What is a
Watershed?
A watershed describes an area of land that contains a common set of streams and rivers that all drain into a single larger body of water. A watershed can cover a small or large land area. Water runs into streams, rivers and lakes on the surface of a watershed, but it also filters through the soil. Some of this water eventually drains into the same waters through groundwater aquifers. This process is called “infiltration.” Water that runs off the surface of the land picks up nutrients and sediment. As it drains into the watershed, it deposits pollution in our streams and rivers. What we do within the watershed will have either a positive or negative effect on the water quality.
Everything is Connected
The key word to remember regarding a watershed is “Connection.” Everything is connected to everything else in a watershed. Pick the type of property that is most similar to yours in the example to the right.. Maybe you live in town, or on a farm, or maybe you own forested land or even lake shore property. See how all kinds of land is connected to all the other types of land through the flow of water?
For example, lawns are connected to the street, which is connected to the storm sewers, which is connected to a stream, which is connected to a lake, etc...
The water within a watershed is always moving. Therefore, what you do in your
property has the potential to affect many other places. Most often, a watershed connects with a major river or lake.
To protect one, we must protect them all.
Watersheds in Aitkin County
The Mississippi River Brainerd Watershed is an important watershed for Aitkin, Crow Wing, Morrison, Todd Counties, and Minnesota. The watershed contains 1,079,950 acres and 2,149 river miles, including the national treasure: the Mississippi River, and 212 lakes greater than 10 acres. The counties' tourism industry is based on the high-quality lakes, the Mississippi River, and the most significant cities for these counties, including Baxter, Brainerd, Little Falls, and Aitkin. Tourism is because of the high-quality lakes, public land, private forest land, and recreational opportunities. These lakes and private forest lands need a unified protection implementation plan.
The Rum River Watershed Partnership (RRWP) is a group of local and tribal government units within the watershed, as well as their partners from state and federal agencies, non-profits, citizens, and other stakeholders. The Partnership works together to unify strategy for water management in the watershed through the Rum River Comprehensive Management Plan. The Watershed is 1,584 square miles in size and stretches from Mille Lacs Lake in the north, the headwaters of the Rum River, to the City of Anoka in the south, the location of the confluence of the Rum and Mississippi Rivers The Watershed covers portions of nine counties (Aitkin, Anoka, Benton, Crow Wing, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison, & Sherburne Counties).
Snake River 1W1P
Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Counties, and other partners across the watershed came together to develop a comprehensive watershed management plan for the Snake River Watershed. A watershed is an area of land that drains all the streams and rainfall to a common outlet. The vision for One Watershed, One Plan (1W1P) is to create a local water plan on a major watershed boundary instead of traditional County boundaries. Together, we have a comprehensive plan to include prevention, restoration, protection, and preservation of our watershed.
Mississippi Grand Rapids 1W1P
In 2022, the Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) awarded a One Watershed, One Plan (1W1P) planning grant to the Upper Mississippi River - Grand Rapids watershed. This will allow for a collaborative plan to look at the watershed, identify areas that might need water quality protection or improvements, and plan projects to make sure the water in this watershed is healthy for all of the important uses we rely on.
The planning partners for this comprehensive watershed management plan include Aitkin County, Aitkin SWCD, Carlton County, Carlton SWCD, Cass SWCD, Itasca County, Itasca SWCD, Salo Township, and the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe.
Cass County, Crow Wing County, the Cass County Soil and Waters Conservation District, and the Crow Wing Soils and Water Conservation Districts, are embarking on the development of the Pine River watershed "One Watershed, One Plan". Already, both Cass and Crow Wing Counties have implemented watershed-based land protection models for county water planning in recent years. The vision for the Pine River Watershed One Watershed, One Plan is to align local water planning on major watershed boundaries with state strategies towards prioritized, targeted, and measurable implementation plans – the next logical step in the evolution of water planning in Minnesota. The Pine River Watershed is 800 square miles and exists in central Cass and northern Crow Wing Counties. The plan development timeline identifies a projected plan approval by December, 2019.
The St. Louis River 1W1P partners include St. Louis County, Carlton County, South St. Louis Soil and Water Conservation District, North St. Louis Soil and Water Conservation District, Carlton County Soil and Water Conservation District, and the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. The St. Louis River Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan planning effort was conducted through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between St. Louis River and Carlton Counties and SWCDs and Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. The parties plan to form a new Memorandum of Agreement for administering the plan.
The Kettle River and Upper St. Croix Watershed (Watershed) is rich in natural resources. The watershed includes hundreds of lakes and over a thousand miles of streams, providing recreational opportunities and valuable habitat for unique plant and animal species. This area has great cultural importance due to wild rice (manoomin) that grows in numerous lakes and rivers throughout the watershed. The Watershed covers over 1,500 square miles, spanning four counties and two Tribal nations (Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe).
Watershed Management Projects
The Aitkin County Soil and Water Conservation District partners with two watershed management projects in the county. These organizations are citizen-driven groups that cooperate to protect and restore the water quality of our county.
Big Sandy Area Lakes Watershed Management Project (BSALWMP)
This Group generally meets on the second Wednesday of the month at a location in the watershed.
Check out their website for specific meeting information. www.bsalwmp.org.
History
Organized in 1991 to protect and enhance the many values of lakes, streams, and shoreland resources in the Watershed. We are excited to offer assistance to landowners interested in protecting water quality.
Where
Portions of three counties – Aitkin, Carlton, and St. Louis
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4 cities – Cromwell, McGregor, Tamarack, and Wright
What
There are nearly 260,000 acres, 49 Lakes including Big Sandy, Minnewawa, Prairie, Island, and many more.
You – You are the most important component of the watershed. Actions you take, officials you elect, and discussions you have all impact water resources. Community input and collaboration will make our efforts more successful. Please watch for opportunities to become involved
Mille Lacs Lake Watershed Management Group (MLLWMG)
Meetings are typically held on the third Monday of the month at various locations around the lake or on Zoom.
More information may be found at www.millelacswatershed.org.
History
Formed in 1997 to manage potential impacts to water quality and preserve the health of our natural resources. Since that time, we have received grants from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources, and many other partners. Funds have been used to assist landowners with projects that protect and improve water quality, to provide educational opportunities for landowners in the watershed, and to monitor water quality.
Where
Portions of three counties – Aitkin, Crow Wing, and Mille Lacs, and the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, and the towns of Garrison, Wahkon, and Isle.​
What
The watershed of Mille Lacs Lake encompasses more than 116,000 acres of land and 132,520 acres of water surface. The lake itself occupies 207 square miles, which is about 53 percent of the watershed’s area.
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Several smaller lakes, mostly north and west of Mille Lacs, are also part of the watershed.
