Board of Managers
Rick Michaelson
President-Term May 2025
218-847-4951
Laurie Olson
Vice President -Term May 2026
218-234-9346
Chris Jasken
Secretary-Term May 2026
218-234-3603
Phil Hansen
Treasurer-Term May 2025
218-849-8585
Dennis Kral
Manager-Term May 2025
218-849-6123
Orrin Okeson
Manager-Term May 2027
218-847-7983
Charles Jasken
Manager-Term May 2027
218-849-6155
District Staff
Tera Guetter
District Administrator
tera.guetter@arvig.net
Gina Kemper
Water Resource Coordinator
gina.kemper@arvig.net
Shanna Rix-Bach
Office Coordinator
prwdinfo@arvig.net
Consultants
Chad Engels
District Engineer
Moore Engineering
Lukas Croaker
District Attorney
Ohnstad Twichell, P.C.
Stakeholder Advisory Committee
Convene on an ad hoc basis
Technical Advisory Committee
Bryan Malone
Becker Soil & Water Conservation District, Administrator
(218) 846-7360
Darren Newville
East Otter Tail SWCD
218-228-2373
Aaron Larsen
West Otter Tail SWCD
218-998-5300
Tera Guetter
Pelican River Watershed District
218-846-0436
Liz Larson
Cormorant Lakes Watershed District
218-234-6865
Chris LeClair
Otter Tail County Zoning
218-998-8095
Kyle Vareberg
Becker County Zoning
218-846-7314
Pete Waller
Board of Water & Soil Resources
(218) 770-3802
State and Federal Agencies as needed
Rodger Hemphill
MN DNR Ecological Services – Hydrologist
(218) 849-8464
Bob Guetter
Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)
(218) 846-7360
Scott Schroeder
MN Pollution Control Agency
(218) 846-8134
Purpose and Mission
About
The Pelican River Watershed District is a special unit of government organized under Minnesota Statues 103D to manage water resources in the watershed. It covers approximately 120 square miles in Becker and Otter Tail Counties and includes the upper reaches of the Pelican River which eventually drains to the Otter Tail and Red Rivers.
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 Administration
The Pelican River Watershed District is led by a seven (7) member Board of Managers that guides the implementation of the goals and objectives set forth in the Otter Tail Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan. Board Managers are appointed by the Becker County Commissioners and each manager represents a distinct geographical area within the District. Managers serve a 3-year term and can be re-appointed to serve additional terms. The District’s three (3) full-time employees include the Administrator, who oversees daily operations; the Water Resource Coordinator, who assists with project permitting, monitoring, and education/outreach programs; and the Office Coordinator, who manages payroll, bookkeeping, education/outreach, and assists with day-to-day operations. The District hires seasonal college interns to assist with monitoring and other District programs. The District contracts the services of an engineer, legal counsel, and an auditing firm.
Otter Tail Plan Committees
Policy Committee. The OTCWMP partnership uses existing authorities, and a representative from each local government unit is appointed to the Policy Committee, which is the decision-making body for the OTCWMP.
Technical Advisory Committee. This committee consists of staff from the local governmental units and may also include state and federal agencies. The TAC meets on a monthly basis.
Stakeholder Advisory Committee. This committee is made up of local stakeholders within the Otter Tail River Basin, including lake groups, agricultural producers/landowners, local business owners, educators, and residents. This committee meets on an ad hoc basis.
Otter Tail Plan Vision Statement
The Otter Tail Watershed planning partners developed the following vision statement:
“The natural beauty and diversity of water and land in the Otter Tail Watershed is attractive to residents and tourists because of its recreational opportunities, farming, forests, and wildlife. We strive to sustain this diversity of riches for future generations to enjoy.”
MEETINGS
The Board of Managers meet on a monthly basis, generally on the third Wednesday of each month at 8:30 AM. Other board meetings may be held such as public hearings, special meetings, and informational meetings. Please check the Events Calendar.
District meetings are held on the second floor conference room of the Wells Fargo Bank Building, 211 Holmes St. West, Detroit Lakes, MN unless otherwise noticed. Meetings may be held via Interactive Technology due to emergency or health pandemic conditions.
OPERATIONS
The District operations are guided by the Otter Tail Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan (OTCWMP) which identifies and prioritizes goals, policies and actions to meet the water quality goals and objectives for the waters within the Otter Tail River Basin. Within the OTCWMP, the Pelican River Watershed District regional 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 modeling and monitoring results; prioritizes programs for improved watershed awareness; defines the respective roles and responsibilities between the plan local government partners and other organizations; and addresses emerging challenges posed by federal Clean Water Act requirements for impaired waters
Plan results are captured in the Otter Tail Annual report as well as in the PRWD’s annual report, published each year to inform District residents and stakeholders about our activities.
FUNDING
The District finances the watershed management plan programs and projects with local funding, watershed-based funding implementation dollars, and collaboratively sought state, federal, and private grant dollars. In order to both serve the District as a whole and address specific issues, the District uses a variety of funding sources through Watershed District Law (MS 103D) and Drainage Law (MS 103E).
Programs and projects of district-wide benefit are generally funded through ad valorem levies. District projects or programs that are not of district-wide benefit may be paid for by a special assessment of the benefited properties, as determined by appraisers or viewers. As another funding mechanism, water management districts (WMD) may be established for the purpose of collecting revenues and paying costs of capital improvement projects (St. Clair Alum Treatment, Rice Lake Wetland Nutrient Reduction Project, regional storm water treatment ponds), storm water management facilities, and nutrient reduction programs. District funds
In addition to these District derived funding mechanisms, there are several funding sources available to the District from outside resources such as various federal, state, and local grants, Clean Water Partnership funds, MN Buffer Law Enforcement, and One Watershed One Plan implementation funds. The District may also receive direct legislative funding in the form of state bonding. Lastly, the District may choose to borrow funds to finance projects over a longer timeframe.
OUR HISTORY
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