Clean Water Legacy Program

Mission: To meet current needs while ensuring a future in which Minnesota's waterways and watersheds remain an abundant source of clean water, provide enjoyable recreation, and support healthy aquatic ecosystems.

DNR Activities in Support of Clean Water Legacy

Flow chart showing process for protection of clean waters and restoration of impaired waters

The Clean Water Legacy assessment, restoration and protection process is shown above. A great many of the DNR's activities directly and indirectly support various areas of this process.

 

Flow chart showing process for protection of clean waters and restoration of impaired waters

Direct Support

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has identified a number of work activities carried out by the DNR that will provide critically needed information to support Clean Water Legacy efforts. DNR has increased its work in the following areas, which directly support statewide Monitoring and Assessment and Protection initiatives:

Opportunities to Pursue

Virtually every division within the DNR engages in activities designed to assess, monitor, manage, protect or educate the public about Minnesota's aquatic resources and the species that inhabit them. Many of these activities have indirectly supported Clean Water Legacy efforts for many years. The DNR is hopeful that they will be directly integrated into the assessment, restoration and protection process in the future.

Flow chart showing process for protection of clean waters and restoration of impaired waters

Surveys of aquatic animals and vegetation

DNR staff has surveyed an array of plants and animals for many years. The Biocriteria Program describes how some biological data compiled by DNR is currently being used to assess water resources for biological health. As biological assessments of lakes and streams progresses and as we seek to develop a statewide protection strategy for pristine or sensitive water resources, other plant and animal survey data gathered by DNR staff and shown below may be utilized.

Sturgeon held by DNR staff during river survey. Flow chart showing process for protection of clean waters and restoration of impaired waters

Management & Protection

The DNR is involved in a number of activities intended to protect, restore and sustainably manage Minnesota's natural resources. These programs already support the fundamental goals of CWL. The priorities of these programs can be shifted to more closely support ongoing Total Maximum Daily Load study development, the implementation of restoration plans and a statewide water resource protection strategy. These activities include:

Workers installing wave barriers on a stream restoration project
  • Shoreland stewardship
  • Stream, lakeshore restoration
  • Forest stewardship
  • Acquisition
    • Aquatic management areas
    • Wildlife management areas
    • Scientific & Natural areas
  • Fisheries management
  • Land use guidelines
    • Shoreland zoning
    • Best management practices for timber management

Regulatory Compliance

Enforcement of natural resource laws is important to ensure that Minnesota's waterways and watersheds remain an abundant source of clean water, provide enjoyable recreation, and support healthy aquatic ecosystems.

  • Ground- and surface water appropriations
  • Work in public waters
  • Shoreland alterations
  • Aquatic plant management
  • Dams/hydropower
Cover of DNR Publications

Outreach

Spreading the word about Minnesota's impaired waters and encouraging citizens to care for both public and private land in ways that will safeguard our lakes, streams and wetlands is an essential aspect of resolving our water pollution problems. The DNR produces a number of high quality publications and supports several programs that heighten public awareness of natural resource issues. Outreach tools such as those listed below educate and inspire the public to take action.