Water Appropriation Permit Program

Purpose

Minnesota Statute 103G.265 requires the Department of Natural Resources to manage water resources to ensure an adequate supply to meet long-range seasonal requirements for domestic, agricultural, fish and wildlife, recreational, power, navigation, and quality control purposes. The Water Appropriation Permit Program exists to balance competing management objectives that include both development and protection of Minnesota's water resources.

A water use permit from the DNR is required for all users withdrawing more than 10,000 gallons of water per day or 1 million gallons per year.

There are several exemptions to water appropriation permit requirements:

  • domestic uses serving less than 25 persons for general residential purposes,
  • test pumping of a ground water source,
  • reuse of water already authorized by a permit (e.g., water received from a municipal water system), or
  • certain agricultural drainage systems (check with your area hydrologist for applicability).

See: Water Use Permits (requirements, applications, fees, suspensions, etc.)

See water use and wondering if it has a permit?

Contact your DNR area hydrologist, send a message to [email protected] or call us at 651-259-5724

Water use reports

All permitted water users are required to submit annual water use reports. We use Information on permitted water users and reported water to evaluate impacts from pumping on surface and ground water resources. We also use water data for water supply planning and resolving water use conflicts and well interferences.

Staff

For questions about using the online permitting tool, the Minnesota DNR Permitting and Reporting System (MPARS), contact [email protected] or call 651-259-5724.

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