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Contact Celi Haga

651-315-5082

St. Paul, Minn.— Marking a new era in Minnesota water planning, on December 14 the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) approved the Root River Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan and the Yellow Medicine River Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan.  These are the first two plans completed through BWSR’s One Watershed, One Plan program.  The initiative brings together a partnership of Counties, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and Watershed Districts to create a shared action plan for water management.  The roots of the program were conceived by a consortium of local governments seeking to streamline water planning requirements in Minnesota. 

“This is a major milestone for the One Watershed, One Plan program,” said LeAnn Buck, Executive Director of the Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts.  “The idea of local governments working together on watershed management is something we’ve been advocating for a long time, and is an outgrowth of our collective members’ requests for enhanced methods of planning and implementing water resource restoration and protection activities.”

Comprehensive Watershed Management Plans address water quality and flooding as well as drinking water, groundwater, and habitat issues.  The plans build on existing efforts, current local water plans, local knowledge, and the best available science. Planning advisory committees involve staff from state agencies and watershed organizations, farmer groups, fishing and hunting interests, cities, businesses, and citizens. 

“This style of partnership represents a new phase in Minnesota’s water planning,” said John Jaschke, BWSR Executive Director.  “These plans raise the bar on local water management, driving implementation that is prioritized, targeted, and measureable.  That means smarter investments and better accountability for state dollars that fund water projects and programs.”

Five pilot watersheds were named in 2014.  The Root River and Yellow Medicine plans are the first plans to be finalized. The plans each identify priority projects and programs for the designated watershed over the next ten years.  For the Root River plan, those priorities include drinking water, stream and river health, and more.  The Yellow Medicine plan has priorities that include minimizing flooding, improving water quality through sediment and nutrient reductions, and protecting groundwater. As part of the planning process, local partners commit to working together and will check-in on a regular basis to track progress and periodically update the plan.

More information about the One Watershed One Plan program, including its guiding principles and plan outcomes, as well as a map of the participating watersheds, can be found at BWSR’s website: www.bwsr.state.mn.us.  

Governor Mark Dayton has declared a Year of Water Action in Minnesota to raise awareness of the many issues affecting water quality and highlight ways that Minnesotans can take action to preserve and protect our state’s most precious resource: clean water. To learn more about Governor Dayton’s Year of Water Action visit: http://mn.gov/governor/issues/wateraction/

Contact: Celi Haga

651-315-5082

St. Paul, Minn.—  Cleaner, clearer water.  Healthier lakes, rivers, and streams.  Today, Minnesota took another step forward toward its water quality goals thanks to funding support provided by the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment.  The Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) approved more than $13 million in 2017 Clean Water Fund grants at its December meeting for local government projects benefiting Minnesota’s streams, rivers, lakes and groundwater.

“Around Minnesota, local government staff and private landowners are working in partnership with the state to make a difference for our water quality,” BWSR Executive Director John Jaschke said. “Whether it’s restoring wetlands, reducing nutrient runoff, or modernizing septic systems to protect drinking water, these projects are prioritized and targeted to maximize the impact of the Clean Water Fund on our state’s natural resources.”

The Clean Water Legacy funds are used to both protect at-risk waters and target polluted waters throughout the state. Irrigation management, bank stabilization, stream restorations, and well sealing are just some of this year’s projects. BWSR’s Clean Water Fund grants include project funding, grants to accelerate implementation of clean water work, support of community partners programming, and drainage management.

BWSR funded 78 applications totaling $13.4 million dollars this round, but interest in this program continues to outpace available funding. 171 applications were received, totaling $34.4 million in requests.

Some examples of funded projects:

• In northwest Minnesota, the Becker Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) will work on a sediment reduction project on the Buffalo River. A variety of conservation practices including water and sediment control basins and buffer strips will result in a 44% reduction in sediment, exceeding the district’s reduction goals for the watershed.
   
• In the center of the state, Stearns SWCD will work with livestock producers to implement feedlot runoff improvements and eliminate all contaminated runoff from five sites north of the Sauk River and Sauk River Chain of Lakes, improving water quality within a Drinking Water Supply Management Area.
   
• In the Twin Cities Metro, the Dakota SWCD will install an estimated 20 conservation practices along Trout Brook, a designated trout stream and tributary to the Cannon River. These practices will reduce sediment by an estimated 2,000 tons per year, improving water quality and clarity in the waterbodies. 

• In southern Minnesota, the Okabena-Ocheda Watershed District will modify three ponds in the Prairie View Golf Course to help meet water quality standards in Okabena Creek and Lake Okabena.  The practices installed as part of the project will remove an estimated 945 pounds of phosphorus annually from the creek, getting the district to 30% of its reduction goal for the watershed.

To see detailed project information and maps showing how the Legacy funds are affecting the land and waters important to you, visit www.bwsr.state.mn.us.

Governor Mark Dayton has declared a Year of Water Action in the state of Minnesota. Governor Dayton has called on Minnesotans to examine their individual responsibility in keeping Minnesota’s water drinkable, swimmable, and fishable for generations to come.  Find out more at online at mn.gov/governor or on social media using #WaterActionMN.

Contact: Celi Haga

651-215-9008

St. Paul, Minn. - The Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) is charged with overseeing program implementation of the buffer law. The agency is currently seeking public comment on key components of its Buffer program.

The Requests for Comment and supporting documents are available on the BWSR Buffer Program website: http://bwsr.state.mn.us/buffers/.  BWSR is looking for feedback on the following policies and model rules.

• Initial Election of Jurisdiction Policy
• Enforcement Procedures and Administrative Penalty Order Plan
• Model county ordinance as an option for counties electing to exercise jurisdiction.
• Model watershed district rule as an option for districts electing to exercise jurisdiction.

Comments from stakeholders are a key part of the process, and will be considered during policy development.  Anticipated action on these policies is expected at the January 2017 BWSR Board meeting.

Information and comments on the policies and model rules will be accepted until 4:30 p.m. on January 9, 2017. Comments may be submitted via email to buffers.bwsr@state.mn.us or via U.S. mail to David Weirens, Asst. Director for Programs and Policy, BWSR, 520 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155.