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<br /> <br />As part of the assessment, the subwatershed was broken into smaller management units based on how <br />water flows through the system and the unique landscape conditions and land uses present in each unit. <br />Below is a summary of the primary drivers of poor water quality for each management unit, with the <br />corresponding numbers shown in Figure 2: <br />1. Degraded wetlands, stream erosion, and agricultural runoff are the primary watershed sources of <br />phosphorus to School Lake and Wolsfeld Lake in Medina <br />2. Agricultural runoff and degraded <br />wetlands in Medina contribute <br />phosphorus to Holy Name Lake <br />and Long Lake <br />3. Urban runoff in downtown Long <br />Lake/Orono delivers the largest <br />phosphorus load to Long Lake <br />4. Degraded wetlands and golf <br />course runoff in Orono contribute <br />excess phosphorus to Long Lake <br />5. Altered wetlands and streams in <br />Orono/Long Lake are the primary <br />drivers of phosphorus loading to <br />Tanager Lake <br />6. Internal loading — the process in <br />which phosphorus that has <br />settled to the lake bottom is <br />released back into the water — is <br />a significant source of phosphorus <br />for all of the impaired lakes <br />7. Common carp densities are high <br />in Long Lake and Wolsfeld Lake; <br />however, this is unlikely to be a <br />significant driver of poor water <br />quality in these deep lakes <br />Based on this understanding of the drivers, the following were identified as key management strategies <br />to improve water quality: <br /> Stormwater Management – Add new, or enhance existing, stormwater management practices <br />to treat polluted stormwater before it enters lakes <br /> Stream and Wetland Restoration – Restore degraded wetlands and streams to improve water <br />quality, reduce flooding, and improve habitat <br /> Land Use-Specific Practices – Implement best practices for specific land uses like agriculture and <br />golf courses to reduce phosphorus loading from these properties <br /> Internal Load Management – Reduce internal loading through practices like alum treatment, <br />shallow lake drawdown, and rough fish management <br /> <br />Figure 2