Assessments, Inventories, and Studies

The VRWJPO answers specific questions about the watershed (and smaller subwatersheds) by completing assessments, inventories, and studies.

These detailed analyses help the VRWJPO and partners make decisions about what best management practices or projects will provide the maximum benefits at a reasonable cost. These include geomorphic assessments and subwatershed assessments, which identify specific problem areas by subwatershed. A restorable wetland inventory will help the VRWJPO and partners find promising locations for wetland restoration.

The VRWJPO also has recommendations from studies on reducing thermal impacts on trout, establishing a vision for the Vermillion River Corridor, and surveying landowners along the Vermillion River about their beliefs and values on water resources.

Dakota County

Apple Valley

Lakeville

Rosemount

  • Landowner perspectives about water resource protection in the Vermillion River Watershed
    • A social science-based study conducted by Amit Pradhananga, Ph.D., and his team of researchers from the University of Minnesota Center for Changing Landscapes. This link is to a presentation he shared with the Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Board on December 2, 2021, summarizing the results.
  • The 2021 survey was a follow-up to a 2012 survey on the same subject, led by Dr. Pradhananga and Dr. Mae Davenport at UMN.