Policy 8: Water Monitoring, Data, and Assessment Policy
Natural waters and engineered water systems (stormwater, water supply, wastewater, and reuse systems) in the region are proactively monitored, high quality data is collected and shared, and conditions (past, present, and future) are collaboratively assessed to support regional water objectives.
Data is critical to make informed decisions. Among other reasons, data helps us understand surface water and groundwater conditions, see trends and patterns in water quality, identify water vulnerabilities and risks, and support water supply partners in providing water for their population. Many organizations in the region have a role in collecting and understanding this information from the federal and Tribal levels to local government. Coordinating this work can maximize our collective effort to gain information about our waters.
Through monitoring the water quality of the region’s lakes, rivers and streams, monitoring wastewater effluent to support public health, maintaining the Priority Water List, and other efforts, we value the impact data can have on improving water to support human and environmental health. We will continue to provide and interpret the data to help the region meet its water quality, sustainability, and human health and aquatic life goals.
Desired outcomes:
- The region understands the status of its waters, both quantity and quality.
- Monitoring of the region's surface water, groundwater, and wastewater to assess current conditions, trends, vulnerabilities and risks, and supporting regulatory compliance are coordinated between the Met Council and regional partners.
- Water resource managers, community planners, and regional leaders understand how groundwater and surface water interact and how those interactions impact water sustainability.
- Studies and efforts to measure progress towards achieving sustainable and equitable water goals are supported.
- Data is shared among water organizations and other interested groups.
- The Met Council, in partnership with other organizations, uses its resources to support efforts to provide public and ecosystem health insights to reduce negative health risks, as the need arises.
Actions
Actions are grouped under the categories of Partner, Plan, and Provide to better tell the story of how policy produces results.
Partner
- Partner, assist, and support communities, Tribal Nations, and other stakeholders with the monitoring and assessment of regional priority waters and groundwaters for known and emerging contaminants.
- Work with communities, Tribal Nations, and other stakeholders to provide and improve communication and educational materials on known and emerging contaminants.
- Collaboratively research, gather, assess, and use data and information on the quality and quantity of water to improve understanding of the connections between surface and groundwaters.
- Partner with local planners and state agencies to compile and update information about water infrastructure.
- Partner with public health agencies to remain aware of opportunities to assist in wastewater monitoring and data collection in the interest of public health insights when the need arises, and funding is available.
Plan
- Explore and identify data sources to support the understanding of water value and use to support the Priority Waters List and its use by our stakeholders.
- Support community efforts to identify and evaluate the economic and technical feasibility of water supply approaches and best practices that promote water conservation, enhance groundwater recharge, and make the best use of groundwater, surface water, reclaimed wastewater, and stormwater.
Provide
- Provide monitoring data to our partners through our regional database that contains easily accessible water quality, quantity, and other water-related information collected through the Met Council’s monitoring programs.
- Identify and assess current and long-term groundwater and surface water conditions, uses, use behaviors, community needs, historical trends, drivers (influencers) of change, risks and system limitations, and estimated future conditions.
- Continue long-range planning and technical studies to understand regional and sub-regional water concerns and to measure progress towards achieving sustainable and equitable water goals.
