DNR seeks groundwater changes

In a new report to the Legislature, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources spells out – in more explicit language than before – shortcomings in the way it permits and regulates groundwater pumping from high-capacity wells. “Our review of water use reports suggests that we are receiving some systematically inaccurate information,” the DNR told lawmakers in the Jan. 15 report.

The report recommends new legislation requiring well owners to install tamper-proof meters and new authority for the DNR to inspect the meters to improve the accuracy of water-use reporting.

Many of the law changes the DNR report says it needs closely parallel recommendations the Freshwater Society made in a report last April. Read the new DNR report, read a Freshwater summary of the report, read Minnesota Public Radio coverage of the DNR report.