District Awarded $1.5 million in Clean Water Funds

May 25, 2016 - The Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) announced a third round of Clean Water Fund grants to help six local governments from around the state.  Pelican River Watershed District will receive $1.5 million to help reduce phosphorus loading to the watershed by 50%.

To read full release - click here.

Notice of Decision to Revise & Update the PRWD Water Management Plan

The Pelican River Watershed District adopted a resolution on April 21, 2016 requiring the update and revision of the Pelican River Watershed Management Plan, as authorized under Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 103D.405, the Watershed District Statute.

The plan will be focused on priority water management concerns,  The Pelican River Watershed District invites all recipients of this notice to submit water management issues they feel the plan should focus on.

Also, please submit any water and related land resources plans and official controls to the name below so that they can be reviewed to ensure consistency with the Watershed Management Plan.

Please submit the requested information by June 1, 2016 or direct inquiries to:

Tera Guetter, Administrator

211 Holmes St. West, Suite 201

Detroit Lakes, MN 56501                 218-846-0436 or tera.guetter@arvig.net

Second Flowering Rush Treatment Plan

Weather permitting, the second Flowering Rush treatment will take place on Monday, August 1 or Tuesday, August 2.  The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has issued the Pelican River Watershed District the necessary permits to chemically treat flowering rush on lakes Big and Little Detroit, Curfman, Sallie and Melissa.  There is also a 5 acre pilot plot on lake Sallie in the bull rush.  The permit along with treatment maps are below.   Please contact our office if you have any questions at 218-846-0436.

MN DNR Permit         Detroit & Curfman Maps         Sallie Map          Melissa Map 

Restrictions include:  Swimming - 1 day     Drinking Water - 3 days     Irrigation Food Crops - 5 days

Irrigation Turf and Ornamentals - 3 days     Livestock Watering - 1 day

Lake Sallie Bulrush Pilot Project report

The Pelican River Watershed, along with Mississippi State University, began a pilot project in 2015 on Lake Sallie to study the effects of chemically treating the invasive Flowering rush within a stand of native Hardstem Bulrush.  The reduction of the Flowering rush was quite impressive. After review of the data, it appears that there was little to no damage to the native Bulrush, and in the treatment area, the Bulrush population acutally increased after the flowering rush was treated.  See the full report below.

Hardstem Bulrush Pilot Study - Final Report

Detroit Lakes Airport Expansion

A meeting was held to discuss possible alternative locations for the Detroit Lakes Airport.  The technical memo, shown below, outlines the 7 locations that were presented.

12/17/15 Meeting Minutes

Alternative Site Technical Memo

Alternative Site Maps 1-4

Alternative Site Maps 5-7

Permit Application and Inspection Fee Update

The Pelican River Watershed Board of Managers has updated the Permit Application and Site Inspection fees for the first time in over ten years!  For most applicants, there will be little change.  Shore Impact Zone Alteration Permits, including rip-rap, sand blankets, ice ridge repair, and vegetation removal was increased from $75 to $100), while Stormwater Management Permits for small sites (>25% impervious surface), was decreased from $175 to $150. 

The largest change was to fees associated with Stormwater Management Permits for large construction projects which require the plans to be reviewed by the District Engineer.

The updated Permit and Inspection Fee schedule and the PRWD permit application can be found below.

2016 Permit Application and Inspection Fees

Pelican River Watershed District Permit Application

If you have any questions regarding about your project, please feel free to contact us.

MN Buffer Initiative

Governor Mark Dayton's landmark buffer initiative was signed into law this year. The law establishes new perennial vegetation buffers of up to 50 feet along rivers, streams, and ditches that will help filter out phosphorus, nitrogen, and sediment. The new law provides flexibility and financial support for landowners to install and maintain buffers, and boost compliance with buffer laws across Minnesota.

The DNR's role in Minnesota's new buffer law is to produce maps of public waters and ditch systems that require permanent vegetation buffers. The DNR is scheduled to produce these maps by July 2016.

Click here for more information

Buffer Fact Sheet