Buffer law Minnesota’s buffer law establishes new perennial vegetation buffers of up to 50 feet along rivers, streams and ditches that will help filter out phosphorus, nitrogen and sediment.The law provides flexibility and financial support for landowners to install and maintain buffers.
Buffers are designed to help protect waterways by filtering out phosphorus, nitrogen and sediment. The DNR's role in Minnesota's buffer law is to produce and maintain a map of public waters and public ditch systems that require permanent vegetation buffers. The DNR released a buffer protection map in July. The map will help guide the implementation of Minnesota's buffer law by landowners with the help of the Board of Water and Soil Resources, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, drainage authorities and other local governments.
Buffer law aims to help clean state’s waterways DNR plans to update buffer map in October and January. Landowners must have appropriate buffers in place by scheduled deadlines. By Jeremy Jones CONTRIBUTING WRITER
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elle Lake, north of Hutchinson on the MeekerMcLeod county line, was noticeably missing from an earlier draft of the Department of Natural Resources’ buffer strip map. But an official version released for use in July includes the lake, and calls for a 50-foot buffer with a solid blue line. The buffer map shows landowners and local governments where protective vegetative buffer strips are
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required along 90,000 miles of lakes, rivers, streams and ditches. The map is available online at www.mndnr.gov/buffers. “Vegetative buffers help filter pollutants and sediment out of our waterways,” said DNR Commissioner Tom Landwehr. “Completing this map is a critical step toward the ultimate goal of protecting one of our most valuable natural resources — clean water.” The map is part of a law passed during the 2015 legislative session. The law establishes new perennial vegetation buffers along rivers, streams, lakes, public ditches and some wetlands The map helps landowners determine where buffers or alternative water quality practices are required and what buffer widths are required: ◆ The map labels public ditches as requiring a 16.5-foot buffer (local ordinances may require wider buffers). ◆ The map labels public waters as requiring a 50-foot average buffer (local ordinances may require wider buffers). ◆ The map also labels a few sites as
“needing field review.” The DNR will organize on-site verification of these public water features and will change this temporary label within six months. Two deadlines have been scheduled for landowners: ◆ By Nov. 1, 2017, buffers must be in place on lands adjacent to public waters as identified and mapped. A 50foot average width with a 30-foot minimum is required. ◆ By Nov. 1, 2018, 16.5-foot minimum width buffers must be in place on lands adjacent to public ditches as identified and mapped.
More work to be done In addition to the missing Belle Lake on the preliminary map, county officials said they noticed incorrect measurements. The DNR implemented about half of the changes recommended by county staff. The buffer map is a work in progress. “The DNR has noticed there is going to need to be some tweaking,” said