The Vermillion River Watershed

Friends of the Mississippi River has identified the Vermillion River as an important tributary to the Mississippi River where thoughtful action now can make a big difference in protecting water quality. As such, it is one of two key focus areas in our Watershed Initiative.

The Vermillion River is both a marvelous and a troubled natural resource. Home to high-quality trout fishing and scenic beauty, its also feeling the effects of human development. Pollution from failing septic systems, stormwater runoff and agricultural pesticides and fertilizers are contributing to its impairment.

With the population of Dakota County set to double in the next thirty years, the Vermillion River Watershed needs strong protections to ensure that this vital natural resource remains a valuable source of clean water, wildlife habitat and community recreation.

What is the Vermillion Watershed?

The Vermillion River Watershed is the land area that drains into the tributaries and main stream of the Vermillion River before it reaches the Mississippi River downstream from Hastings. The watershed drains 372 square miles of land, rising from eastern Scott County and passing through parts of Scott, Dakota and Goodhue Counties. It includes portions of the cities of Lakeville, Burnsville, Apple Valley, Farmington, Rosemount, Inver Grove Heights, and Hastings and townships such as Castle Rock, Empire, Vermillion, Eureka, Marshan and Ravenna.

What is the Vermillion Joint Powers Organization (JPO)?

Rather than have each community in the vermillion Watershed set its own watershed planning strategy, the Vermillion Joint Powers Organization was created to design a watershed management plan that governs the whole watershed.

A three-member Joint Powers Board (consisting of two Dakota County Commissioners and one Scott County Commissioner) governs the Vermillion River JPO. The JPO Board has they final say in the Vermillion Watershed management planning process. A nine-member, citizen advisory Watershed Planning Commission supports the Joint Powers Board.

Links for more information

• JPO Board Members and Planning Commission Members lists at the Dakota County web site
• Map of the Vermillion River watershed (1.0 MB PDF) at the Dakota County web site.

What is the process for the JPO to develop standards?

The JPO Board approved an overall Watershed Management Plan in 2005. The watershed protection standards were established in Fall 2006. Watershed Rules, due for completion in 2007, will establish enforcement and monitoring procedures for the Watershed.

Vermillion River Fun Facts

actual facts may or may not be fun. FMR accepts no responsibility for fun-ness of facts.

• The Vermillion River contains 45.5 miles of designated trout stream, considered by Trout Unlimited to be the last remaining world-class trophy trout fishery in a metropolitan area in the United States. The watersheds population is also highly dependent on groundwater use with strong surface linkages via sandy soils and porous bedrock. Designated trout stream areas are indicated on the watershed map available from the link above.
• It drains 372 square miles of land, rising from Eastern Scott County and passes through parts of Scott, Dakota and Goodhue Counties.
• Before it reaches the Mississippi River, it drops 90 feet through a scenic gorge and forms the Vermillion River Bottoms, awarded status as one of 10 Twin Cities Treasures by the Embrace Open Space Campaign.
• The Vermillion River watershed is the largest in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, flowing across central Dakota County to the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. Originally a meandering prairie watercourse, 80% of the watershed was actively farmed or grazed in 1940. Today Scott and Dakota are among the nations fastest-growing counties and the watersheds population grew 40% in the 1990s.
• It provides habitat for rare and unusual creatures like the loggerhead shrike and Blandings turtles.
• About 150,000 human residents live within the watershed. The number is expected to double by the year 2030.
• There are 23 local units of government within the watershed.