The authority to create a watershed district is provided in M.S. Chapter 103D.205. To create a watershed district, an establishment petition needs to be filed with BWSR and signed by one or more of the groups designated under M.S. Chapter 103D.205, Subd. 3., which could be counties, cities, or residents. Specific information must be provided, and the number of managers proposed cannot be less than three or more than nine. The manager cannot be a public officer of the county, state, or federal government, except that a soil and water conservation supervisor may be a manager.

The director of the DNR, Division of Waters, must prepare a preliminary map and report and submit it to BWSR within thirty days after receipt of the petition (M.S. Chapter 103D.215). BWSR determines if there are the required number of petitioner signatures and provides a legal notice that a public hearing will be conducted (M.S. Chapter 103D.221). After considering public input, BWSR will approve or deny the petition. If BWSR approves the establishment of a watershed district, it will designate the watershed district’s boundaries, name, place of business, and first board of managers.

Click this link to read more about the Fundamentals of Minnesota Watershed Law.