Agency Pollution Control Agency

Contractor Pine County SWCD

SWIFT Contract Number B12174

Project Name Water Quality Assessment of Lakes and Streams in P

Project Number (if applicable) CR1648

Summarize purpose of the contract, including why it was necessary: Seven lakes and nine streams will be monitored. Grindstone, Miller, Big Pine, Pine, Upper Pine, Bass Lake and Lake Eleven will be monitored for total phosphorus, chlorophyll a, and Secchi disk transparency for two years. Twelve samples will be taken over two years. Three streams entering and one stream leaving Grindstone Lake will be monitored. Pine and Strawberry Creeks on Pine Lake, Judicial Ditch #1, Spring Creek and Pine River will also be monitored. The streams will be monitored for total phosphorus, total suspended solids, total kjeldahl nitrogen, nitrite plus nitrate, chloride, E. coli, and transparency tube. The lakes will be monitored to get a complete data set for Aquatic Recreation. The stream data collected will form a complete data set to check for to see if they should be put on the Impaired Waters List. Grindstone Lake is considered an Outstanding Resource Value Water by MPCA. After the 1993 MPCA LAP Study was conducted, more water quality was supposed to be conducted. No additional water quality monitoring has been done except for the NRRI’s RUSS Study. County Ditch #1 or Windmill Creek, that drains into Grindstone Lake, has been a source of controversy for over ten years. Monitoring the other major tributaries coming into the lake will show how the ditch contributes to the lake compared to the other tributaries. Big Pine and Pine Lakes had an MPCA LAP Study completed in 1996. In 2000, all the septic systems were inspected within the shoreland area. Following the inspections, all systems were brought into compliance. In 1995, a trout farm west of Pine Lake ceased operation. Monitoring the lakes now would show if these actions have improved the lakes. Some of these lakes have little or no information on them. This monitoring will give good data on the condition of the lakes. Monitoring the major streams going into Grindstone and Pine will show us the conditions of the streams and if they are contributing nutrients and sediment to the lakes they enter. Some reaches of the Grindstone River are on the Impaired Waters List. Most of the streams have little or no information on them.

Project Duration

Start Date Fri, 03/14/2008 - 00:00

Original end date Wed, 06/30/2010 - 00:00

Actual end date Thu, 06/30/2011 - 00:00

Did project finish on time? No

Total billable hours utilized (if applicable) {Empty}

Contract Amounts

Original contract: $40156.70

Amendments $3424.00

Contract total $43580.70

Did project finish within budget? Yes

What was the funding source? 100 E710 WY2

Is this a sole source contract? No

If this was a single source contract, explain why the agency determined there was only a single source for the services (if applicable) {Empty}

Evaluator Name Pam Anderson

Evaluator Email Address pam.anderson@state.mn.us

Evaluate the contractor's timeliness Good

Evaluate the contractor's quality Good

Evaluate the contractor's cost Good

Evaluate the contractor's overall performance Good - I would recommend strong project management for any future grant awards to this organization. The grantee struggled with volunteer oversight and holding time requirements in the first year of the grant. Substantial improvement was made during subsequent years, with more proactive communication, closer adherance to the holding times, and more contact with the volunteers. The grantee would benefit from more frequent communication via phone and site visits to have a more successful grant.

Would you engage the contractor's services again? Yes

Describe any negative action taken during the duration of this contract (i.e., termination, pursuit of suspension, etc.): {Empty}

Please rate the overall experience with the contractor 3 - neutral