NORTH MANKATO — North Mankato has approved a joint powers agreement to implement the Minnesota River–Mankato Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan, formalizing regional collaboration on water quality, flood mitigation and soil conservation efforts.
On Monday, the City Council unanimously authorized the city to join a multi-jurisdictional partnership with Blue Earth, Nicollet and Le Sueur counties, their respective soil and water conservation districts, and the cities of Mankato, St. Peter and Lake Crystal. The agreement establishes the Minnesota River–Mankato Watershed Collaboration to coordinate implementation of the long-term watershed plan.
“This agreement positions the city to access funding and collaborate on larger scale projects, which is a huge benefit for us, especially because we’ve looked at ravine projects and those are extremely expensive,” said stormwater compliance specialist, Chelsea Baker.
The joint powers agreement creates a structure for shared planning, funding and project coordination across jurisdictional boundaries, according to city documents. It establishes a policy advisory committee with one elected representative from each participating entity, supported by a technical advisory committee and a local implementation work group. North Mankato will appoint one council member to serve on the policy committee and participate in annual work planning, budget recommendations and project and grant approvals.
The council approved the agreement following earlier adoption of the comprehensive watershed management plan on Jan. 5. Developed through Minnesota’s One Watershed, One Plan program, the plan covers more than 370,000 acres across south-central Minnesota and spans from 2026 through 2036.
The plan identifies key issues including excess nutrients, sediment from erosion, groundwater contamination risks and increased flooding tied to land use changes. It outlines strategies focused on surface water quality, groundwater protection, flood damage reduction and land use and habitat management.
Implementation of the plan is estimated to cost about $22 million over 10 years across all partners, with most funding expected from a combination of state and local sources. The agreement enables participating entities to pursue grants and coordinate funding to address identified priorities.
Baker said the joint powers agreement does not create a new governmental entity and does not alter North Mankato’s authority over land use, zoning or local planning decisions. Participation does not require specific projects or immediate ordinance changes, though future updates related to stormwater management, erosion control or water planning may be considered by the council as needed.
During public comment, resident Benton Bakke encouraged the council to approve coordination with regional neighbors is in the city’s best interests “especially when it comes to preserving and improving our shared ecosystem and resources.”
Each participating entity remains responsible for its own actions under existing municipal liability laws and the agreement allows members to withdraw with 60 days notice, subject to fulfilling any existing grant obligations.
Baker cited benefits including access to funding opportunities, shared technical resources and alignment with local climate goals. The agreement supports ongoing regional coordination to address water quality, flooding and natural resource management within the Minnesota River watershed.
“Overall, it’s a flexible, low risk, way to work regionally with our partners, while maintaining local control,” she said.