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funds for ongoing maintenance <br />of flood warning stations <br />proposed to be installed with <br />federal flood hazard mitigation <br />funds made available as a result <br />of the 1993 flood. <br />Stream and. Lake Biocriteria <br />(DNR) <br />Using biocriteria to assess stream <br />and lake "health" is a component <br />of the multi-agency initiative <br />DNR would conduct in <br />cooperation with MPCA. <br />Support from the Legislative <br />Commission on Minnesota <br />Resources (LCMR) was initially <br />used to develop biocriteria for <br />the Red River and St. Croix <br />basins. Staff funded under this <br />proposal would continue to <br />develop and apply biological <br />assessment criteria to streams in <br />Minnesota to assess current <br />conditions and long-term trends <br />in stream "health". Development <br />of similar methods to assess lake <br />health would also be initiated. <br />County and Regional <br />Hydrogeologic Mapping <br />(DNR) <br />Accelerated production of <br />county geologic atlases and <br />regional hydrogeologic <br />assessments (jointly with the <br />Minnesota Geological Survey) <br />was supported by the LCMR for <br />two biennia with funds from the <br />Environmental Trust. Since <br />1995 the DNR has received an <br />appropriation from the General <br />Fund in the amount of $850,000 <br />over base per biennium to <br />increase the production of these <br />map reports. Staff limitations at <br />the DNR have caused delays in <br />the production and delivery of the <br />reports to the public after the data <br />collection and compilation <br />have been completed. Funds are <br />requested to add two staff to the <br />DNR for report preparation and <br />production.. These reports <br />include the maps of geologic <br />sensitivity to pollution that are <br />required by the 1989 <br />Groundwater Protection Act. <br />(M.S. 103H.101). Local and <br />state agencies need that <br />information to carry out planning <br />and development. <br />Observation Well Network <br />Expansion and Exploratory <br />Drilling (DNR) <br />Exploratory drilling ("grid <br />drilling") has been conducted with <br />a one-time appropriation from the <br />1995 Legislature in cooperation <br />with several local entities in <br />southwestern Minnesota that <br />matched the state funds. This <br />effort has uncovered some <br />potential aquifers. Additional <br />funds are requested to continue <br />exploratory drilling, to conduct <br />pumping tests, and to install <br />observation wells to monitor <br />water levels in these units and at <br />other locations around the state. <br />One staff position is requested to <br />log and interpret the drill hole <br />data. <br />Water Availability Assessment <br />(DNR) <br />Communities are requesting trend <br />For more information on <br />stream and lake biocriteria, <br />contact David Wright at 297- <br />4886. <br />For more information on <br />county and regional <br />hydrologic mapping, contact <br />Sarah Tufford at 612/297- <br />2431. <br />For more information on <br />observation well network <br />expansion and exploratory <br />drilling, contact Brian <br />Rongitsch at 612/296-0434. <br />7 <br />