groundwater
Groundwater provides 100% of the drinking water in Washington County, in addition to being used for agriculture, industry, and residential irrigation. But groundwater is also intricately connected to our lakes, rivers, wetlands and streams.
Washington County is the lead entity for groundwater management in our area. They implement the Washington County Groundwater Plan, coordinate monthly Water Consortium meetings, and provide public information and agency coordination related to groundwater contamination in the county.
Washington Conservation District provides technical support to assist the county with groundwater conservation and protection efforts.
Groundwater Protection Rule
Beginning September 1, 2020, the application of nitrogen fertilizer in the fall and on frozen soil will be restricted in areas vulnerable to groundwater contamination.
well screening clinics
WCD works with Washington County, Minnesota Well Owners Organization, and the Minnesota Groundwater Association to host free well-screening clinics for area residents.
Read a summary report from the 2023 Cottage Grove clinic.
Observation well monitoring
The WCD monitors water elevations in 32 observation wells in the county that have been selected by the Minnesota DNR.
These wells are read quarterly and all data gathered is sent to the DNR where it is entered into their database and used to assess groundwater resources, interpret impacts of pumping and climatic changes, plan for water conservation, evaluate local water complaints and provide for management of the resources.
education
Head to the Youth Education page to learn about groundwater programs available for schools and youth groups.
We also have two suitcase style education displays that are available to borrow for community events.
Educational videos:
From the blog - EMWREP news articles about groundwater.