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 The Vermillion River is one of the Mississippi River's main tributaries in the Twin Cities area. Its 335-square-mile watershed is one of the most rapidly urbanizing areas in the region. Despite massive growth pressure, the river is still relatively undeveloped and is one of the finest trout streams in the state. Recently, the DNR nearly doubled its protected area.
From its headwaters in Eastern Scott County, the slow moving river—often referred to as a "prairie river"—flows through rural agricultural and developing suburban areas in Dakota County, passing through Lakeville, Farmington, and Hastings before dropping 90 feet through a scenic gorge onto the Mississippi River floodplain. There it becomes known as the Vermillion River Bottoms (see the list of original 10 Twin Cities Treasures).
While development pressure is intensifying, much of the land along the river is still in agricultural or rural residential use. Identified as a high priority for protection by the Dakota County Farmland and Natural Areas program, the river has also been a protection focus for the Metro Wildlife Corridors and the Friends of the Mississippi River's Heritage Land Registry.
As a result, some private landowners along the river already are permanently protecting and restoring their properties.
Right now, only 1.2 miles of the trout-rich part of the river is accessible to the public—from Lakeville and Eureka Township to Highway 52. Through Metro Wildlife Corridors, the Trust for Public Land, with support from Dakota County Farmland and Natural Area Program, is purchasing a key property with one mile of riverfront. This riverfront property will allow the DNR Fisheries and Wildlife division to provide public access for trout fishing and other outdoor recreation, to restore native plants and wetlands, and to improve the health of the river. The DNR is interested in working with other landowners willing to donate or sell fishing easements.
One of the biggest threats to the Vermillion is rapid urbanization within its watershed. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has listed the Vermillion as impaired for high levels of fecal coliform bacteria, which makes the river unsafe for swimming or other human contact.
Perhaps even more worrisome is the fact that the river recharges the drinking water aquifers in and around the Hastings area, and unsafe concentrations of nitrates and other contaminants have been found in local wells. What this means is that storm water runoff from Lakeville and wastewater effluent from Elko-New Market may be coming out of the tap in Hastings. Protecting the health of watershed residents will require better planning and a new approach to development that minimizes its impact on local water resources.
The Vermillion River Joint Powers Organization, with representatives from Dakota and Scott counties, is developing a plan to conserve this unique resource, but to be successful they will need vocal support from watershed residents who want a strong plan and are willing to support it with tax dollars.
The Metropolitan Council is working with Friends of the Mississippi River and the Dakota Soil and Water Conservation District to restore native habitat and wetlands on its Empire Wastewater Treatment Facility property along the Vermillion, and is planning to divert its plant's wastewater from the Vermillion River. Currently, a major wastewater plant expansion in Elko-New Market is under dispute because of the degradation it will cause to the river.
About the photographs
Large photo: Doug Beasley.
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