RIM Drinking Water Easements

Overview

BWSR has received funding through the Clean Water Fund for Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM) easements targeting areas of sensitive groundwater. BWSR will utilize the RIM easement program in partnership with local Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) to target, protect, and restore high priority sites.

Benefits

Decrease nitrogen in public groundwater supply wells.

Enrollment Focus and Sign-Up Schedule

The RIM Drinking Water program is available statewide and seeks to protect areas where the vulnerability of the Drinking Water Supply Management Area (DWSMA) is designated as High or Very High by a Source Water Protection Plan, is designated as mitigation Level 1 or 2 under the Groundwater Protection Rule, or drinking water protection plans developed by Tribal governments have identified high vulnerability. The focus of this program is for land under existing row crop production. This will be accomplished by the establishment of perennial vegetation through limited-term (25-year) or perpetual easements. Drinking Water-Friendly Activities will be allowed. Applications will be accepted and reviewed monthly. Applications will be reviewed in the month following submission. Enrollment begins July 2025.

Eligibility and Guidance

• RIM Reserve Program general eligibility criteria are detailed in pages 1-7 of the RIM Handbook (pdf)
• RIM Drinking Water Program eligibility and guidance (pdf)
• RIM Drinking Water Program Fact Sheet (pdf)

Easement Application Materials

     Reference:

• RIM Application Guidance (pdf)
• Easement Acquisition Checklist (pdf)

     Application Package Forms:

• Conservation Easement Application (pdf)
• Area Assessment Form Word document (docx)
• Conservation Easement Financial Worksheet Tax Assessed Calculation Excel spreadsheet (xlsm)
• RIM Drinking Water Application Scoresheet Excel spreadsheet (xlsm)
• Agreement Information Form Word document (docx)
• W-9 Form (IRS Website)
• RIM Drinking Water Program Application Waiver: 8-acre minimum and non-cropland limit (pdf)
• RIM Drinking Water Perennial Crop Rotation Schedule Form (pdf)

     Easement Boundary Survey Requirements:

• RIM Easement Survey Requirements – Pilot Process (pdf)

     Geospatial Resources:

• Wellhead Protection Areas
• MN Department of Health Source Water Protection Web Map Viewer
• Drinking Water Supply Management Areas (DWSMA) and Vulnerability
• MN Department of Agriculture DWSMA Mitigation Level Determination
• MN Department of Agriculture Fall Nitrogen Fertilizer Application Restrictions

Drinking Water Protection Partner Agreements

Overview

BWSR has received funding through the Clean Water Fund to protect areas of sensitive groundwater. The Drinking Water Protection Partner Agreement is available to local government units for fee title acquisitions to protect public drinking water sources where state-held easements are not viable.

Application

Applications and all associated materials can be submitted to bwsr.rim@state.mn.us. Applications will be reviewed by BWSR, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Minnesota Department of Health, and Minnesota Rural Water Association.

• RIM Drinking Water Protection Partner Agreement Application (pdf)
• RIM Drinking Water Protection Partner Agreement Fact Sheet (pdf)