CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT: WATERS DIVISION:

An Inventory of Its Watershed District Files at the Minnesota Historical Society

Government Records

Expand/CollapseOVERVIEW

Creator: Minnesota. Division of Waters.
Title:Watershed district files.
Dates:circa 1920-2011 (bulk 1950s-1990s).
Language:Materials in English.
Abstract:Files documenting both the division's administration of the state's watershed district system, including its organization and maintenance and related drainage and legislative issues, and the actual establishment, organization, maintenance, and improvement of each individual watershed district and related drainage ditches.
Quantity:17.7 cubic feet (17 boxes and 1 partial box).
Location: See Detailed Description for shelf locations.

Expand/CollapseSCOPE AND CONTENTS

The files particularly relate to the 1954 Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act and special projects undertaken in the various districts. They include materials created under its predecessor, the Department of Drainage and Waters (1919-1931), and its successor, the Natural Resources Department (post-1971).

Materials include rosters, project descriptions, graphs and diagrams, budgets, program summaries, memoranda, photographs, correspondence, pamphlets, newspapers articles, legislative and legal documents, engineers' reports, maps (topography, aerial, boundary, blueprint), environmental assessments, and rules and regulations.


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Expand/CollapseARRANGEMENT

The files are divided into two alphabetical series: administrative watershed system files, arranged by subject, and watershed district files, arranged by district name.


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Expand/CollapseADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Minnesota. Division of Waters. Watershed District Files. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession numbers: 2006-50; 2007-32; 2012-65

Processing Information:

Catalog ID number: 006251373


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DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Location
141.B.18.14FAdministrative watershed system files, circa 1920-1987.
Arranged alphabetically by subject.
Files documenting how to set up a watershed; needs, programs and services available to organize a watershed district; and drainage issues. Also files relating to water related laws and acts, particularly the 1954 Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act, and information on bordering states’ watershed districts.
Watershed maps, 1940s-1950s.
Iowa, 1940s-1950s. 2 folders.
Minnesota, circa 1945.
North Dakota, 1940s-1950s.
South Dakota, 1940s-1950s.
Wisconsin, 1941.
Drainage, circa 1920-1987.
Correspondence, 1938-1967. 4 folders.
County drainage [General], 1930-1978.
Diverted acreage, Minnesota agricultural statistics, 1969-1970.
Drainage Ditch Survey responses, 1977-1978. 2 folders.
Drainage general, 1967-1973. 2 folders.
Drained meandered lakes in all counties, 1928-1944.
Laws, 1961-1972.
Minnesota Public Drainage Ditch Systems, January 1987.
Old Drainage, History of legislation, circa 1920.
Rules and Regulations Covering Drainage of Lakes and Channelizing of Natural Water Courses, 1973-1974.
Photographs, 1920-1940s.
Includes pictures of Civilian Conservation Corps camps in Lanesboro and Houston County; ditch construction, equipment and machinery; and tiles, ditches and dams (a few located in Red Wing).
Location
141.B.18.15BMinnesota watersheds, 1954-1976.
Minnesota watershed and flood prevention, 1959-1967.
Minnesota watershed status reports, 1972-1974.
Watershed Protection Program, Land and Special Areas, 1954-1976. 2 folders.
Soil Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1954-1977.
East Central Minnesota Resource Conservation and Development Project, 1967-1970.
East Willow Creek Watershed Protection Project, 1954-1957.
Soil Conservation Service Needs Inventory, 1956-1977.
Tamarac River Watershed Protection Project, maps, circa 1960. 2 folders.
West Central Minnesota Resource Conservation and Development Project, 1964-1975. 3 folders.
Water Resources Investigation Program, 1923-1972.
Administration, 1951-1969.
Water Resources Investigation Program, general, 1951-1969. 5 folders.
United States Geological Services to Communities, 1964-1968. 2 folders.
Location
141.B.18.16FOperations, 1923-1972.
Drainage, Drain Tile Laboratory, 1923-1960.
Drainage, lakes, 1954-1968.
Drainage, miscellaneous, 1931-1968.
Drainage, Standards for Engineer’s Reports, circa 1956.
Engineering Services, Water Resources Board, 1955-1972. 2 folders.
Location
141.B.19.14FHydrologic investigations atlases, 1965-1975.
Arranged in numerical order by atlas number.
Atlases of Minnesota’s watershed units studied to define and evaluate the state’s water resources. They were published by the United States Geological Survey in Washington D.C. and prepared in cooperation with the Minnesota Department of Conservation, Division of Waters.
Atlas HA-201, Water Resources of the Middle River Watershed, Northwestern Minnesota, 1965.
Atlas HA-213, Water Resources of the Big Stone Lake Watershed, West-Central Minnesota, 1966.
Atlas HA-220, Water Resources of the Pomme De Terre River Watershed, West-Central Minnesota, 1966.
Atlas HA-237, Water Resources of the Two Rivers Watershed, Northwestern Minnesota, 1967.
Atlas HA-241, Water Resources of the Roseau River Watershed, Northwestern Minnesota, 1967.
Atlas HA-269, Water Resources of the Lac Qui Parle River Watershed, Southwestern Minnesota, 1968.
Atlas HA-278, Water Resources of the Mississippi Headwaters Watershed, North-Central Minnesota, 1968.
Atlas HA-286, Water Resources of the Chippewa River Watershed, West-Central Minnesota, 1968.
Atlas HA-346, Water Resources of the Red Lake River Watershed, Northwestern Minnesota, 1970.
Atlas HA-534, Water Resources of the Mississippi and Sauk Rivers Watershed, Central Minnesota, 1975.
Department of Natural Resources, County Atlas Series: Geologic Atlas of Pope County, County Atlas Series C-15, 2006.
Watershed documentation for Public Law 566:
Information about watersheds of different sizes which Public Law 566 funds for flood control were proposed for water control structures. The DNR reviewed projects for determination of environmental effects of projects. Each watershed contains information on one or more of the following: maps, correspondence, application, biological reports, and maps with project ID numbers (such as P.R.F.W. 1-R-4 or Federal Aid Project FW-1_R).
Bear Valley Watershed, 1959. 2 folders.
Belle Creek Watershed, 1964-1965.
South Buffalo Watershed, 1956-1965.
Burnham Creek Watershed, 1965-1966.
Canbe Creek Watershed, 1960s.
Cooks Valley Watershed, 1960.
Coon Creek Watershed, 1957-1964.
Crane Creek Watershed, 1958-1963.
Crooked Creek Watershed, 1958-1961.
Upper Deer Creek Watershed, 1964-1965.
Deerhorn-Buffalo Watershed, 1951-1963.
Dry Weather Creek Watershed, 1960.
Garvin Brook Watershed, 1958-1960. 2 folders.
South Hawley-South Buffalo Watershed, 1956-1959.
Hayes-Kildare Watershed, 1960-1962.
Janesville Watershed, 1962-1963.
Joe River Watershed, 1956-1960. 2 folders.
Lake Park Watershed, 1954-1956.
Lost River Watershed, circa 1956, 1961. 2 folders.
Lost River-Ruffy Brook Watershed, 1959-1961.
Mounds Creek Watershed, 1966.
Mud Creek Watershed, 1953.
Location
112.H.6.1BNorwegian Creek, circa 1966.
Okabena-Ocheda Watershed, 1955-1966.
Rabbit River Watershed, 1963-1964.
Rollingstone Watershed, 1960.
Rollingstone Creek Watershed, 1959-1960.
Rush-Pine Creek Watershed, 1954-1955.
South Fork of Root River Watershed, 1956-1962.
Shakopee Creek Watershed, 1956-1957.
Stony Run Creek Watershed, 1958.
Stony Run Judicial Ditch, 1958.
Sunrise River Diversion to the Chisago Lakes, 1956-1964.
Tamarac River Watershed, 1959-1961. 2 folders.
Ten Mile Creek Watershed, 1955-1962.
Two Rivers Watershed, 1959.
North Branch of Two Rivers Watershed, 1959-1965.
Middle Fork of Two Rivers Watershed, 1955-1964.
Upper Watonwan River Watershed, 1965.
Zipple Creek Watershed, 1956-1962. 2 folders.
South Zumbro River Watershed, 1963-1965.
Photographs and slides taken by DNR staff (wildlife) relating to Public Law 566 flood control project reviews, i.e. completion of habitat evaluation plans, 1958-2011.
Background information, April 2011.
Information on the photographers who documented watersheds for PL 566 as well as the numbers on the slides.
Burnham Creek Watershed, 1975-1977.
Slides.
Miscellaneous areas, 1975-1979.
Slides.
Spring Creek Watershed, 1958.
Photographs.
Tyler Creek, 1975.
Slides.
Yellowbank River Watershed, 1968.
Photographs.
Location
141.B.18.16FWatershed districts files, 1936-1994 [bulk 1960-1994].
Arranged alphabetically by watershed district.
These records detail the establishment, organization, maintenance and improvement of the watershed districts and drainage ditches under control of the Waters Division, particularly special projects involving the individual watershed districts. Materials in the files include engineers’ reports, maps (topography, aerial, boundary, blueprint), environmental assessments, correspondence, photographs, memoranda, articles, pamphlets, rules and regulations, petitions, court orders, and other legal documents.
Bear Valley Watershed District.
Correspondence, 1956-1964.
Maps and flood plans, 1960s.
Belle Creek Watershed District.
Correspondence, 1965-1992. 2 folders.
Maps, 1960s.
Big Stone Lake Watershed District.
Correspondence, 1969-1975.
Establishment, 1966-1968.
Bois de Sioux Watershed District.
Correspondence, 1989-2000.
Proposed Mustinka-Rabbit River-Bois de Sioux Watershed District, 1987-1988.
Buffalo Creek Watershed District.
Boundary changes, 1970-1984.
Correspondence, 1976-1986.
Establishment, 1967-1968.
Photographs and maps, 1967-1970s.
Project No. 75-2, 1977-1993.
Project No. 79-2, 1979-1985.
Project Nos. 85-1, 83-1 and 84-1, 1979-1985.
Location
141.B.19.1BBuffalo-Red River Watershed District.
Boundary changes, 1976-1979.
Correspondence, 1960-1983.
Correspondence regarding Project Nos. 2, 5, 8, 12, 14, 19 and 20, 1980s.
Correspondence and maps, 1990-1992.
Project No. 2, 1984.
Project No. 5, 1981.
Project No. 8, May 14, 1984.
Project No. 9, Flood Control Project Site No. 1, 1991.
Project No. 13, 1988.
Project No. 14, 1984. 2 folders.
Project No. 16, 1989.
Project No. 19, 1985.
Project No. 20, 1987.
Project No. 21, 1988.
Project No. 24, 1990.
Project No. 26, 1993.
Proposed South Buffalo Watershed District, 1960-1966.
Wilkin County Ditch No. 41, Branch 5, Improvements, 1988-1989.
Carnelian-Marine Watershed District.
Gravity Pipe Outlet Project, 1982-1984.
Memoranda, 1980-1982.
Newspaper articles, 1980-1981.
Location
141.B.19.2FClearwater River Watershed District.
Chain of Lakes, Bog Control Project, Engineers’ Report, December 1983.
Chain of Lakes, Restoration Project, March 1982.
Clear Lake Restoration Project No. 87-1, Engineers’ Report, November 1987.
Pleasant Lake Project No. 83-1, Engineers’ Report, April 1984.
Correspondence and maps, 1970s.
School Section Lake Outlet Project No. 84-1, Engineers’ Report, July 1984.
Coon Creek Watershed District.
Anoka County Ditch No. 41, Sand Creek Area, 1961-1963.
Anoka County Ditch No. 58, 1977-1984.
Correspondence, 1955-1974. 4 folders.
Engineers’ Reports, Sand Creek and Anoka County Flood Plain, 1962-1963, 1968.
Maps, 1960s-1970s.
Cormorant Lakes Watershed District.
Correspondence, 1966-1975. 2 folders.
Engineers’ Feasibility Report, Control of High Water Levels and Waste Treatment Facilities and Sanitary Sewer Systems, 1970-1975.
With related correspondence.
Maps, 1967-1976.
Location
141.B.19.3BCrooked Creek Watershed District.
Correspondence, 1959-1964.
Maps, 1962-1964. 2 folders.
High Island Creek Watershed District.
General files, circa 1970. 2 folders.
Includes photographs.
Project No. 1, Engineers’ Reports, 1968-1970.
Project No. 1, Maps, 1968-1975.
Project No. 2, Engineers’ Reports, 1966-1969.
Project No. 2, Maps, 1968.
Project Nos. 3 and 5, Engineers’ Reports, circa 1980s.
With maps.
Project No. 4, Engineers’ Report, March 10, 1978.
Project No. 4, Maps, undated.
Project No. 6, Engineers’ Report, 1970-1975.
With maps and related correspondence.
Location
141.B.19.4FProject No. 7, Engineers’ Report, 1980.
Project No. 9, Engineers’ Report, 1985-1988.
With maps and related correspondence.
Joe River Watershed District.
Boundaries, 1936-1964.
Engineers’ Report on Protection and Flood Prevention Project, 1964.
With detail plans.
Maps, 1964.
Kanaranzi-Little Rock Watershed District.
Correspondence, 1981-1984. 2 folders.
Lac Qui Parle-Yellow Bank Watershed District.
Correspondence, 1967-1980.
Establishment, 1970.
Lac Qui Parle County Ditch No. 32, 1994.
Lac Qui Parle County Ditch No. 36, 1988.
Lac Qui Parle County Ditch No. 85, Lateral A, 1980.
Project No. 1981-2 [Dennis Boraas], 1982-1984.
Watershed ditches general file, 1967-1970.
Watershed Ditch No. 1, 1977.
Watershed Ditch No. 1, Lateral A, Project No. 1979-1, 1981.
Watershed Ditch No. 2, 1977-1980.
Watershed Ditch No. 3, 1985-1986. 2 folders.
Withdrawal of Lands Petition, 1977.
Long Prairie River Watershed District.
Proposed Long Prairie Watershed District, 1990-1991.
Lower Minnesota River Watershed District.
Boundary changes, 1974.
Correspondence, 1956-1991. 5 folders.
Location
141.B.19.5BPlans, 1961.
Spoil disposal areas, 1949-1990.
Middle Des Moines Watershed District.
Correspondence, 1969-1985.
Establishment and boundary changes, 1969-1970.
Establishment and boundary maps, 1969-1970.
Engineers’ Reports for Nobles County Ditch No. 12, Project No. 8 and Project No. 84-4A.
Middle River-Snake River Watershed District.
Angus Oslo Flood Control Project No. 1, Contract and Proposal, April 22, 1982.
Correspondence, 1969-1974, 1983-1988. 3 folders.
Establishment and boundary changes, 1970-1980.
Includes rules and regulations.
Judicial Ditch No. 1, 1992.
Judicial Ditch No. 19, Exhibits A, B, C, and D, 1987.
Judicial Ditch No. 75, 1988-1989.
Marshall County Ditch No. 4, Lateral, 1986-1988.
Watershed Ditch No. 1, Contract and Proposal, 1985-1986.
Watershed Ditch No. 1, Engineers’ Reports, August 1985.
Watershed Ditch No. 2, 1990-1991.
Watershed Ditch No. 3, 1988.
Location
141.B.19.6FMinnehaha Creek Watershed District.
Boundary changes, 1978-1985.
Correspondence, 1966-1979. 2 folders.
Gleason Creek Engineers’ Reports, 1992.
Project No. CP-5 Painter Creek, 1983.
Project reports, circa 1975.
Minnetonka Watershed District.
Proposed Minnetonka Watershed District, 1959-1960.
Nine Mile Creek Watershed District.
Bredesen Park-Mud Lake Project, 1972-1980.
Correspondence, 1957-1993. 3 folders.
Engineer’s Annual Reports, 1962-1966, 1983 and 1985. 3 folders.
Lower Valley Bank Stabilization and Restoration Project, 1976-1993.
Location
141.B.19.7BMaps, 1954-1961.
Mt. Normandale Lake and Marsh Lake, 1967-1976.
Overall Plan materials, 1971-1973.
Smetana Lake Project, circa 1992.
North Fork Crow River Watershed District.
Correspondence, 1984-1986.
Hydrologic Study of the North Fork Crow River, 1992.
Overall Plan correspondence, 1987.
Okabena-Ocheda Watershed District.
Correspondence, 1957-1975. 3 folders.
Engineer’s Report on Flood Protection, 1966.
Project reports for flood control, August 1953; Engineers’ Final Report and maps, 1970.
Pelican River Watershed District.
Correspondence, 1965-1992. 2 folders.
Maps, circa 1965. 2 folders.
Engineers’ Reports, 1968, 1974.
Prior Lake-Spring Lake Watershed District.
Correspondence, 1969-1987. 2 folders.
Kneafsey’s Cove Dredging Project, 1979-1981.
Location
141.B.19.8FMaps, circa 1970.
Project Reports for Nos. 72-1, 73-3, 79-8, circa 1975.
Report on Restoration of Prior Lake, Scott County, October 1940.
Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District.
Correspondence, 1976-1976. 2 folders.
Maps and plans, 1982-1983.
Red Lake Watershed District.
Beltrami County Ditch Nos. 9 and 11, 1983.
Bee Lake Project No. 83, 1991.
Burnham Creek Project, 1982-1983.
Connection Channel and Sayersville Impoundment Project, January 1989.
Correspondence, 1969-1976.
Good Lake Impoundment Project, 1990.
Moose Lake Project, 1981-1982. 3 folders.
Pine Lake Dam Project, 1981-1989.
Polk County Ditch Nos. 30, 107, and 158, 1986. 2 folders.
Project No. 19, 1989.
Location
141.B.19.9BProject No. 28, 1988-1990.
Project No. 44, 1984-1985.
Project Nos. 51 and 69, 1988-1989.
Project Nos. 60 and 76, 1988-1990.
Red Lake County Ditch No. 61, 1981.
Watershed Ditch No. 3, 1982.
Watershed Ditch No. 7, 1979-1980.
Rice Creek Watershed District.
Correspondence, 1970-1984. 4 folders.
Engineers’ Report, 1978 Upstream Improvements, January 1978.
Engineers’ Report, 1979 Upstream Improvements, May 1978.
Engineers’ Report, Lake Josephine Storm Sewer Relocation, December 1977.
Engineers’ Report, Long Lake Dredging, June 1978.
Engineers’ Report, Recommended Storm Sewer Project for Priebe Lake and Intersection of Trunk Highways 244 and 120, March 1978.
Engineers’ Report, Restoration and Stabilization of Ramsey County Ditch Nos. 2, 4, and 12, December 1977.
Engineers’ Report, Rice Creek Inlet Sedimention Basin, November 1977.
Engineers’ Report, Wetlands Treatment System, January 1978.
Horse Lake Level Control Project, February 1976.
Stormwater Runoff Study, March 1991.
Location
141.B.19.10FRiley-Purgatory Creek Watershed District.
Correspondence, 1968-1974. 2 folders.
Engineers’ Annual Reports, 1971-1991. 9 folders.
Missing 1977, 1979 and 1986.
Engineers’ Reports, 1979-1989.
Maps and plans, circa 1970. 2 folders.
Staring Lake Outlet, 1992.
Roseau River Watershed District.
Project files, 1970-1973.
Sandhill River Watershed District.
Project No. 1, Flood Detention Structure, 1979.
Project Nos. 3 and 4, 1979-1986.
Location
141.B.19.11BSauk River Watershed District.
Petitions, 1986.
Project Nos. 77-89 and 87-2, 1988-1989.
South Two Rivers Watershed District.
Correspondence, 1986.
Overall Plan materials, 1991.
Stockton-Rollingstone-Minnesota City Watershed District.
Correspondence, 1957-1986.
Thirty Lakes Watershed District.
Correspondence, 1970-1974.
Turtle Creek Watershed District.
Engineers’ Reports, County Ditch No. 31, 1982-1983.
Engineers’ Reports, County Ditch No. 81, 1986-1987.
Engineers’ Reports, Freeborn and Mower counties, Joint County Ditch No. 24, 1980-1986.
Engineers’ Reports, Project No. 2, 1972.
Freeborn and Mower counties, Joint County Ditch No. 24, Improvements, 1986-1992. 2 folders.
Maps, circa 1980.
Revised Overall Plan correspondence, 1991.
Two Rivers Watershed District.
Boundary changes, 1964, 1978, 1986-1987.
Correspondence, 1957-1967. 3 folders.
Kittson and Roseau counties, 1967-1987.
Nereson Dam, 1988.
Project No. 5, 1979.
Soler Project No. 4, 1976.
Watershed and Flood Prevention Project, 1962-1963.
Location
141.B.19.12FUpper Minnesota River Watershed District.
Correspondence, circa 1975.
Maps, circa 1970.
Valley Branch Watershed District.
Correspondence, 1968-1987. 3 folders.
Engineers’ Reports, Project Nos. 1001 and 1007, 1977 and 1986.
Project No. 1005, 1978-1979.
Project No. 1006, 1981.
Warroad Watershed District.
Correspondence, 1961-1973.
Wild Rice Watershed District.
Boundary changes, 1984-1991.
Correspondence, 1966-1989. 3 folders.
Engineers’ Reports, Project Nos. 2, 8, and 12, 1975-1981.
Engineers’ Reports, Project Nos. 13 and 14, 1981.
Engineers’ Reports, Project Nos. 17 and 18, 1983-1984.
Engineers’ Reports, Project Nos. 19 and 20, 1984-1985.
Engineers’ Reports, Project Nos. 23, 25, and 27, 1984-1985.
Engineers’ Reports, Project Nos. 29, 31, and 32, 1985-1986.
Location
141.B.19.13BEngineers’ Reports, Project Nos. 34 and 36, 1987-1988.
Project No. 3, 1976.
Project No. 6, 1976-1978.
Project No. 11, 1992.
Project No. 14, 1990.
Project No. 30, 1987-1988.
Project No. 30, Maps, 1987-1988.
Project No. 32, 1985-1989.
Project No. 35, 1988-1989.
Project No. 36, 1988.
Reports, 1971-1980, 1993.
Wild Rice River at Twin Valley, 1967.
Yellow Medicine River Watershed District.
Boundaries, 1972-1976.
Correspondence, 1970-1982. 2 folders.
Lands, 1957-1960.
Watershed Ditch No. 1, 1973-1978.
Watershed Ditch No. 4, 1974-1979. 2 folders.
Watershed Ditch Nos. 5, 7 and 8, 1981.
Watershed Ditch No. 6, 1982-1984.
Watershed Ditch No. 9, 1984-1986.
Watershed Ditch No. 9, Maps, 1985.
Location
141.B.19.14FWatershed Ditch No. 11, 1981-1982.
Watershed Ditch Nos. 13 and 15, 1982-1994. 2 folders.
Watershed Ditch No. 17, 1985-1987.
Yellow Medicine County ditches, circa 1970.
Yellow Medicine County Ditches No. 2 and 60, 1972-1973.

Expand/CollapseCATALOG HEADINGS

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics:
Ditches -- Minnesota.
Drainage -- Minnesota.
Flood control -- Minnesota.
Road drainage -- Minnesota.
Watershed management -- Minnesota.
Watersheds -- Minnesota -- Maps.
Organizations:
Civilian Conservation Corps (U.S.). Minnesota District -- Photographs.
Minnesota. Division of Drainage and Waters.
Minnesota. State Drainage Commission.
Minnesota. Department of Conservation.
Minnesota. Department of Natural Resources.
United States. -- Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act
Document Types:
Maps -- Minnesota.
Photographs -- Minnesota.
Functions:
Managing.
Regulating.

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