news & events
Board Meeting set for 9 AM, Thursday, August 28th.
new documents
2007 Annual Report
Clearwater River TMDL update
RLWD Tile Drainage Study
Thief River Sediment Work Plan Monthly Water Quality Report Ditch Inventory Maps
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The Red Lake Watershed District is the regional governmental unit responsible for managing and protecting the water resources of the Red Lake River watershed. The Red Lake Watershed District covers an area of approximately 5,990 square miles which includes all or part of 10 counties located in northwestern Minnesota. The District was established in 1970 under the Minnesota Watershed District Act, Minnesota Statute (Chapters 103D and 103E), which recognizes that hydrologic boundaries rarely match political boundaries.
The functions of the District include issuing drainage permits, building and maintaining water management structures, regulating stream flow, and monitoring water quality.
The District office is located at 1000 Pennington Avenue in Thief River Falls. The locations and major features of the structures within the jurisdiction of the Red Lake Watershed District are detailed in engineering section of this web site.
new rlwd headquarters
The Watershed District office building, completed in July, 2007,
serves as home base for all staff personnel and the
Board of Managers. It includes seven offices, a meeting room,
a water quality lab, and an attached garage. 
RLWD engineering Projects
Red Lake Watershed District projects are designed to address specific problems within the Red Lake Watershed and to implement strategies and policies approved and set forth by the Board of Managers.
These problems include the flooding of agricultural land, flood damage to public and private property, soil erosion, stream sedimentation, loss of fish and wildlife habitat, and growing limits to the beneficial and recreational use of RLWD waters.
Potential solutions fall into a variety of categories that include water control structures, stream and wetland restoration, public education, and regulation by permit. This web document offers a partial but representative review of RLWD engineering projects. Additional information is available at the Red Lake Watershed District headquarters.
RLWD water quality
The RLWD has actively monitored the quality of its surface water since 1984 in response to the heightened awareness and increased concern for water quality from agencies and general public alike. The RLWD currently monitors over 30 sites located throughout all major sub-watersheds within the watershed basin at least four times per year. Some of these are U.S. Geologic Survey gauge sites and will remain permanent. The other sites may be changed to accommodate project needs and assessment strategies.
The Red Lake Watershed District Water Quality Program is a regional and statewide leader in establishing quality control standards for sample collection and data management. In coordination with other agencies, it also participates in numerous investigative studies, training programs, and public education events.