Entire watershed will be in district

Published 12:00 am Saturday, May 31, 2003

While some residents of the Shell Rock River Watershed have held out hope that they may not be part of the soon-to-be-formed watershed district, a Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) representative said the entire watershed will be included.

Officers from two townships told the county board this month that they don’t think their areas should be in the new district.

&uot;We do not feel that we are justified to be in that watershed board,&uot; said Donald Cook, chairman of Shell Rock Township. &uot;Our water all runs south into the Shell Rock. If there’s no benefit, you can’t tax us.&uot;

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The district, which will have the power to levy taxes and carry out projects designed to improve water quality and conditions in the watershed, is expected to be officially formed in late June, after it got a favorable vote from the BWSR board last week.

But Cook argued that because water from his area doesn’t flow into the lakes, the area shouldn’t be responsible for helping pay to clean them up by being included in the district.

Roy Carlson of Freeman Township, downstream from the lakes, said the watershed district is a &uot;railroad job.&uot;

&uot;People won’t have anything to say about it,&uot; he told the county board.

But Jim Haertel of BWSR said their position in relation to the lakes is not the issue.

&uot;We hear that argument a lot,&uot; he said. &uot;But the reason for this district is not necessarily just the lakes. If we didn’t do our part, the water that dumps into Iowa would be pretty lousy.&uot;

Harley Miller, who started the petition to have the watershed district formed, agreed, saying the whole watershed needs to be addressed, not just the lakes.

The county board will have no control over how the district’s lines are drawn. Haertel said that all of the watershed that lies in Minnesota will be included.

A watershed is defined as a geographical area whose water all drains to a central location. In this case, all the land area that drains into the Shell Rock River constitutes the Shell Rock River Watershed.

The only tricky part in determining the district’s border will be deciding about parcels of land that are on the boundary. Haertel said all properties on the edges of the watershed will have to be examined, and those with more than half their land in the district will be considered part of the district for taxing purposes.

Miller, however, said it’s not a sure thing that the district will use its taxing authority. A board of managers has not yet been appointed to run the district; that will be done at the next BWSR board meeting. Miller and 12 others whose names were submitted with the petition are being considered.

He said despite the objections against the district, its efforts will be well worth it.

&uot;If the project is successful, the economic benefit to this community and the additions to the quality of life of the community will be immeasurable,&uot; he said.

The local board of managers is required to meet within 10 days after the decision to finalize the district.