MN Buffer Law :
For the most current information please see the State Buffer Law website for information of the buffer law. This site will provide the most current information of the law.
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https://bwsr.state.mn.us/minnesota-buffer-law
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Stearns County SWCD Buffer Contact
Ben Ruley - 320-345-6474
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​Check your property online for Public Waters or Public Ditches here:
​http://arcgis.dnr.state.mn.us/gis/buffersviewer/
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Requirements of the Buffer Law
Public Waters
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Require a 50-foot average width, 30-foot minimum width, continuous buffer of perennially rooted vegetation or an approved alternative practice plan with the SWCD Office.
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Buffers are measured from the top or crown of the bank. Where there is no defined bank, measurement must be from the edge of the normal water level.
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MN Buffers Law for Public Waters started on November 1, 2017
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Public Drainage Systems
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Requires a minimum of 16.5 feet of buffer
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Buffers are measured from the top or crown of the bank.
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MN Buffers Law for Public Ditches started on November 1, 2018
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MN Buffer Law
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MN Statute 103F.48
Riparian Protection and Water Quality Practices
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Compliance Tracking Plan
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SWCD's are required by the Mn State Buffer Law to verify buffer compliance on a 3 year cycle. Detail in pdf below.
Watershed District Coordination
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The North Fork Crow River Watershed District and Sauk River Watershed District enforce the MN Buffer Law on their Public Ditches in coordination with the SWCD.
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Other Waters
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The SWCD in consultation with local water management authorities, has adopted a summary of watercourses for inclusion in the local water management plan.
Also:
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Requires SWCDs to make compliance determinations and track progress towards compliance
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Requires SWCDs to notify the organization with jurisdiction over the noncompliant site when it determines a landowner is not in compliance.
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Exempts certain land uses and areas from the buffer requirements
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Allows landowners to meet the buffer requirements through other conservation practices that will protect water quality
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Requires SWCDs to identify “other waters” for inclusion in local water plans
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Requires SWCDs to assist landowners in complying with the law
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Provides for enforcement by counties, watershed districts or the MN Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR)
Click here for more information on Minnesota Buffer Program Implementation.
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Options for Compliance with the Buffer Law
There are numerous options for landowners to stay in compliance with the buffer law:
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Voluntary planting of perennial vegetation for hay, pasture, wildlife habitat…
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Conservation set aside programs like Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM) Reserve, CRP…
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Installing “Alternative Practices” that meet the requirements
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Meeting the requirements of and enrolling in the MN Ag Water Quality Certification Program (MAWQCP)
