For decades, state and local governments, along with water management organizations, have worked diligently to protect and restore the water quality in Minnesota’s 11,842 lakes and 92,000 miles of rivers and streams. How well these efforts are working may become clearer through the work of a newly formed task force in the office of State Attorney General Keith Ellison.
### Task Force on the Future of Minnesota’s Water
The Task Force on the Future of Minnesota’s Water brings together a diverse membership that reflects the many interests and complexities involved in managing water pollution, particularly from non-point sources.
“I’m forming this task force to jump-start an important conversation about how we steward our precious water resources into the future, especially in the context of pressures like increasing demand and global climate change,” Ellison said in a news release announcing the panel last spring.
He added, “I want it to be not about regulation, but imagination; not about pointing fingers or assigning blame, but about our best thinking for expanding what’s possible for us as stewards of Minnesota’s water.”
### The Challenge of Non-Point Source Pollution
While most “point” sources of pollution—such as municipal and industrial wastewater—have been cleaned up, “non-point” sources remain a significant challenge. These primarily consist of runoff from the landscape, which is harder to control.
Water, a relatively simple compound, is deeply connected to virtually every branch of science, including political and social sciences. Vast amounts of data, countless water quality projects, and millions of dollars have enhanced water quality over time, but the work is ongoing and much remains to be done.
Major issues include groundwater contamination in sensitive areas; impacts from crop and livestock agriculture; municipal stormwater; recreation; mining; climate change; and newer concerns like increasing water demands from data centers.
### Regulatory and Policy Efforts
State agencies such as the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), Department of Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture (MDA), and the Board of Water and Soil Resources, along with county governments and numerous local water management organizations, handle these issues through various regulations and policy programs.
The Clean Water Council, administered by the MPCA, advises the Legislature and governor on implementing the 2006 Clean Water Legacy Act. Its biennial reports include Clean Water Fund and policy recommendations, as well as progress updates. Since 2010, the council has distributed about $5.5 million for clean water projects funded by the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, approved by Minnesotans in 2008.
“Minnesota has strong environmental laws that create an obligation for the state to protect natural resources and human health,” said Carly Griffith, water program director for the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy (MCEA).
Griffith emphasized in an email, “MCEA believes that the state needs to use the full power of these laws to address major water challenges, from nitrate contamination in vulnerable aquifers to PFAS source reduction to groundwater sustainability.”
### Recent Legal Actions and Nitrate Concerns
In September, Ramsey County District Court ruled in a case brought by the MCEA, ordering the MPCA and Department of Agriculture to review their rules and regulations to determine if they are sufficient and effective in regulating nitrates in groundwater.
An MPCA study found that in southeast Minnesota, nitrates in fertilizer are responsible for about 90% of groundwater contamination.
While MPCA rules address large feedlots and manure management, the MDA currently has limited regulations targeting nitrates in groundwater.
### Task Force Progress and Membership
The task force first convened in June and plans to meet every other month leading up to a report due in April. Its membership includes four state lawmakers, four state agency representatives, and 15 citizens representing various groups and interests. Task force leaders are also forming subgroups to study specific areas in more detail.
According to spokesperson Mrotz, the task force aims to highlight ongoing water quality initiatives and develop a broad set of recommendations for policymakers, regulators, advocacy groups, business leaders, communities, and individuals.
So far, the task force has received presentations from the White Earth Nation, Mining Minnesota, Imagine Deliver, and Southeast Minnesota Nitrate Strategies.
At the inaugural meeting on June 11, Ellison described the effort as “the beginning of a conversation.”
Peg Furshong, director of constituent relations and special projects with Citizens United for the Rehabilitation of the Environment (CURE), praised Ellison for creating the group but cautioned the complexity of the task.
“We are at the headwaters of the Mississippi River watershed and have multiple watersheds,” Furshong noted. “What we do here doesn’t just impact Minnesota; it impacts the region and the country. In Minnesota, the perception is that we’re a water-rich state, but that’s not necessarily true in the southwest part.”
### Educational Outreach: “We Are Water” Exhibit
A great resource to learn about Minnesota’s water quality and efforts to protect it is the “We Are Water” exhibit, a traveling display that has toured the state since 2016. Over 100,000 visitors in 50 communities have attended so far.
The exhibit will be at the Bloomington Education and Visitor Center through December 1.
“State agencies created a Minnesota version of a nationally touring exhibit and then developed the idea of a statewide version with significant local community contributions,” explained Trygve Throntveit, formerly of the Minnesota Humanities Commission.
To mark the upcoming Mississippi Centennial Celebration in 2026, host communities along the Mississippi River may be part of the exhibit’s next tour.
### Volunteer Monitoring: A Vital Component
Data collection is crucial for water quality efforts, and the MPCA’s volunteer water monitoring program engages 1,117 volunteers statewide who record water clarity at 629 lakes and 607 stream sites.
The program’s annual “Secchi Social” event is scheduled for October 23 in Mankato.
Brad Froland, a volunteer monitoring water quality at a site on Hawk Creek in Renville County for over 15 years, shares his experience:
“I enjoy getting out, and if it helps with water quality work, it’s worth it.”
About once a week—and sometimes more often after heavy rains—Froland collects water samples from a bridge, pours them into a 100-centimeter plastic tube, and lowers a Secchi disk to measure water clarity, a key indicator of water quality.
Over the years, Froland has noticed water levels becoming more “flashy” with increased sediment. Hawk Creek, which flows through farm fields dominating its watershed, suffers significant sediment impairment. Extensive subsurface drain tile in farm fields contributes to volatile flows.
### Recent MPCA Report: “Flowing Forward”
The MPCA recently released a report titled *Flowing Forward: Trends in Minnesota’s Lakes and Rivers*. It summarizes years of water quality data collection.
“There are a growing number of success stories showing real improvements in water quality,” the report states.
However, it also warns that Minnesota’s waterways continue to face threats. Continuous monitoring helps to better understand the progress being made in protection and restoration, as well as remaining challenges caused by stressors on the landscape.
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Minnesota’s waters are an invaluable resource, and protecting their quality requires ongoing effort, collaboration, and innovation. The work of this task force, supported by dedicated volunteers, regulatory agencies, and community education, represents a critical component of that stewardship.
https://www.minnpost.com/environment/2025/10/task-force-taking-a-close-look-at-the-stewardship-of-minnesotas-water-resources-water-quality/