Stream Water Quality Monitoring Programs
A number of federal, state, regional and local governmental agencies monitors the quality of Minnesotaís streams and rivers including the USGS, PCA, DNR, the Metropolitan Council Environmental Services (MCES), and certain local units of government. In addition, a number of citizen groups engages in monitoring activities. Each agency designs its monitoring program to meet its specific needs.
Federal Programs. The Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) currently operates two nationwide stream water-quality monitoring networks, the Hydrologic Benchmark Network and the National Stream Accounting Network (NASQAN). Samples from stations in each program are sampled approximately four or five times during the year and analyzed for the parameters listed in Appendix C. A 20-year record of data exists for most sites. The USGS stores all water-quality data in their WATSTORE database available via STORET, the U.S. EPAís large water-quality database. Requests for small amounts of data from STORET (total costs under $25) may be obtained by contacting the EPA Region 5 Freedom of Information Officer. Data can also be obtained online or from the PCA. There are no fees for this service, except for unusually large data retrievals, and the wait time for most data requests is approximately two weeks. (Contacts for data requests are listed in Appendix B.)
The nationwide Hydrologic Benchmark Network Program provides information on baseline water quality conditions. The network consists of a set of stations located in small, pristine drainage basins. Because point source pollution is not a problem in these areas, this program has been especially useful in describing the effects of non-point atmospheric deposition of pollutants on streams. Only one Hydrologic Benchmark Network station is located in Minnesota on the Kawishiwi River near Ely. Another station, located on the North Fork of the Whitewater River, closed in 1993.
The National Stream Accounting Network (NASQAN) was e