Monitoring

Dakota County and Scott Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) sample water at multiple sites, maintain data, and upload information to statewide databases from the Vermillion River Monitoring Network. Annual reports document the river’s condition and trends.

SWCD staff collect water samples to monitor levels nitrate, nitrite, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, total phosphorus, dissolved phosphorus, total suspended solids (TSS), volatile suspended solids, pH, E. coli, transparency, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and conductivity. Routine monitoring takes place throughout the year, primarily between April and November. Staff also monitor during runoff events, such as snowmelt or heavy rains.

Real-time stage and flow data is available from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

Continuous temperature monitoring is conducted at the seven stream gaging stations the SWCD and DNR operate, as well as at the Metropolitan Council’s Watershed Outlet Monitoring Program (WOMP) station in Hastings.

Results from the VRWJPO’s Biomonitoring Plan provide both baseline data and an ongoing assessment of the watershed’s health through fish and macroinvertebrate sampling and habitat monitoring at 14 locations throughout the watershed.