Minnehaha Creek Watershed District outlines projects and flood planning for Carver County

James Whisker, executive director of the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District, told the Carver County Board on Feb. 11 that the district has leveraged partnerships and science-based planning to direct nearly $2,000,000 in outside funding to projects in Carver County.

The update focused on completed and underway work in the upper watershed — including wetland restorations, a large common-carp management effort at Wassermann Lake, the acquisition of 33 acres for the Wassermann Preserve, and emerging plans for a 2027 watershed management plan that will emphasize integrated flood mitigation and real-time monitoring.

Whisker said the district has taken a locally tailored approach because the watershed spans 178 square miles and 29 communities with wide differences in impervious surface and land use. “When properly integrated, we really view … watershed work as an essential component of building thriving communities,” Whisker said, adding that the district’s strategy pairs science with partner objectives such as transportation,…