About 25 Sherburne County residents attended an informational meeting Wednesday at Elk River City Hall regarding the Minnesota Buffer Law.

 

The law was passed in 2015 and requires landowners to install buffer strips along public waters and public drainage ditches to prevent runoff pollution and erosion.

 

Wednesday’s meeting was one of many that have been taking place all across the state to let people know about the law and clear up misinformation about the requirements.

 

Tom Gile, Buffers and Soil Erosion Program Coordinator with Minnesota Board of Water & Soil Resources gave an overview of the law, focusing on the regulations, requirements and deadlines.

 

There are two different standards regarding buffers. A 50’ average width buffer (30’ minimum) is required along all public waters. A 16.5’ wide buffer is required along drainage ditches.

 

Gile said one of the issues for landowners has been determining exactly what waters are on their land, and which are subject to the buffer law.

 

He said the law uses the public water inventory compiled by the DNR in the 1970s and 1980s. He said with the passage of the law, many property owners were concerned the list would be revised and expanded. But that isn’t the case.

 

He said property owners can view the map online by searching “DNR buffers.” It shows public waters as blue lines and public drainage ditches as green lines.

 

Another misconception about the law is what constitutes a buffer. Gile said it should consist of perennial vegetation. That can include grass, alfalfa and other crops that can be grazed or cut for hay.

 

"If they’re perennials, it’s compliant. The law doesn’t say it can’t be farmed,” he said. “It doesn’t have to be pristine native vegetation.”

 

He also said the law specifies “no invasive species,” but that doesn’t mean farmers have to wipe out what’s naturally growing and re-plant.

 

“If you have reed canary grass, it’s compliant,” he said. “If it’s already there, it’s okay. But it just shouldn’t be planted to establish the buffer.”

 

Sherburne Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD)  used the DNR map and other resources to research each parcel in the county to determine whether a property is out of compliance.

 

Letters were sent out to 60 property owners covering 86 parcels, informing them of a potential non-compliance issue.

 

By law, buffers on public waterways are to be established by November, 2017. Buffers on public ditches are to be established by November, 2018.

 

Miranda Wagner of SWCD said there are a number of cost-share programs available to help property owners establish buffers, including the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Conservation

 

Stewardship Program (CSP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). She said SWCD will provide technical assistance and answer any questions property owners have.

 

She recommended property owners contact SWCD to set up an appointment to review their specific property concerns.

 

To contact Sherburne SWCD, call 763-241-1170 ext 4.