Quick Zoom to:

• Background and Beginnings
• Board of Managers
• Watershed Area
• Plans, Rules, and Regulations
• Milestones
• Cooperative Efforts

Background and Beginnings

The area encompassed by the Clearwater River Watershed District (CRWD) is rich in soil and water resources. The presence of those abundances has encouraged the growth of two economic mainstays in this Central Minnesota territory – farming and tourism. Around these basics have grown the communities that support their needs. As population and industry grow, those priceless resources, which we often take for granted, may deteriorate.

A number of years ago, those who fished and enjoyed the waters of the Clearwater Chain of Lakes began to notice a decrease in the clarity of those waters, an increase in the number of rough fish (bullheads and carp), and an increase in the growth of algae on the surface of the water. Studies showed that the lakes were nutrient-rich—they were polluted with phosphorus in amounts many times higher than the norm.

The lakes through which the Clearwater River flowed were aging much too quickly. That process, which is a natural phenomenon called "eutrophication," was being helped along at an alarming rate via runoff from cities, farmland, private septic systems, and industry.

The Clearwater River Watershed District was established as a unit of local government on April 9, 1975, by order of the Minnesota Water Resources Board, acting under authority of Chapter 112, MSA (the Minnesota Watershed Act). The waters of Clearwater Lake were first tested in 1946. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, because water clarity seemed to be diminishing, property owners sought new tests from scientists interested in water quality. Those tests revealed that the nutrient content of the water had increased substantially since 1946 – phosphorus was coming into the lake at a rate almost double the rate considered damaging. Further reports concluded that the rate of phosphorus input could be reduced by as much as 50% if the cities of Watkins, Kimball, and Annandale, and the Modern Craftsmen’s Milk Association of Watkins installed on-land waste treatment systems instead of discharging sewage and industrial effluents into the Clearwater River and Warner Creek. If, in addition, the phosphorus input from all nonpoint sources, such as septic tanks, agricultural wastes, storm water runoff, and soil erosion could be significantly reduced, the water quality in the watershed could be restored to an acceptable level.

After a lengthy series of meetings and legal research, those concerned came to the conclusion that only a watershed district, with its powers of enforcement and its abilities to assess and to obtain federal and state funding, could tackle the pollution problem in the Chain of Lakes. The Clearwater River Watershed District was the culmination of years of hard work and the beginning of many more years of work aimed at undoing some of the damage done over a long period of time to one of our most important resources – our lakes and streams.

Though the original thrust of the CRWD and its five-member Board of Managers was the improvement of water quality in the Clearwater River and Chain of Lakes, its scope has grown into a complete program of water management within its boundaries.

The CRWD has short term and long term goals. Short term goals include working with soil and water conservation districts, townships, counties, state and federal agencies and residents in four areas: individual sewage treatment systems, erosion, feedlots and wetlands. Projects are underway to sewer two lakes. Financial incentive is being provided by CRWD to property owners to buffer surface water and wetlands, two wetland treatment systems underway, and working with feedlot owners and operators as they comply with local ordinances. These efforts we feel, will help us attain our long-term goal of reducing the amount of phosphorus that enters surface water in the watershed district.

Board of Managers

A five-member Board of Managers governs the Clearwater River Watershed District. The Managers serve three-year terms on a staggered basis. The Wright County Board of Commissioners appoints two, the Stearns County Board appoints two, and the Meeker County Board appoints one. (The largest portion of the District lies in Wright and Stearns Counties, with a smaller portion in Meeker.) The powers and duties of watershed districts and their boards of managers are set forth in Minnesota Statue 103D.

Regular meetings of the CRWD Board of Managers are held on the second Wednesday of each month at 7:00p.m. at the middle school in Annandale, and the fourth Wednesday of each month at 6:30p.m. at Stanley's Restaurant in Kimball.  Meetings are open to the public. Meeting notices and minutes are published in the Annandale, Kimball, and Watkins weekly papers.

Watershed Area

The Clearwater River Watershed District encompasses the entire drainage area of the Clearwater River – about 159 square miles. It includes portions of Meeker, Stearns, and Wright Counties in Central Minnesota, and the municipalities of Watkins, Kimball, and Annandale, as well as all or parts of various townships.

The lakes through which the Clearwater River flows are divided into an Upper and Lower Chain by the Fair Haven dam. The Upper Chain includes Lakes Betsy, Union, Scott, Louisa, Marie, and Mill Pond. The Lower Chain includes Lakes Caroline, Augusta, Clearwater, Grass, and Wiegand. Other major lakes in the District are: Clear Lake, Willow Lake, School Section Lake, Pleasant Lake, Cedar Lake, Bass Lake, Swart Watts Lake, Albion Lake, and Otter Lake.

The Clearwater River begins southwest of Watkins and is joined by a tributary known as County Ditch 20 as it meanders south, then east, where it enters the Upper Chain of Lakes. It flows north and under State Highway 55 between Kimball and South Haven, then the general direction of flow through the chain is east, then northeast out of Clearwater Lake, through Grass and Wiegand Lakes, and on into the mighty Mississippi at the City of Clearwater.

Plans, Rules, and Regulations

Two important documents underlie the conduct of CRWD business: (1) the Overall Plan is a comprehensive statement of management philosophy, policies, and programs for the watershed pursuant to objectives stated in the enabling legislation. The Minnesota Water Resources Board formally adopted this plan in 1976. It is updated every five years, and a copy is on file in the CRWD office, as well as in the public libraries or city halls of Annandale, Kimball, and Watkins.

(2) Watershed Rules and Regulations delineate specific requirements and administrative procedures for implementing the Overall Plan and for achieving the purposes of the District on a continuing basis.  The current regulations are available on this website, or copies may be obtained by writing or phoning the CRWD office.

Milestones

Cooperative Efforts

Over its several years of existence, the CRWD has methodically formed working relationships, and sometimes partnerships, with other governmental units and agencies, as well as with groups of private property owners. These relationships, built on common need and a growing trust in the abilities and motives in both sectors, have been mutually gratifying and productive, accomplishing efficiently now what might have taken months or years and an abundance of red tape only a short time ago.

The Planning and Zoning Departments of Wright, Stearns, and Meeker Counties routinely screen permit applications, looking for those that could have adverse impact on water quality, and sending those to the CRWD for comments and conditions. County Sanitarians carefully check septic system plans, and cooperate with the CRWD in making sure those systems won’t pollute. The counties now have Shoreland Management Ordinances to protect their lakes and streams. The County and State Highway Departments submit plans for highway and bridge maintenance to the CRWD for approval. Farmers seeking tiling permits appear before the Board of Managers for engineering advice and approval. The CRWD and the County Soil and Water Conservation Districts cooperate to plan for proper drainage of farmland to prevent erosion and excess runoff and worked together on the nonpoint source pollution abatement (Tri-County Conservation Project) phase of the Lake Restoration Project recently completed. Various lake property owners associations have worked with the CRWD to undertake lake level and bog removal projects. And, individuals appear at CRWD meetings to ask for help, to voice opinions, state criticisms, or just to listen.