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MPCA

GroundwaterMonitoring

and

Assessment

Glenn Skuta

Water

Monitoring

Manager

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MPCA Groundwater Roles

Monitor groundwater quality in non-

agricultural parts of the state

Determine groundwater-surface water

interactions

Evaluate groundwater protection BMPs

Groundwater contamination remediationprograms

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MPCA Groundwater

Monitoring

Developing a robust groundwater quality

monitoring network

Report on contaminants of emergingconcern (CEC) in groundwater unparalleled

nationally

Participant in national groundwatermonitoring network pilot

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MPCAS Ambient GW Network

205 wells

80 wells left to install

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CEC Study Report Available

http://www.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/view-document.html?gid=17244

http://www.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/view-document.html?gid=17244http://www.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/view-document.html?gid=17244http://www.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/view-document.html?gid=17244http://www.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/view-document.html?gid=17244http://www.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/view-document.html?gid=17244

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Contaminants of Emerging

Concern

Chemicals not

commonly

monitored inthe environment

or regulated

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About 100 Emerging

Contaminants

Antibiotics

Pharmaceuticals

Fire Retardants Insect Repellent (DEET)

Detergent Metabolites

Personal Care Products Hormones

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40 Wells Sampled for CECs

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CEC Report Summary

Low frequency and low levels of detection, eventhough wells more likely to be contaminatedwere targeted for this study.

Emerging contaminants were present in 13 of the

40 wells monitored. Endocrine Active Compounds were detected in 3

of the 40 wells.

GW affected by landfill leachate had the largest

number of detections and highest totalconcentrations, but still well below risk levels.

Further monitoring will refine this assessment.

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Additional Reports Coming Soon

Update to CEC report coming this

summer using triple the amount of wells

Overall ambient groundwater networkreport coming this spring

Significant finding on chloride

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Chloride-- Sand and Gravel

Aquifers

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Chloride Trends

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Groundwater-Surface water

Interaction Studies

Investigations have linked increases in ground

water extraction (municipal uses and irrigation)

to stream flow reductions and lowered lake levels

MPCA was the primary cooperative funder of theUSGS study of altered groundwater flow affecting

the level of White Bear Lake

Identified reduced contribution of groundwaterto surface water as a stressor in the Little Rock

Creek TMDL study

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0

300

600

900

1200

1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010

Pumping for Wells

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Additional Groundwater-Surface

Water Hydrology Research

Refining groundwater recharge estimates with

USGSproject will be complete in 2014

Synthetic hydrograph (streamflow estimation)

project with USGS

Enhancing precipitation network - automated

rain gages to be installed at stream gaging

stations

cooperative effort with National

Weather Service and DNR