The recently released Hennepin County Environmental Quality Report details how increasing population, energy consumption and changing land use patterns are impacting our land, lakes, and streams.
The report highlights both positive trends and areas of serious concern. Improvements are seen in air quality over 25 years, contaminated land sight closings, and the water quality of Hennepin County lakes. The data is for the year 2006, before PFOAs were found in Minneapolis lakes and the Mississippi River.
- Many lakes have shown improvement in water quality compared to thirty years ago. The water quality of approximately 90 percent of Hennepin County’s lakes is improving or has remained consistent.
- Contaminated land sites are being closed faster than new sites are being identified. The majority of known contaminated sites are now classified as closed.
- The air quality trend over the last twenty-five years has improved. Over the past few years, air quality has been stable, but fine particulates and ground-level ozone need to be monitored closely to keep our region in compliance with the federal Clean Air act.
While lake water quality is improving, stream water is declining. Land preservation and the amount of contaminated land are also areas of concern.
- Stream water quality has declined. Only 18% of Hennepin County streams received a “B” grade or higher.
- Protection efforts are needed to preserve critical natural resources corridors before the best of the remaining areas are lost to development.
- 7% of Hennepin County is defined as “contaminated”
The full report is available from Hennepin County.