Water Quality - Stream Monitoring

The Pioneer-Sarah Creek watershed includes two streams that discharge into the Crow River -- Pioneer Creek and Sarah Creek.  Sarah Creek drains the northern portion of the watershed and receives outflow from Lake Sarah.  The creek discharges into the Crow River south of Rockford, MN along the northern boundary of Lake Rebecca Park Reserve.  Pioneer Creek drains the southern portion of the watershed and discharges into the Crow River approximately midway between Watertown and Delano, MN.  Pioneer Creek receives outflow from Lake Independence and Whaletail Lake.

The Watershed Commission established baseline flow and water quality data for the two creeks through a monitoring program implemented from 2000 to 2004.  The monitoring program was implemented to measure the quantity of water and pollutants discharged to the Crow River from the watershed.  The monitoring program was completed prior to the adoption of the Commission’s Second Generation Plan.

The Commission is now proposing to initiate a monitoring program to measure flow and pollutant discharge to the Crow River following implementation of the provisions of the second generation plan.  In addition, the monitoring program will allow the Commission to track pollutant loading reductions to the Crow River resulting from the Lake Independence and Lake Sarah TMDL projects.