The Morrison County Board of Commissioners received a presentation at its Tuesday, May 28 planning session regarding a collaborative watershed planning effort that could have wide-ranging impacts across central Minnesota. District Manager Shannon Wettstein from the Morrison County Soil and Water Conservation District outlined a proposed resolution supporting development of a comprehensive management plan for the Mississippi River - Sartell Watershed.
The Mississippi River - Sartell Watershed covers portions of Morrison, Crow Wing, Todd, Stearns and Benton counties, though nearly half the watershed area lies within Morrison County borders.
Wettstein provided background on the state statutes authorizing counties and soil and water conservation districts to develop local water management plans and watershed district plans. She noted that Morrison County and its partners have already completed this collaborative “One Watershed, One Plan” process for four other major watersheds within county boundaries. The Mississippi River - Sartell Watershed represents the final watershed crossing Morrison County to undergo comprehensive planning.
If approved for a grant through the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources, the partners intend to develop a single, unified watershed management plan through a memorandum of agreement.
Some commissioners initially expressed confusion about the watershed boundaries shown in the presentation map. However, Wettstein provided an enlarged map clearly depicting the Mississippi River - Sartell Watershed boundaries within Morrison County, including the communities of Royalton, Pierz and Two Rivers. She noted that nearly half of the watershed falls under Morrison County zoning jurisdiction.
After discussion, the commissioners agreed to consider placing the proposed resolution of support on the upcoming consent agenda for a formal vote during its Tuesday, June 4 meeting. With such a large portion of the planning area located in Morrison County, the Board recognized both the regional impacts and local representation opportunities through this collaborative watershed planning process. A vote of support could help strengthen the partners’ application for state grant funding to develop the comprehensive management plan. The plan would then guide water resource management and conservation decisions across the region for years to come.
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