Cottonwood-Middle Minnesota River 1W1P
CW-MM 1W1P
The Cottonwood-Middle Minnesota Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan began in April 2023 with planning grant funds awarded by BWSR, through the One Watershed One Plan program, in late August of 2022. Grant Administration/Coordination and Fiscal Management is being provided by the Redwood-Cottonwood Rivers Control Area.
The counties of Brown, Cottonwood, Lyon, Murray and Redwood, their respective SWCDS, Area II MN River Basin Projects, RCRCA and the City of Springfield comprise the 13 members of this Memorandum of Agreement (link). Blue Earth County and SWCD, and Yellow Medicine County and SWCD have opted out of the planning due to having <5% of their counties within the watershed boundary. The Policy Committee (link) meets the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 2:00 PM at the Springfield Area Community Center. Information pertaining to the Policy Committee can be found below.
The Cottonwood-Middle MN Comprehensive Water Management Plan is progressing as planned. By mid-May, Houston Engineering, Inc. will be presenting the final 3 draft sections of the Plan for Steering Committee and Policy Committee review.
An Internal Review period will start in late-May for 2-3 weeks with the Advisory Committee convening for a final time.
The Formal 60-Day Review will run July 1 to August 31, 2024 with the required Public Hearing to be held on September 18, 2024. Following any needed changes to the Plan document stemming from the review and hearing, the Plan will be presented to the BWSR Southern Region Water Plan Committee and then to the BWSR Board of Directors.
The Policy Committee has decided that the preferred administrative structure going into implementation is the establishment of a Joint Powers Entity. Drafting of this document and determining the membership is underway. Other details will be shared as they become available.
