Wetland Regulation

Wetland Regulation

• Wetland Forms and Guidance
• Wetland Conservation Act Fact Sheet
• Current WCA Rule - Chapter 8420, effective August 10, 2009
• 2011 WCA Statute Changes (updated 08/07/2011)
• Unofficial Compilation of WCA Statutes (posted 1/23/2012)
• WCA Local Government Unit directory
• BWSR WCA contacts
• DNR Wetland Enforcement Officers
• DNR TEP Representatives (January 2012)
• WCA enforcement memo (June 12-2009)
• BWSR Administrative Penalty Order Plan (June 12, 2008)
• Northeast Wetland Mitigation Inventory and Assessment
• Dispute Resolution

 

General Permitting Information

Agencies representing three levels of government (federal, state, and local) in Minnesota regulate certain activities that affect the course, current, and cross-section of lakes, wetlands, rivers and streams.

• Federal - Army Corps of Engineers: Permit Programs under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act.
• State - Minnesota Department of Natural Resources: Public Waters Work Permit Program.
• Local - Local units of government: Wetland Conservation Act.

Work affecting the course, current, or cross-section of a lake, wetland, river, or stream may require a permit from one or all of these agencies.

The DNR Public Waters Work Permit Program applies to those lakes, wetlands, rivers, and streams identified on DNR Public Waters Inventory maps . The Wetland Conservation Act applies to nearly all wetlands except those regulated by the DNR Public Waters Work Permit Program. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regulates all waters of the U.S. and often has overlapping regulations with the DNR and the Wetland Conservation Act.

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