sensitive to inputs from the surrounding watershed (sediment, agricultural runoff, grass clippings, etc). After 3 seasons of additional source monitoring, VLAWMO will use this data in a project identification and feasibility study. Visit vlawmo.org/waterbodies/lake-wilkinson for the full report. Reducing upland nutrient and sediment loads in the future are likely to promote the health of Wilkinson and downstream Deep Lake. Tamarack Lake: A floating island wetland was installed at Tamarack in 2015 to reduce lake nutrient levels. Lake data indicates that the island was undersized, which helps inform future experimental treatments. Tamarack is currently on the State Impaired List. Chloride Levels: VLAWMO has been sampling chloride for 9 years with no significant changes detected. Birch Lake and East Goose have the highest chloride content and appear to be showing upward trends over the last few years. This is likely due to their close proximity to major roads. All of the lakes are below the current State standard of 230 mg/L, with Black Lake having the lowest chloride level. Find the complete 2018 Monitoring Report and a summary at VLAWMO.org/resources/reports C10 150 J -J J QJ 0 E 100 0 150111 0 Average Total Phosphorus (TP) in VLAWMO Lakes 2013-2018 i �ra�e, (,o�,e Fa�a`� ( �eh .,a 1illli11h Min i dill 0``r aCa�h af'2,C* Ja ,4„,e 44e5� ■ 2013 IN 2014 ■ 2015 ■ 2016 ■ 2017 ■ 2018 State Standard: < 60 p/L 19