EQB's Beyond the Status Quo: 2015 EQB Water Policy Report is the result of collaboration across state agencies to to move beyond the status quo on water challenges. This report was required by Minnesota Statutes 103A.204 and 103A.43.
The EQB’s Water Policy Report is organized as a menu of options to move beyond the status quo on water challenges. It provides a framework to continue a broad conversation on water policy with local and state implementation partners. The report includes voluntary and regulatory solutions as well as proposing system changes that harness market forces and look to change cultural expectations. Finally, in some areas, more study is needed to best determine how we take action. Key findings from the report include:
- Minnesota is a global leader in water –Water concerns are a global issue and Minnesota water technology industries are leading the way in innovations to clean, reuse, and more efficiently use water for the whole world. This sector employs over 13,500 Minnesotans, pays above average wages, and puts Minnesota in the top 10 in technology export and patents.
- We need to protect our waters - Living plant cover and green infrastructure reduce runoff and increase infiltration in our urban and agricultural lands. These practices hold water on the landscape, filter contaminants, and reduce runoff.
- We need to identify our vulnerabilities and increase the resilience of all our communities. Flooding is becoming a reality for more Minnesotans as extreme rainfall events increase. While not all parts of Minnesota have water supply issues, numerous wells showed declines in recent years.
APPENDIX:
2015 Groundwater Monitoring Status Report
Five-Year Assessment of Water Quality Degradation Trends and Prevention Efforts
Minnesota’s Water Industry Economic Profile
The Agricultural BMP Handbook for Minnesota
Water Availability Report (2015)
