Little Rock Creek Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Study

Little Rock Creek, from the headwaters to the Mississippi River, was listed on Minnesota's 303(d) List of Impaired Waters in 2002 for biological impairment. The stream was listed based on fish samples collected in 1999 by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). Portions of Little Rock Creek have had a self-sustaining population of Brown Trout since 1907. DNR fisheries surveys noted that a decline of trout populations in the early 1990's.

Newsletter (Winter/Spring 2008 Edition)

Newsletter (Fall 2009 Edition)

2008 was the third year of the Little Rock Creek TMDL study. The Benton SWCD completed the Little Rock Creek Biological Stressor Identification Report, September 2009, based on available data and Technical Committee and stakeholder input. This report describes impairments, identifies candidate causes of impairment, evaluates relationships of these with the biological community, and identifies the most likely stressors using elimination and strength of evidence analysis. Based on the stressor identification analysis, TMDLs will be developed for the identified pollutants.

New partnerships have been established as a result of this project, including staff involvement from all associated State Agencies (MN Department of Agriculture, MN Department of Health, MN DNR, Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR), MPCA), Federal Agencies (NRCS, US Fish and Wildlife Service), and private companies (Natural Resource Research Institute). Continued support and contributions of the agency staff will be essential for the project's long-term success in Phase III and beyond.

Little Rock Creek Stressor Identification Report