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About Public Waters Inventory Maps0#+( http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/waters/watermgmt_section/pwi/maps.html

./"0&)30/+,4)1.&$#%),*5$*&"#'( Public waters are lakes, wetlands, and

watercourses over which Minnesota DNR has regulatory jurisdiction. Public waters

wetlands include all type 3 (http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/wetlands/type3.html),

type 4 (http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/wetlands/type4.html), and type 5

(http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/wetlands/type5.html) wetlands that are 10 acres or more in

size in unincorporated areas or 2.5 acres or more in size in incorporated areas.

The Public Waters Inventory identifies public waters lakes, wetlands, and watercoursesover which Minnesota DNR Waters has regulatory jurisdiction. Proposed projects affecting

the course, current, or cross-section of these water bodies may require a Public Waters

Work Permit from the DNR and permits from other agencies. Examples of development

activities which may need a permit under this program include filling, excavation, shore

protection, bridges and culverts, structures, docks, marinas, water level controls, dredging,

and dams.

DNR Ecological and Water Resources field staff serve as the primary contacts for this

program, and most activities can be authorized at either DNR Ecological and Water

Resources area or regional offices. Currently, DNR utilizes scanned county-scale maps

printed on paper to show the general location of the public waters and public waters

wetlands (lakes, wetlands, and watercourses) under its regulatory jurisdiction. These maps

are commonly known as Public Waters Inventory (PWI) maps. DNR Ecological and Water

Resources is releasing GIS-based PWI maps in an electronic format as they become

available. Those GIS-based maps are more current.

The public waters permit application form for proposed projects affecting the course,

current, or cross-section of lakes, wetlands, rivers and streams, and associated fee

information, is at

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/waters/watermgmt_section/pwpermits/applications.html

2.&.( The original public waters and public waters wetlands were drafted onto Minnesota

Department of Transportation county highway maps and then scanned. Public waters are

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visibly darker than other "background" information on those base maps. A map legend

describes the waters that DNR Waters regulates. Maps are available for viewing online or

at county auditors offices; DNR Ecological and Water Resources regional, area, and central

offices. They are often also available for viewing at soil and water conservation district

offices and watershed district offices. A sample of scanned (on the left) and GIS-based PWI

maps (on the right) for the same area in Lake County, MN is shown below.

&""+%).*2)!0*4&,"*%( After finding the right map, the zoom in/out tools immediately

above the map allow you to increase/decrease magnification.

2.&.).5.,+./,+,&'( Scanned maps are available for all Minnesota counties. GIS-based

maps are available for a limited number of Minnesota counties. (Fourteen are available asof this writing, and the remainder are in the development and review process.)

4"--$*&%( Questions about the public waters program, including what to do if your

property includes public waters and you anticipate conducting an activity which may need

a permit, should be directed to a DNR hydrologist. Their contact information is available at

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/contact/ewr.html. Online answers to questions about water

and shoreland permits is at http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/permits/water/needpermit.html.

The permit application for most projects involving lakes, wetlands, rivers and streams is at

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/waters/watermgmt_section/pwpermits/applications.html.

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Accessing Public Waters Inventory Maps0#+( http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/waters/watermgmt_section/pwi/maps.html

&").44$%%)%4.**$2)4"0*&'6+$5$+)-.3%)

Click on scanned paper maps Click on any quadrant of interest (NW, NE, SW, SE, or Metro) on the map to see

more detailed county-level map sheets ... OR ... Click on Map sheets to see a tabular listing by county name, township/city name,

and sheet number

&").44$%%)7,%6/.%$2)-.3%))

Click on county name

0%,*7)&8$)-.3)

Increase the magnification on the page to make the image larger After accessing the appropriate map, find the appropriate Township (along the left

and right margins of the map), Range (along the top and bottom margins of themap) and Section

Zoom in/out further as needed Review the map Legend

o Public waters! Basins are identified with a number and the letter P! Watercourses are identified with a heavy, dark line! Public ditches are identified with a dashed line

o Public waters wetlands! Identified with a number and the letter W! Public ditches are identified with a dashed line

Click to increasemagnification ofthe entire page

Click todecreasemagnification ofthe entire page

Click, thencreate arectangle toenlarge a

particular area