Title Minnesota Statutes, Minnesota Statutes

103A.204 GROUNDWATER POLICY. (a) The responsibility for the protection of groundwater in Minnesota is vested in a multiagency approach to management. The following is a list of agencies and the groundwater protection areas for which the agencies are primarily responsible; the lis…

103A.205 CONSERVATION POLICY FOR RAINWATER. It is the policy of the state to promote the retention and conservation of all water precipitated from the atmosphere in the areas where it falls, as far as practicable. Except as otherwise expressly provided, all officers, departments,…

103A.207 FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT POLICY. (a) It is the policy of this state to reduce flood damages through floodplain management, stressing nonstructural measures such as floodplain zoning and floodproofing, and flood warning practices. (b) It is the policy of this state: (1) not …

103A.208 SCENIC RIVER PROTECTION POLICY. The legislature finds that certain of Minnesota's rivers and their adjacent lands possess outstanding scenic, recreational, natural, historical, scientific and similar values. It is in the interest of present and future generations to reta…

103A.209 MARGINAL, ERODIBLE LAND RETIREMENT POLICY. It is state policy to encourage the retirement of marginal, highly erodible land, particularly land adjacent to public waters and drainage systems, from crop production and to reestablish a cover of perennial vegetation. History…

103A.211 WATER LAW POLICY. The Water Law of this state is contained in many statutes that must be considered as a whole to systematically administer water policy for the public welfare. Water law that seems contradictory as applied to a specific proceeding creates a need for a fo…

103A.212 WATERSHED MANAGEMENT POLICY. The quality of life of every Minnesotan depends on water. Minnesota's rivers, lakes, streams, wetlands, and groundwater provide a foundation for drinking water and the state's recreational, municipal, commercial, industrial, agricultural, env…

103A.301 DEFINITIONS. § Subdivision 1.Applicability. The definitions in this section apply to sections 103A.301 to 103A.341. § Subd. 2.Agency. "Agency" means a state officer, board, commission, bureau, division, or agency, other than a court, exercising duty or authority under la…

103A.305 JURISDICTION. Sections 103A.301 to 103A.341 apply if the decision of an agency in a proceeding involves a question of water policy in one or more of the areas of water conservation, water pollution, preservation and management of wildlife, drainage, soil conservation, pu…

103A.311 PETITION FOR INTERVENTION. § Subdivision 1.Authority. The board may intervene in a proceeding if a petition is filed with the board for referral of a question of water policy involved in the proceeding. § Subd. 2.Petition for intervention. A petition for intervention mus…

103A.315 COURT REFERRALS. The court may refer a proceeding under its jurisdiction involving a law listed in section 103A.305 to the board by a petition of the court directed to the board. The referral may be made in original and appellate proceedings. A party to a proceeding may …

103A.321 PETITION ABATES PROCEEDING UNTIL BOARD ACTS. A petition for intervention filed with the board abates a proceeding until there is a recommendation by the board or until 60 days have passed after conclusion of hearing before the board, whichever is earlier, unless the agen…

103A.325 BOARD DECISION TO INTERVENE. After receiving a petition, the board must decide whether the petition and the record made before the agency show an important question of water policy according to rules adopted by the board. If the board decides that there is not an importa…

103A.331 HEARING AND DETERMINATION. § Subdivision 1.Hearing. After a petition is filed, the board must proceed expeditiously to hear, determine, and make its recommendations on the questions it has consented to consider. The hearings must be conducted to fully inform the board ab…

103A.335 FILING, NOTICE, AND PROCEDURE. § Subdivision 1.Notice. A consent, notice, or recommendation made by the board must be filed with the agency. The filing is notice of the board's action. The board's rules may provide for a notice, in addition to filing by mail, posting, pu…

103A.341 FINDINGS BY BOARD. Within 60 days of the close of a hearing, the board must make findings and recommendations based solely on the evidence presented at the public hearing. History: 1990 c 391 art 1 s 19; 2025 c 20 s 61

103A.401 STATEWIDE WATER INFORMATION SYSTEM. The commissioner of natural resources, in cooperation with other state agencies including the Minnesota geologic survey, shall establish and maintain a statewide water information system to gather, process, and distribute information o…

103A.403 STATEWIDE NITRATE DATA. The Environmental Quality Board shall ensure that all available data regarding the presence of nitrates in groundwater in the state that meet state standards recommended under Laws 1992, chapter 544, section 13, are integrated into the Minnesota G…

103A.405 DIRECTOR'S APPROVAL FOR FEDERAL WATER DATA AGREEMENTS. A contract or agreement may not be made by a department or agency of the state or a municipality, with the United States or an agency or department of the United States, for the collection of basic data pertaining to…

103A.411 PUMPING TEST AND DATA ACQUISITION; TRAINING PROGRAMS. The commissioner shall set up a statewide training program to provide training in the conduct of pumping tests and data acquisition programs. History: 1990 c 391 art 1 s 22

103A.43 WATER ASSESSMENTS AND REPORTS. (a) The Environmental Quality Board shall consolidate the assessments required in paragraphs (b) and (c) with the policy report in section 103A.204 and submit a single report to the house of representatives and senate committees with jurisdi…