Nine Mile Creek Watershed District seeks public input on 10-year plan

The Nine Mile Creek Watershed District hosted a public input session on Thursday, March 13, at the Minnetonka Community Center, kicking off its process to update its 10-year water management plan.

According to a press release, “The plan will set the goals and priorities that define the district’s programs and capital projects to protect and enhance our water resources over the years 2027-2037.”

Three watershed districts are located within Eden Prairie. The Nine Mile Creek Watershed District covers the northeastern portion of the city and includes Birch Island Lake, Bryant Lake, Lake Smetana, Northwest Anderson Lake, and Southwest Anderson Lake.

Watershed districts are responsible for monitoring and improving water quality, preventing and mitigating flood damage, and developing land-use plans to protect public health and natural resources.

About 28 people attended the meeting and participated in small-group discussions focused on three questions:

• What do you value about the water resources in the watershed?
• What concerns do you have about the water resources in the watershed?
• What is your vision for the future of the watershed?

Watershed district staff will continue to collect input from stakeholders for the next several months. According to Erica Sniegowski, district administrator, stakeholders include anyone who lives, plays, or works in the district.

“We want to hear from as many voices as possible,” Sniegowski said. “It helps us when we’re developing our plan to hear what people are worried about with water resources, what they care about, because that all helps us and our board think about how we need to prioritize our work.”

To learn more about future meetings and opportunities to provide input, visit the district’s website, sign up for the newsletter, or contact Gale Zembal, education and outreach coordinator.