Working Together: A Plan to Restore the Minnesota River (The Minnesota Citizens' Advisory Committee's Final Report to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

This plan's recommendations were designed to meet former Governor Carlson's challenge to make the Minnesota River swimmable and fishable by the year 2002. The report provides a brief section on the historical perspective of the Minnesota River water quality, current river conditions, the creation of the Minnesota River Citizens' Advisory Committee, and the Committee's general finding on the river's water quality. The core of the report is a recommended action plan, which includes rationale, suggested steps, and costs associated with accomplishing the following: 1. Restoring floodplains and riparian areas; 2. Restoring wetlands; 3. Managing drainage ditches and storm sewers as tributaries; 4. Improving land management practices; 5. Monitoring water quality throughout the river basin; 6. Establishing a Minnesota River Commission to oversee cleanup efforts; 7. Establishing local joint-powers agreements; 8. Improving technical assistance to local government; 9. Engaging the general public; and 10. enforcing existing laws.