Water Resources

The Commission conducts lake and stream monitoring programs to track water quality and quantity conditions.  The Commission began monitoring Elm Creek and its tributaries in 1975 and the lakes within the watershed in 1980. The Commission conducts chemical physical and biological monitoring of the streams and physical and chemical monitoring of lakes.  The Commission may periodically participate in special studies if a need is identified or in larger projects such as a diagnostic-feasibility study of a lake, as funding allows.

Both grab samples and storm runoff samples are collected and analyzed for various parameters.  Analyses of the streamflow and water quality monitoring data for Elm Creek and its tributaries are summarized below.  Real time data from the monitoring station in Champlin may be viewed on the Internet at:

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/mn/nwis/uv/?site_no=05287890&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060.