Master Water Supply Plan -- March 2009

The Metropolitan Area Master Water Supply Plan is the culmination of efforts initiated in 2005 in response to the Minnesota Legislature's mandate to the Metropolitan Council. As required under Minnesota Statute 473.1565, the goal of these efforts is to guide sustainable water use in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area.

On March 26th, the Metropolitan Area Water Supply Advisory Committee provisionally approved the Metropolitan Area Master Water Supply Plan. The conditional approval allows for a 6-month period in which to evaluate how the plan’s implementation affects local water appropriation permitting decisions.  During this period, the Council and DNR will focus on evaluating how the plan helps communities anticipate future appropriation permit conditions and ensures adequate supplies are available to meet future demands. The committee will reconvene in October to hear a report on the results of plan implementation and any recommended changes.

1. Master Water Supply Plan Report: The Master Water Water Supply Plan report describes how the Master Plan was developed, what it includes, and how it will guide sustainable water use.

• Executive Summary (word, 83KB)
• Full Report (word, 1.2MB)
• Appendix 1: Maps (pdf, 17.71MB) Low resolution Maps (pdf, 7.7MB)
• Appendix 2: Community Profiles (pdf, 2.2KB)
• Appendix 3: Issue Responses (pdf, 87KB)
• Appendix 4: Sub-regional Model Results (word, 106KB)
• Appendix 5: Public Comments (word, 316KB)

2. Make-a-Map: An interactive web application that provides users access to water supply GIS datasets and offers the ability to create maps. Data provided through this application come from the Minnesota Department of Health, Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Minnesota Geologic Survey, Minnesota Geologic Survey, and metropolitan area communities and counties.

• Make-a-Map (web application)

3. Community and County Water Supply Profiles: A water supply Profile was developed for each metropolitan area community and county. Each Community's Profile lists water supply sources and options available to the community and outlines issues that need to be addressed to ensure the sources are developed sustainably. The county-specific Profiles provide a summary of water supply issues and recommendations relevant to land use planning on a county scale. The Profiles are provided as an appendix of the Master Water Supply Plan Report and asa web application.

• Master Water Supply Plan Report: Appendix 2 Community and County Profiles (pdf, 2.2KB)
• Topics: Water Supply (web application)

 

4. Water Supply Issue Responses: The Issue Responses Tables outline the issue identified in the community profiles and provide a set of responses intended to address each. The particular response a community implements depends on the severity or immediacy of the issue it is addressing. The responses outlined are intended to provide communities with a clear understanding of what is expected for future appropriations and when additional appropriation from a traditional source may become unacceptable.

• Master Water Supply Plan Report: Appendix 3 Issue Responses (pdf, 87KB)
  
  

5. Water Conservation Toolbox: The water Conservation Toolbox provides information on water-conserving practices for customers and program ideas and tools, such as sample ordinances, for water suppliers. Information is selected on the basis of its appropriateness to the region's water use trends, development patterns, and climate. Links to the websites of reputable organizations lead the user deeper into subjects related to conservation and regulation.

• Water Conservation Toolbox (web page)

6. Twin Cities Metropolitan Groundwater Flow Model Version 2.00: Metro Model 2 is a numerical groundwater flow model designed to correlate region water supplies with current and projected demand, and thus to identify potential problems associated with using specific groundwater sources.

• Metro Model 2 (web page)