Two separate research proposals on June 27 outlined plans to modernize how Minnesota evaluates water quality.

Dalma Martinovich Weigelt of the University of Minnesota presented a proposal to integrate Minnesota’s extensive two‑decade chemical monitoring for contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) with new toxicity data sets and to build an online dashboard for managers and the public. “These comparisons of chemical concentrations in water with the concentrations that cause toxicities are absolutely essential for identifying chemicals that impair water quality,” she told the commission, noting recent advances in toxicity databases and computational tools make the work feasible now.

Martinovich Weigelt said Minnesota already hosts one of North America’s most comprehensive CEC chemistry datasets, but that dataset has limited utility without matched biological effects data. The proposed project would compile and harmonize historical chemistry data, extract new high‑quality toxicity metrics, determine ecological risks to aquatic life, and produce an online, map‑based dashboard for managers and citizens.

In a separate presentation, Dr. Matt Peterson (College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Sciences, University of Minnesota) sought funding to pilot DNA‑based identification for aquatic macroinvertebrates used in biotic assessments. He explained that conventional morphology‑based identification is limited because many specimens are immature or damaged and certain diverse groups (for example, Chironomidae midges) are difficult to resolve to species.

Peterson proposed comparing standard morphological assessments with DNA metabarcoding on matched samples collected using Minnesota Pollution Control Agency protocols. The team would develop reference libraries where needed, compute standard indices of biotic integrity from both methods, and test whether finer taxonomic resolution yields more accurate impairment detection.

Both presenters framed their work as tools to help natural‑resource managers prioritize chemicals or sites for mitigation and to increase detection sensitivity for impairments across Minnesota’s rivers and lakes. No formal commission decisions were recorded during the presentations; commissioners listened and asked clarifying questions but did not vote at this session.