Overview
According to Minnesota Statutes 103B.151, the Environmental Quality Board is to coordinate a comprehensive long-range water resources plan for the state every ten years.
2020 State Water Plan: Water and Climate:
Download the 2020 State Water Plan (7MB PDF)
Appendix A: Five-year Assessment of Water Quality Trends and Prevention Efforts (2MB)
Appendix B: 2020 Groundwater Monitoring Status Report (1MB)
Appendix C: Water Availability Assessment Report (1MB)
Appendix D: Water Supply Planning in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area (2005-2020) (1.8MB)
PAST REPORTS:
- 2015 Beyond the Status Quo: 2015 EQB Water Policy Report
- 2010 Minnesota Water Plan: A ten year framework for managing Minnesota's water, November 29, 2010. (15.5M, PDF) | Report details
- Minnesota watermarks: gauging the flow of progress 2000 - 2010: The state water plan, a 10 year framework for managing Minnesota's waters, September 1, 2000. (49p., 4940k PDF) | Report details
- Summary of the Minnesota water plan: directions for protecting and conserving Minnesota's water: Brief summary of Minnesota's efforts to coordinate and integrate water programs, May 1, 1991. (744.08K, .pdf, Scanned document) | Report details
- Minnesota water plan: directions for protecting and conserving Minnesota's waters: Analyzes needed principles, policies and actions for managing water, January 1, 1991. (5.7 M, .pdf, scanned document)
2015 Key Findings
The EQB’s Water Policy Report focuses on addressing issues including stewardship of water resources, the management of the built environment, increasing the living cover across watersheds, and helping Minnesota remain resilient to extreme rainfall. Key findings from the report include:
- Minnesota is a Global Leader in Water – We are a global leader in production of technology to treat, reuse, and conserve water. This leadership results from the intersection of our entrepreneurs, cutting-edge research and development, a world-class education system, and a cluster of innovative industries.
- Land Usage Affects Our Water – The choices landowners make on the landscape determine whether it is able to hold the soil, absorb rainfall, and filter nutrients. Similarly, the choices we make in the built environment affect how water drains off roads and other impervious surfaces, carrying contaminants that can impair water quality.
- Land Usage Results in Significant Costs – Building in floodplains and human changes to watersheds that increase runoff combine to increase flood damages. Pollutants make public waters unfit for consumption, swimming, or fishing.
About the Report
This report was prepared by the EQB, with the Board of Water and Soil Resources, Department of Agriculture, Department of Employment and Economic Development, Department of Health, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Transportation, Metropolitan Council, and Pollution Control Agency.
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)
An archive of past EQB water efforts: