A watershed is the area of land that drains to a common lake, wetland, stream or river. Watersheds come in different sizes and scales: for example someone who lives on Lake Minnetonka is part of the Lake Minnetonka watershed, which is also in the Minnehaha creek watershed, which is also in the Mississippi River watershed, which is also in the Gulf of Mexico Watershed. No matter where you are, you are always in a watershed.
The Minnehaha Creek Watershed District is the regional governmental unit responsible for managing and protecting the water resources of the Minnehaha Creek watershed, located in the area including and immediately west of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The District was established in 1967 under the Minnesota Watershed District Act, which recognizes that hydrologic boundaries rarely match political boundaries. The 1955 act established watershed districts to integrate water management efforts between city, county and state agencies.
The District covers approximately 181 square miles that ultimately drain into the Minnehaha Creek (which then enters the Mississippi River). The watershed includes natural treasures such as Minnehaha Creek, Lake Minnetonka, The Minneapolis Chain of Lakes and Minnehaha Falls. There are eight major creeks, 129 lakes and thousands of wetlands within the MCWD.Check out current water grades by CLICKING HERE!
Information from this page was found on the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District Website. For more information, please visit their site at www.minnehahacreek.org.
