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Here you'll find info, surveys, and updates related to VLAWMO's upcoming 2027-2036 Watershed Management Plan. 

Introduction

At the Vadnais Lake Area Water Management Organization (VLAWMO), we’re currently engaged in updating our 10-year Watershed Management Plan (Plan). The year of 2024 started by gathering feedback that will be incorporated into the next generation plan. The planning phase allows for time to hear from our many stakeholders, convene multiple types of engagement activities, and incorporate what we hear. The new Plan will guide our projects and programs from 2027-2036.

Public engagement is important in helping us understand and focus priorities for improving our local water resources.

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Be Involved

Our goal is to make participation accessible and convenient. Those who live, work, and visit the watershed are invited to contribute.  Check back here throughout the two-year planning process for updates such as talks and presentations that provide updates on the planning process as well as results of the community input. 

Public survey: 

Survey closed March 13 at 10 am. Survey results are currently being assembled and summarized.

Events: 

Virtual Coffee Chats and the Initial Planning meeting have been completed. There are no current events on the calendar at this time but future opportunities will be posted here. 

 

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Hardcopy survey stations:

Survey stations closed on March 13. VLAWMO thanks everyone who participated and contributed to the survey. 

Why create a plan?

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Watershed Management Plans are the result of consensus building across many agencies, organizations, businesses, and most importantly the public. VLAWMO is a local government agency that reports to the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR).

Organizations such as VLAWMO are required to create these plans by law, and BWSR serves as a supervisory agency in the process. The Minnesota Statutes and Rules that pertain to VLAWMO’s plan and work include:

  • Minn. Stat. § 103B.201: Metropolitan Area Surface Water Management Act
  • Minn. Stat. § 103B.211: Joint Powers Watershed Management Organization.
  • Minn. Stat. §103B: Watershed Planning and Project Implementation
  • Minn. Rules 8410: Metropolitan Water Management

The VLAWMO watershed consists of all or parts of the City of Gem Lake, the City of North Oaks, the City of Lino Lakes, the City of White Bear Lake, White Bear Township, and the City of Vadnais Heights. VLAWMO was created by a Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) with these member municipalities. An elected official from each municipality sits on VLAWMO’s Board of Directors (BOD). Each municipality also designates a representative for the VLAWMO Technical Commission (TEC).

VLAWMO’s member municipalities, the BOD, and the TEC will work together to form this upcoming Watershed Management Plan. But there’s one more essential ingredient – community and public input (that’s you!)

How does it impact me?

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The Watershed Management Plan provides a roadmap for 10 years of projects and programs to improve local water resources. The Watershed Plan facilitates connections with watershed residents and stakeholders, and provides clear goals and objectives for how VLAWMO uses valuable public funding to accomplish shared water resources goals.

The Plan is also a tool for protecting and improving local water resources. Examples include:

  • Groundwater conservation strategies
  • Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) protocols
  • Wetland protection rules and regulations
  • Being accountable to larger regulatory agencies such as the Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR)
  • Surface water management including monitoring, project implementation, and maintenance
  • Water quality improvement and pollution prevention (salt, bacteria, nutrient pollution, etc.)
  • Surface water storage for flood control
  • Grants for residents and local organizations, and support for initiatives to build water-friendly landscape solutions (raingardens, native plantings, lo-mow turf, bee lawns, etc.)
  • Support for drinking water and recreational opportunities
  • Communication and education
  • Increasing climate resiliency

Resources

The upcoming 2027-2036 Watershed Management Plan will be VLAWMO’s third plan since the Minnesota Surface Water Management Act was enacted in 1982. Check out the following resources for more context on how Watershed Management Plans guide our work and in turn benefit the community.

2017-2026 Watershed Management Plan

2017-2026 Watershed Management Plan Summary

Appendix A

Appendix B