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Stream Monitoring

In 1973, Metropolitan Council Environmental Services (MCES) began monitoring the water quality of the Mississippi, Minnesota, and St. Croix Rivers in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area (TCMA). This River Monitoring Program has been very successful and led to the inception of the Stream Monitoring Program, which began in 1988. Additional sites were added in 1995, and the network expanded again in 1998. Currently, there are twenty-eight automated stream monitoring stations located around the TCMA and six stations in the Mankato MN area.

Why the Metropolitan Council?

The MCES Stream Monitoring Program was initiated in the late 1980’s. It was recognized at that time that point source pollution controls alone would be insufficient to attain the water quality goals of the Federal Clean Water Act, as amended through 1987, in the lower Minnesota River. To monitor the volume and water quality of major tributaries flowing to the lower Minnesota River in the TCMA, the first automonitoring sites were established in 1988 and 1989 on six tributaries and at one mainstem location. Since then, the stream monitoring program has grown for several reasons. First, the collection of surface water quality information is relevant to the Metropolitan Council's regional planning and modeling efforts. Second, there was an opportunity to stimulate water quality monitoring efforts at a local level to promote local resource stewardship and decision making. Lastly, the Metropolitan Council is mandated by state law (MN Statute 473.157) to establish target pollutant loads for each TCMA watershed. These data are critical for understanding non-point source pollutant impacts on water quality at the watershed level, and for documenting water quality improvements as non-point source best management practices are implemented in these watersheds. All of these objectives are important components of the Council's mission.

Quality Assurance Program Plan - PDF

The stream monitoring Quality Assurance Program Plan provides a detailed description of the MCES Stream Monitoring Program, purpose, procedures, methods and quality assurance objectives.

Station Locations

There are twenty-eight long-term automated stream monitoring stations in the TCMA, and six stations in southwestern Minnesota located near Mankato. These stations monitor portions of the Minnesota, St. Croix and Mississippi River Basins.

Equipment

Equipment layout of a typical MCES automated stream monitoring station.

Water Quality Variables Analyzed

Description of the water quality variables analyzed.

Results and Reports

The very latest stream monitoring reports available for download. Links to projects with partnership involvement can also be found here.

Volunteer Stream Monitoring Partnership (VSMP)

Glossary

Helpful definitions for words located through the Rivers, Streams and Lakes web page.

Contacts

MCES contact list for each monitoring location.