SPIRIT LAKES IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION: Spirit Lakes Phosphorus Study

The Spirit Lakes are on the impaired water list for phosphorus. The Spirit Lakes Improvement Association will conduct work to determine the water and phosphorus budgets for the Spirit Lakes to ultimately determine if an alum treatment is feasible. This project (Phase I) includes the following goals: 1)Properly quantify the water and phosphorus budgets of North and South Spirit lakes and evaluate the influence of groundwater as a contributor of phosphorus to the lakes. Work activities include: 1) Stream gauging; 2) Collect water samples for phosphorus analysis; 3) sampling groundwater at springs for phosphorus; 4) Groundwater modeling; 5)Data evaluation; 6) Land use inventory review; 7) Lake management planning. Phase II (future grant) will evaluate the feasibility of managing lake phosphorus levels (including alum treatment) and revise the lake management plan. Project deliverables include: 1) A final report summarizing the work above; 2) A final lake management plan.

Activities

• Water Quality Modeling
• Monitor Water Quality or Sediment
• Project Deliverable
• Hydrologic Budget Development
• Data analysis, report production
• Nutrient Budget Development
• Lakes Planning Grant
• Lake Management Plan Development