Water management unification initiative

The Water Management Unification Initiative was intended to make Minnesota's water management more understandable and responsive to citizens by unifying state efforts within major river basins. The approach sought to improve accountability by directing administrative water priorities, policies and budgets toward measurable objectives. The initiative was to enhance the sustainability of Minnesota's water resources by identifying economic, environmental and community connections for responsible choices.

The 10-year framework included objectives and targets to measure results by river basin. Key elements include the following:

• Focusing on major river basins, such as the Minnesota, Mississippi and Red Rivers, to recognize the differences in water resources throughout the state and local water priorities.
• Keeping the process flexible to ensure efforts fit into work of existing local boards, activities and major program efforts, such as the joint powers boards and the Pollution Control Agency' basin planning.
• Unifying efforts through interagency teams in each basin and cooperating with the many groups now working in Minnesota's basins.
• Measuring results by selecting water objectives with targets for 2010 and tracking how we are doing.