Wetlands in Minnesota

Minnesota’s landscape supports over an estimated 9.3 million acres of wetlands.  From the vast peatlands of the north to the prairie potholes in the west and southwest, Minnesota’s wetlands are home to numerous plants and animals from leopard frogs and muskrats to dragonflies and wild iris.  Like a giant sponge wetlands soak up storm flows and capture nutrients and sediments, protecting water quality in downstream lakes and streams.  Like a oversaturated sponge though, excessive loading of nutrients, sediments, toxics and other pollutants can easily impact wetland water quality.

Wetland water quality standards

Minnesota water quality standards regulate wetland physical changes due to inundation, dredging, filling and drainage.  To protect certain uses of wetland waters temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, hardness and chlorides may need to be maintained at background conditions. 

• Minnesota state wetland rules
• Summary of Minnesota wetland water quality standards:
  • Minnesota Wetlands Water Quality Standards fact sheet
  • Minnesota Water Quality Standards and Physical Alterations to Wetlands fact sheet

Protecting wetland water quality

401 Water Quality Certification. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has the responsibility to certify that state water quality standards would not be violated by a discharge to waters that is allowed by a federal permit action.  The MPCA coordinates its activities with the Boards of Water and Soil Resources, the Department of Natural Resources, the Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency to achieve this result.  Most 401 certification actions are in response to proposed drainage or filling actions in wetlands which is permitted by the US Army Corps of Engineers.

Currently the MPCA has developed a protocol for Section 401 determinations.  The MPCA is focusing its Section 401 resources on determinations for projects associated with impaired waters, outstanding resource value waters, trout waters and other circumstances requiring additional review.  The MPCA requires permittees to avoid, minimize and mitigate their impacts upon wetlands.  More information is available at:

• 401 Water Quality Certification
• Wetlands and Stormwater Protection. Applicants for construction stormwater permits are required to fully comply with wetland mitigation standards

For more information about the MPCA’s Section 401 water quality certification, contact: Kevin Molloy, 651-757-2577.

Wetland monitoring and assessment

Biological monitoring and Assessment. Methods and criteria have been established for assessing depressional wetland quality using indicators based on the health of invertebrate and plant communities. More information is available on the Biological Monitoring and Assessment Web page.

State wetland monitoring strategy

Over a two-year period representatives from the Department of Natural Resources, Board of Water and Soil Resources, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency developed a comprehensive wetland assessment, monitoring and mapping strategy for the state.  The wetland monitoring strategy includes three major approaches:

• A statewide random survey
• An integrated accounting system
• Updating and maintaining Minnesota’s National Wetland Inventory coverage

Information is available on the Minnesota Comprehensive Wetland Assessment Monitoring and Mapping Strategy page.

Links related to Minnesota wetlands

• Board of Water and Soil Resources - Provides extensive information and materials about Minnesota’s Wetland Conservation Act, including statewide wetland banking, and information about Minnesota Routine Assessment Method which is a functional assessment methodology.

• Department of Natural Resources - Ecological Services- Complete information about the State Wetland Conservation Plan and extensive links to related wetland conservation programs and resources.

• Department of Natural Resources - Waters - Good discussion about the types of wetlands and their functions.  Also a good overview of the wetland regulatory and protection programs in Minnesota.

• Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District - Wetland regulatory notices and information about federal wetland permitting in Minnesota.

• MPCA Stormwater Program - Stormwater requlations and management practices in Minnesota with some parts and links affecting wetlands.

• Governor Pawlenty’s Clean Water Initiative - Wetland Vision - Adopted in Feb. 2006 the Governor’s vision for wetland protection includes several strategic initiatives.

More information

For more information, contact Mark Gernes at 651-757-2387.