Over the past year many partners have been working to develop this Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan for the Otter Tail River Watershed.  This includes the counties of Otter Tail and Becker, the East Otter Tail SWCD, West Otter Tail SWCD, Becker SWCD and the Pelican River and Cormorant Lakes Watershed Districts.This Otter Tail River 1W1P includes a list of primary focus issues that will be the focus of implementation efforts in the next 10-years.  These focus issues were developed with input from a local citizen’s advisory committee and state and federal partners.  The plan also details strategies related to how local partners will focus technical and financial assistance.  Our management strategies will Protect, Enhance and Restore Focus Resources depending on their existing condition.  The plan also sets measurable goals to address focus issues and indicates how progress will be measured.

When the plan is approved project partners will receive approximately $600,000 in new Watershed Based Implementation Funding every year for the next 10 years.  These funds will compliment current baseline funding levels and funding from other partner sources.

The formal 60-day review period officially begins on September 30, 2022 and extends through November 29, 2022.  The deadline for submitting comments is November 29, 2022 at 4:00 pm.  All comments must be sent to Don Bajumpaa, on behalf of the Otter Tail River Watershed Policy Committee, and Pete Waller, on behalf of the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (see contact information below).  A copy of the plan is available on the East Otter Tail SWCD’s website:

https://www.eotswcd.org/uploads/files/Draft_Otter_Tail_River_1W1P.pdf

Please submit comments for the 60-day formal review period to BOTH of the following:

Don Bajumpaa                                                                                                                  Pete Waller

EOT SWCD                                                                                                                           MN BWSR

801 Jenny Ave NW                                                                                                          1732 North Tower Rd

Perham, MN 56573                                                                                                          Detroit Lakes, MN 56501

Don.bajumpaa@eot.mnswcd.org                                                                             Pete.Waller@state.mn.us