AUSTIN — Local government units aren’t the only ones keeping a watchful eye on the water quality of the Cedar River and Turtle Creek.

Bill Thompson, watershed project manager with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, spoke to locals and members of the Izaak Walton League Chapter in Austin Monday night at Todd Park. For roughly three years, the MPCA has instructed Thompson to monitor conditions in the Cedar River and Shell Rock River watersheds. Though local government units, such as the Cedar River Watershed District, have been monitoring sediment TMDLs (total maximum daily loads), Thompson is also helping the initiative and spreading the word about too much sediment in the Cedar River and Turtle Creek.

According to Thompson, the increasing number of impervious surfaces in the past decades, such as more parking lots and roofs, and more severe high-water events and agricultural runoff have all caused more sedimentation in rivers.

“It’s an excess of sediment at the higher-flow levels,” Thompson said. “So when we get 2- to 3-inches of rain, the lands start to exceed its capacity to hold that water.”

Thompson mentioned a federal initiative since 1909 to monitor the Cedar River’s flow shows more water flow in the past 20 years. That increased flow, mostly due to increased rains and runoff, means more sedimentation. Thompson said the Cedar River’s TMDLs are 50 to 70 percent more than the state’s allowable standard. The increased sediment affects aquatic life, which is the main reason for the studies and the initiative to decrease TMDLs.

Thompson said measures, such as street sweeping, rain gardens, stormwater ponds, wetland restoration and methods to slow water flow are all ways to reduce sediment.

“If we hold water back, there will hopefully be less flooding and improved water quality,” he said.

Thompson will give a presentation during the Austin City Council’s workshop 6:30 p.m. March 19.

Thompson said improving the Cedar River’s water quality is going to take many more years, and its is a shared initiative among local, state and federal government, as well as individuals.