PDTRA
Pomme de Terre River Watershed Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan Midpoint Evaluation, Morris, Minnesota
Background
In August 2020, the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) approved the Pomme de Terre River Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan (CWMP).
In 2025, the CWMP reached the midpoint of its 10-year lifespan. After implementing activities for six years, the Pomme de Terre River Association (PDTRA) hired HEI to perform an evaluation to assess their efforts and progress towards the goals outlined in the plan. Based on outcomes of the mid-point evaluation, the PDTRA recommended language changes to re‑characterize each goal and improve their functionality moving forward. These changes were outlined in the updated CWMP.
The Project
HEI began by assessing what progress had been made toward measurable project goals. Our team reviewed implementation data to demonstrate this progress and facilitate a discussion on whether or not implemented activities were comprehensively tracked and accounted for.
Many goals in the CWMP are resource based (e.g. “achieve a phosphorus reduction in direct drainage runoff of 99 lb/yr to Artichoke Lake”). To evaluate progress towards these goals, our team used implemented practice data to estimate reduction benefits from these practices at downstream points of interest. We compared this to the implementation schedule to determine progress towards plan goals within each of the various implementation activities. HEI also conducted the mid-point evaluation in a way that assists the PDTRA’s Performance Review and Assistance Program (PRAP) assessment.
After completing the mid-point evaluation, HEI drafted a one-page public-facing summary of implementation activities and progress towards goals, as seen to the upper left. This will be used to communicate and celebrate local implementation success from the first six years of plan implementation. Our team also drafted a brief technical memorandum describing the evaluation process, progress towards plan goals, benefits of implementation thus far, and recommendations for future plan amendments. The plan was then amended through a minor amendment process to reflect what was learned and facilitate more seamless implementation efforts for the next five years.
Learn more about this evaluation and view the updated CWMP.
- Evaluated the progress made to the Pomme de Terre River CWMP goals through implementation activities and efforts.
- Developed a one page handout to summarize finding and communicate major finding to the public in a visually appeallig format.
- Provided a technical memorandum that outlined the evaluation process, progress towards plan goals, and next steps for future implementation and plan amendments.
- Completed a minor plan amendment to reflect what was learned.
Project Details
Client: Pomme de Terre River Association
Location: Morris, MN
Project Highlights
- Evaluated the progress made to the Pomme de Terre River CWMP goals through implementation activities and efforts.
- Developed a one page handout to summarize finding and communicate major finding to the public in a visually appeallig format.
- Provided a technical memorandum that outlined the evaluation process, progress towards plan goals, and next steps for future implementation and plan amendments.
- Completed a minor plan amendment to reflect what was learned.
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