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.

Impaired Waters

A water scene from a clean Minnesota river

Identifying Minnesota's Impaired Waters

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is responsible for:

  • Making sure that all of Minnesota's water resources are assessed every 10 years;
  • Compiling, interpreting, and communicating assessment results; and
  • Identifying those waters that are impaired in a formal list

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency coordinates with other state and local agencies, including the DNR, to meet these responsibilities.

Minnesota's Impaired Waters list

Minnesota's Impaired Waters list was first published in 1992. It was most recently published in 2006. The 2006 Impaired Waters List This link leads to an external site. shows 2,250 impairments on 284 rivers segments and 1,013 lakes (one lake or stream segment may have multiple impairments). So far, about 40 percent of the water resources in Minnesota that have been assessed against water quality standards do not meet at least one standard, a rate comparable with what other states are finding. Only a small percentage of Minnesota's river miles and lakes have been assessed so far. The list of impaired waters is expected to grow as assessments continue throughout the state.