Comprehensive Local Water Plan

The Yellow Medicine County Board of Commissioners, on October 10, 1987 adopted a resolution to develop a Comprehensive Local Water Plan.  The Plan has two purposes:  to identify existing and potential problems and opportunities for the protection, management and development of water and related land resources; and to develop objectives and carry out a plan of action to promote sound hydrologic mangement of water and related land resources and effective environmental protection. 

In December of 1990, the Yellow Medicine County Board of Commissioners approved and adopted the Comprehensive Local Water Plan.  Since that time, the Plan has been updated and amended in 1996, 2005, 2010 and 2016.

The Comprehensive Local Water Plan identifies four priority issues and concerns, which serve as the focus in the creation of the Goals, Objectives and Actions:

1. Groundwater Protection:  Protect drinking water resources by providing assistance to help manage vulnerable areas from potential contamination sources.
2. Erosion and Sediment Control:  Soil erosion and sedimentation on agricultural lands.
3. Reducing Priority Pollutants:  Priority pollutants, nutrients and bacteria, related to feedlots, non-conforming individual sewage treatment systems and other surface runoff.
4. Surface Water, Drainage Management and Flooding:  Manage flooding and its' effects minimizing losses associated with the flooding of agricultural lands.  Address runoff volume and water quality deterioration through surface water and drainage management.

The Yellow Medicine County Water Task Force meets to develop a work plan to address the above listed priority concerns.

 

One Watershed One Plan

The Yellow Medicine River Watershed was selected by the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) as one of the five pilot areas for the One Watershed, One Plan program.  This program allows counties to transition from county-based water management planning to watershed-based planning.  The planning area for the Yellow Medicine River One Watershed, One Plan includes a drainage area of over 438,400 acres.  The Lac qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, and Yellow Medicine County Boards of Commissioners and their respective SWCD Boards of Managers, along with the Yellow Medicine River Watershed District and Area II Minnesota River Basin Projects, Inc., have all given their support to this project. 

The One Watershed One plan was approved by the Board of Water and Soil Resources in December 2016.  The complete Plan and supporting information can be found at Area II: One Watershed One Plan

 

Well Sealing Cost Share Available!

Yellow Medicine County has cost share available to seal abandoned/unused wells.  Cost share is 50% of the cost to seal the well with a maximum of $500 per well.

Applications must be completed and approved prior to sealing the well.  Wells sealed prior to signing the contract will be ineligible.

For an application form, contact the Yellow Medicine County Land and Resource Management Office at 320-669-7524.  

 

Water Test Kits

How safe is the water you drink?  Contaminants can be present which can cause serious disease and yet not affect the odor, color or taste of your water.  A water supply should be tested about once a year.  Water test kits can be obtained at the Yellow Medicine County Land and Resource Management Office in Clarkfield.

The samples can be tested for the following:

• Coliform bacteria 
• Nitrate nitrogen 
• Iron 
• Sulfates
• Hardness
• Fluoride

For more information, please contact the Land and Resource Management Office at 320-669-7524.