This Statement of Need and Reasonableness (SONAR) presents background on, technical support for, and an explanation of the following standards proposed to be adopted by amendment to the Lower Minnesota River Watershed District’s (District) Watershed Management Plan (WMP or Plan). This SONAR does not address standards contained in the current WMP that will be unchanged or clarified by the amendment.

The final draft of Appendix K is complete and available for review. This is the version that will be submitted to BWSR (Board of Water & Soil Resources) for the 90-day review, along with the final draft of the Watershed Management Plan Amendment.

A public hearing has been called for 7:00 pm Wednesday, April 18, 2018 in the County Board Room of the Carver County Government Center, 602 East 4th Street, Chaska, MN 55318. The purpose of the hearing is to allow the public to provide comments and ask question about the draft Watershed Management plan amendment.

The District is in the process of amending its Third Watershed Management Plan approved in 2011 and amended in 2015. The current amendment process is in response to requests from the District's Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) to align the Plan with water governance documents in the municipalities within the District and adjacent watershed management organizations.

LMRWD is making available cost-sharing awards — to institutions and individuals — "to provide educational, technical and financial assistance to landowners (residential, commercial, industrial...etc); to implement projects that have water quality, water quantity, channel maintenance, trout stream, fen or wetland restoration, or aquatic habitat benefit within the District" (water management plan).