Minnesota is implementing a unified plan to protect and conserve water throughout the state organized around seven major water basins. Developed under the leadership of Minnesota Environmental Quality Board, with teams in each major basin, it reflects the unique environmental conditions of each basin, as well as statewide conditions.
The 10-year program is described in a report, Minnesota Watermarks: Gauging the Flow of Progress 2000 - 2010. It was mandated by the Legislature and is a major component of Governor Jesse Ventura's Water Management Unification Initiative. It will be used to evaluate programs and guide strategies. Highlights of the report include: * A statewide section that provides a framework of goals, objectives and measurable indicators; * Locally developed basin sections that provide an overview of unique environmental conditions and pressures and suggestions for measurable indicators; and *Maps and graphics to illustrate the state of Minnesota water resources.
The plan accomplishes three directives of the Governor's executive order: *To focus on major water basins, such as the Mississippi, Minnesota and Red River Basins; *To recognize the differences in water resources and management throughout the state and unify water management through teams in each basin that work with local entities and the public; and *To measure results by developing and tracking progress toward a statewide framework of goals and objectives adapted to each basin.:
