Early History – How the District was started
In 1965, both the Melissa and Sallie Improvement Association and the Lake Detroiters, advocated for a governmental unit that would be able to address lake problems. Dr. Tom Rogstad, President of Lake Detroiters, led a delegation, including Attorney Robert Irvine and Detroit Lakes City Engineer Winston Larson, to St. Paul to seek enabling legislation that would make it possible to create a local government unit for purposes of “finding causes and solutions for lake eutrophication problems”. They brought a draft bill to Senator Norman Walz of Detroit Lakes, but soon learned that a watershed district created under the auspices of the State’s 1955 Watershed Act, would serve the purpose if that Act was slightly amended to allow lakes and the lands that drained to them, to be defined as a watershed. The necessary amendments were enacted, and the PRWD was the first watershed district to organize under the amended law.
On September 15, 1965 a copy of a petition asking for the creation of the Pelican River Watershed District was filed with the Minnesota Water Resources Board. The petitioners, seeking to slow down the eutrophication of the lakes, among other purposes, were the Becker County Commissioners. After public meetings and discussion where local officials and the business community offered strong support, the petition was amended slightly and submitted by both the Becker and Otter Tail County Commissioners.
In March 30, 1966 the Water Resources Board held a hearing at the Becker County Courthouse. The Director’s report was presented and oral testimony on it and other matters was heard. At the May 27th meeting of the Water Resources Board, the Pelican River Watershed District, as previously defined and delimited by the Director, was ordered. The order specifically noted that addressing pollution would be central to the District’s mission. It also noted that navigation, soil erosion, and fish and wildlife enhancements, would be District purposes.
First Generation Plan. The District completed it’s first Watershed Management Plan in 1967. The plan focused on eutrophication of area lakes; obtaining data on the nature and causes of lake water quality problems. The District conducted several studies in the early years including evaluation of in-lake nutrient removal by aquatic plant harvesting (concluded ineffective and not feasible); District -wide monitoring studies; and MPCA Clean Lakes Diagnostic Studies for lakes Sallie and Detroit. IN the early 1970’s, the District negotiated the purchase of Dunton Park located on the east side of Lake Sallie. The District dredged the channels between Sallie and Melissa as well as the sandbar channel between Little and Big Detroit in 1981. Flowering rush was first identified in Curfman Lake in the early 1970s. The District continued harvesting Flowering rush on Detroit, Curfman, Sallie and Melissa.
Second Generation Plan. The District updated its Water Management Plan in 1994. The revised water management plan (RMP) was a major revision from the 1967 plan. The 1994 RMP was based upon the scientific knowledge gained from the past studies. The plan included the lake assessments, identified issues causing water quality problems and developed goals, strategies, and measures to address the problems. The plan was emended in 1997 primarily to incorporate ditch management (Becker County 11,12,13,14 drainage systems), water management districts, and procedures to establish a storm water utility. The District updated its water management Rules, adopted a permitting system, started a comprehensive monitoring program, and constructed several regional storm water treatment facilities in the City of Detroit Lakes. St. Clair Lake was treated with alum in 1999 to reduce phosphorus loading to downstream Lake Sallie. A study on Ditch 14 wetland was undertaken in the late 1990’s. The District continued to manage Flowering rush using mechanical harvesters. A comprehensive plan for the Campbell Creek/Floyd lake sub-watershed area was completed. Over 25 agricultural practices were installed along Campbell Creek in 2005. The District partnered with the DL High School Water Watch program.
Third Generation Plan. The 2005 Water Management Plan built on the previous plan, but added considerable implementation detail within each of the eight (8) Water Quality Planning Regions. Actions involved increased support for education (Water Festival, environmental education, Becker Coalition of Lake Associations, social media/website, classroom assistance); enhanced and targeted monitoring, shoreline and vegetation surveys; cost-share programs; streamlining permitting system. A MPCA Clean Water Partnership Diagnostic Study was completed on Pearl Lake in 2008. The District shifted from harvesting Flowering Rush to leading a major research effort towards control. In 2016, the District celebrated 50-years of water management and created a historical booklet PRWD 50 year Booklet 1966-2016
Fourth Generation Plan. On March 25, 2020, the District adopted it’s fourth water management plan. The 2020-29 District plan used the Board of Soil and Water Resources (BWSR) One Watershed One Plan approach to watershed planning. An extensive process was completed to prioritize the order in which concerns should be addressed but also the types of actions to be considered and the needed resources. The plan established measurable goals to be achieved during the plan period. The PRWD RMP (2020-29) was substituted and adopted with the Otter Tail River One Watershed One Plan (2023-32) on January 25, 2023.
Fifth Generation Plan- Otter Tail River One Watershed One Plan. In 2021-2022, the Otter Tail Watershed (OTW) planning partners embarked on the development of an Otter Tail Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan (OTCWMP) through the One Watershed One Plan (1W1P) program administered by the Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR), Minnesota Statutes §103B.801. The partnership includes Otter Tail County, East Otter Tail Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), West Otter Tail SWCD, Becker County, Becker SWCD, Pelican River Watershed District, and Cormorant Lakes Watershed District.
This planning effort marks a watershed moment for management of the natural resources in this area. Previously, each local government had its own water management plan; now, all the local governments in the planning area collaborated on a joint plan to guide the management of the diverse and valuable natural resources in the watershed. The OTCWMP was approved by BWSR on January 25, 2023.
District operations are guided by its planning area which identifies and prioritizes goals, policies and actions to meet the water quality goals and objectives for the waters within our District. The planning area recognizes the challenges of water quality improvement in highly urbanized areas of the District; recommends and prioritizes actions for protection or improvement of water quality, water quantity, ecological integrity, and groundwater projects based on the District’s modeling and monitoring results; prioritizes District programs for improved watershed awareness; defines the respective roles and responsibilities between PRWD, local units of government and other organizations; and addresses emerging challenges posed by federal Clean Water Act requirements for impaired waters
