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2018 ANNUAL REPORT <br />Vadnais Lake Area Water Management Organization <br />"How Watersheds Work" courtesy of Michigan Sea Grant (MICHU-10-728) <br />0 <br />What is a Watershed? <br />A watershed is all the land area that drains to a specific water <br />resource, such as a lake or stream. Watersheds range in size from <br />a few square miles to an entire continent. As rain and melting <br />snow run downhill, they carry sediment and other materials into <br />streams, lakes, and groundwater. <br />The land use activities within a watershed have a direct impact on <br />the quality of the water. 96% of the land use within VLAWMO is <br />urban with a small area of agricultural land in the northern end. <br />Watersheds provide water for drinking, irrigation, streams, and <br />activities such as fishing, swimming, and boating. In addition, <br />watersheds also provide food and shelter for wildlife. <br />OUR GOALS <br />Accomplishing our mission requires a focus on common goals. The VLAWMO <br />will pursue the following goals as a way of proceeding towards the mission. <br />Protect and improve surface water quality <br />» Protect and enhance wetland resources <br />» Protect and improve waters for wildlife habitat and recreation <br />» <br />Enhance public participation and stewardship <br />Make and enable informed decisions <br />Optimize public resources <br />Protect and improve groundwater quality and quantity <br />» Analyze and use alternative funding sources <br />Improve communications <br />Prevent flooding <br />WHAT IS A WMO? <br />A watershed management organization (WMO) is a local government agency <br />charged with protecting water resources within its boundaries. All land <br />within the metropolitan area must be within an organized watershed (State <br />Statutes Chapters 103B & 103D). Watershed Districts are governed by County <br />Commissioners while Water Management Organizations are governed on the <br />municipal level. <br />WHO PAYS FOR IT? <br />The Vadnais Lake Area Water Management Organization is funded by a <br />stormwater utility fee. Property owners within the watershed are charged a <br />fee to manage the stormwater that runs off their property. This public utility <br />fee is determined by land use (eg. residential, commercial etc), and is included <br />on Ramsey County property tax statements. The authority to charge and <br />collect a stormwater utility fee is governed by Minnesota State Law. <br />6 <br />