Management Plan

The Commission was formed in 1973 as a joint powers organization by the cities of Champlin, Corcoran, Dayton, Maple Grove, Medina, and Plymouth, and the Hennepin Conservation District, under the authority conferred to the member parties through Minnesota Statutes Sections 471.59 and 103B.211.  In 1981 the Town of Hassan entered the agreement.  The cities of Greenfield and Rogers, each with only small areas within the watershed, became non-voting, non-paying members of the Commission in 1982.  In 2000, the City of Corcoran withdrew from the Pioneer-Sarah Creek Commission in order to include all of its area under the Elm Creek Commission. Likewise, Greenfield voted in 2001 to withdraw from the Elm Creek Commission and to include all of its area in the Pioneer-Sarah Creek Watershed Management Commission. Rogers became a full member of the Commission in 2000.

In 2000 the Elm Creek Watershed Management Commission and the Pioneer-Sarah Creek Watershed Management Commission worked cooperatively with WSB & Associates to develop and write their second generation watershed management plans.  In October 2001 citizens from both watersheds came together to discuss water resource issues within their communities. Topics discussed included education, water quality, non-degradation, shoreline protection, erosion, flooding, groundwater, wetlands, fish and wildlife, livestock/feedlots, population density/development, administration/ leadership, and capital funding.

In 2002, the Elm Creek Commission’s Technical Advisory Committe
e (TAC) and representatives from various state agencies met to review and develop policies, standards and rules. Input from TAC meetings and the public meeting was used to create a preliminary draft plan that was presented to Elm Creek watershed residents at a second public meeting in April 2002. A public hearing was conducted on October 9, 2002, to receive comments. Written comments were also received from the cities of Maple Grove and Plymouth and the Department of Natural Resources. At the end of 2002 the revised draft plan underwent its second 45-day agency comment period.

In May 2004 the City of Rogers became the final signatory to the Commission’s amended and restated Joint Powers Agreement, signaling the onset of BWSR’s 60-day final review period.  BWSR approved the Elm Creek Watershed Management Commission Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan on October 27, 2004. The Commission adopted the plan on December 8, 2004.

An amendment to the Commission’s Water Quantity standards was adopted on March 12, 2008.

Elm Creek Watershed Management Commission

Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan

Section 1. Introduction and Executive Summary

Figure i-1. Watershed Boundaries

Section 2. Land and Water Resource Inventory

Figure ii-2. Hydrologic Soil Groups

Figure ii-3. 1998 MUSA Boundary

Figure ii-6a. DNR Protected Waters/Wetlands

Figure ii-8. DNR Waters Appropriations

Figure ii-9. Master Entity List and Leaking Underground Storage Tanks

Figure ii-10. Water-Based Recreation

Section 3. Goals and Policies

Section 4. Problems and Corrective Actions

Section 5. Implementation Program/Priorities

Section 6. Impact on Local Unit of Government

Section 7. Amendment Procedures

Section 8. References/Supplemental Documents

Appendix A. Water Resource Related Agreements (Joint Powers Agreement)

Appendix B. List of Board Members and the Elm Creek Fee Schedule

Appendix C. Glossary

Appendix D. Lake Summaries (To be provided by HCD)

Appendix E. Flood Hazard Study Information (Not available in electronic format.  Please request a paper copy.)

Appendix F. (Amended) Standards of the Elm Creek Watershed Commission

Appendix G. Public Education Plan

Appendix H. Sample Ordinances (Not available in electronic format.  Please request a paper copy.)

Appendix I. Sample Stormwater Maintenance Plan

Appendix J. Water Quality Monitoring Program

Appendix K. General Information About Buffers (Not available in electronic format.  Please request a paper copy.)

Appendix L. Status of Member Communities’ Regulatory Programs

Appendix M. Suggested Low-Impact Development Practices (Not available in electronic format.  Please request a paper copy.)

Appendix N. Storm Water Utility and Trunk Fee Information. (Not available in electronic format.  Please request a paper copy.)